Published: August 27, 2008 09:37 am            

Giving them their money’s worth

District Judge James Goodpaster retires

The time has come to say good-bye.

District Judge James Goodpaster is retiring after 17 years on the bench. His last day is Friday. A reception is planned from 2 to 4 p.m. in his honor.

“I would have liked to try a case, turn out the lights, put the key on the desk and fade out of sight,” he said. “They (his staff) wouldn’t have that.”

His court reporter and bailiff have been with him since the day he took office in January 1991. They’re like family to him.

“They’re a real inspiration and a help to me,” he said. “Made my job easier.”

The decision to retire came to Goodpaster in early August while taking care of cattle early in the morning. A brand new jury was scheduled to arrive that day for a manslaughter case.

“I just decided I didn’t want any more conflict and I came in and wrote the letter,” he said. “Every day up here is conflict of some sort.”

In his years on the bench, Goodpaster has presided over thousands of cases, including three death penalty cases. Two of the most publicized cases were the Danny Joe Sitsler case in 1993 and the Steven Ray Thacker case in 2000.

“It (the conflict) does wear on you and you do wonder if you’re making the right decisions,” said Goodpaster. “You can’t help but second guess yourself from time to time.”

In all the conflict he’s seen over the years, Goodpaster has witnessed some positive developments in the law.

Goodpaster said the drug court program in Mayes County “has a positive impact on a lot of lives, not just them, but their families.”

Although not all drug court participants have been successful, “the ones that have been successful have made a real lasting impact on lots of individuals.

“It certainly changed my way of thinking about punishment and the way we handle things in this country,” said Goodpaster, who knew he wanted to pursue law at the age of 15.

He wanted to have a way to make a good living since he would have to work his way through college and law school.

“I felt comfortable with the law and felt like maybe I could help somebody down the road,” he said.

He attended undergraduate school at Oklahoma State University and graduated from the University of Tulsa with a law degree in 1966. While attending law school, he worked for a District Judge in Tulsa, W. Lee Johnson. His first job was with the district attorney’s office in Tulsa. He then worked for Jones and Givens, a law firm in Tulsa.

After the court system was reformed in 1969, he was appointed as one of the original seven special district judges in Tulsa County at the urging of Tulsa District Judge Johnson. In 1970, Judge Johnson died and Goodpaster resigned as special district judge.

“I didn’t feel like I was ready to be a judge yet,” he said. “I liked the idea of being a judge, but wanted to wait and see if it ever happened again.”

For 20 years, Goodpaster practiced law in Tulsa and Chelsea.

In 1990, the District Judge position in Mayes County opened and he put his hat in the race.

“Nobody wanted the job,” he joked, explaining he was elected unopposed. “I’ve always said I’ve had the job cause no one else wants it.”

Since then, Goodpaster said he’s had the chance to work with outstanding judges in the district and the state. He served as presiding judge of the Northeast Administrative District for a couple of terms.

Over his 17 years on the bench, he’s been witness to many stories, good, bad, bizarre and funny.

“I probably will end up writing a book some day about it all,” he said. “A desire I have if I have the will to do it.”

Through it all, Goodpaster said he’s had the support of his family, immediate and extended, who have backed him “100 percent.”

He wants to be remembered as a judge who

gave the taxpayers their money’s worth, but

mostly as “fair.”

        

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