Charles A. Johnson (Oklahoma judge)
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox judge
| name = Charles A. Johnson
| image =
| office = Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
| appointer = Henry Bellmon
| term_start = October 31, 1989
| term_end = August 1, 2014
| predecessor = Hez J. Bussey
| successor = Robert L. Hudson
| birth_name =
| birth_place =
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|83|2014|07|31}}
| death_place =
| party =
| education = University of Oklahoma (BA, LLB)
}}
Charles A. Johnson (born 1930/1931) is a former judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, serving from 1989 to 2014.
Education
Career
He was active in the Reserve component of the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a Colonel, USAFR, having received the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. After being released from active duty in the United States Air Force, Johnson was a senior law partner with the law firm of Phipps, Johnson, Holmes & Hermanson.
On October 31, 1989, he was appointed as a judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals by governor Henry Bellmon to fill the unexpired term of judge Hez J. Bussey, serving for District 2. He had served as the court's presiding judge three times.{{Cite news |date=July 31, 2014 |title=Oklahoma Appeals Court Judge Retires after 25 Years |work=Public Radio Tulsa |url=https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/local-regional/2014-07-31/oklahoma-appeals-court-judge-retires-after-25-years?_amp=true}} He retired from the bench on August 1, 2014, after serving for 25 years.{{Cite news |title=Longtime Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Charles Johnson to retire |work=Tulsa World |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/longtime-court-of-criminal-appeals-judge-charles-johnson-to-retire/article_5b1a8f44-f23d-5421-9f5d-ebdbd5cac074.html}}{{Cite news |title=Oklahoma appeals court judge from Ponca City retires after 25 years |work=Tulsa World |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/oklahoma-appeals-court-judge-from-ponca-city-retires-after-25-years/article_6978a445-ea74-5d67-907e-d47b15e79d5d.html}}
= Notable opinions =
Johnson wrote the opinion in Bechtel vs State "which held that expert testimony about the Battered Woman Syndrome is admissible in Oklahoma courts."{{Cite news |last=Isaacs |first=Gavin |date=October 10, 1994 |title=Self Defense Law Explained |work=The Oklahoman |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1994/10/10/self-defense-law-explained/62411997007/}}{{Cite web |last=JUSTIA |title=BECHTEL v. STATE |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/oklahoma/court-of-appeals-criminal/1992/11396.html}} He recused himself on an appeal arguing a battered woman defense, a case for April Wilkens, who shot and killed her abuser, Terry Carlton, because Johnson was a family friend of the victim's family, but not for her following appeals.{{Cite news |last=Harlow |first=Brittany |date=March 22, 2022 |title=#AprilsStory The Lone Crusaders |work=VNN |url=https://app.verifiednews.network/articles/share/2261?fbclid=IwAR0Q95708zi0WkvEFEXaEKkkMaTT9i_CSfz0oqMFHyGlxHT4mps6uA4yIm0}}
Organizational memberships and recognition
Johnson is the past president of the Kay County Bar Association, and operated a private law practice before he was appointed to the criminal appeals court. In 1993 was named the state's outstanding appellate judge by the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association.
In 2014, he was recognized with the Cleveland County Bar Association service award.{{Cite news |date=August 6, 2014 |title=Criminal appeals judge honored |work=The Norman Transcript |url=https://www.normantranscript.com/news/criminal-appeals-judge-honored/article_98151b62-1d90-11e4-829b-0019bb2963f4.html}} Former Governor, Mary Fallin, appointed Judge Rob Hudson from Guthrie, Oklahoma to fill Johnson's vacancy on March 12, 2015.{{Cite web |last=CAIR Oklahoma |title=2020 Overview of Judicial Retention on Oklahoma Ballot |url=https://www.cairoklahoma.com/okiemuslimvote/2020-overview-of-judge-retention-on-oklahoma-ballot/}}
References
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:20th-century American judges
Category:20th-century American lawyers
Category:21st-century American judges
Category:Judges of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals
Category:United States Air Force colonels