Josh D. Lee

Lee was born and raised in Vinita, Oklahoma, the only child of Jack and Dolores Lee. After graduating high school, he worked as a 911 dispatcher and later as a police officer for the Vinita Police Department{{Cn|date=March 2025}}.

Lee pursued higher education in multiple disciplines. He earned an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Oklahoma. He then obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Information Technology, specializing in Software and Multimedia Design, from Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma.

In 2007, Lee graduated with honors from the University of Tulsa College of Law, earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. He continued his education in forensic science, obtaining a Master of Science in pharmacy from the University of Florida in 2016.

Josh D. Lee began his legal career as a licensed intern with the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office, where he worked on the Major Crimes Team before transitioning to private practice. In 2007, Lee joined Clinton M. Ward in Vinita, Oklahoma, forming the law firm Ward & Lee, PLC. The firm was later renamed Ward Lee & Coats, PLC after Cassandra Coats joined the partnership. In 2019, Lee and Coats established their own practice, Lee | Coats Law, PLC, located in downtown Vinita.

Lee's published appellate advocacy includes open government cases,{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} such as Ward & Lee, PLC v City of Claremore, 2014 OK CIV APP 1, which addressed the public's right to access police and sheriff dash cam recordings under the Oklahoma Open Records Act.{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=472552|title = WARD & LEE, P.L.C. V. CITY OF CLAREMORE}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/oklahoma-court-rules-that-claremore-police-dash-cam-video-is/article_32d98368-2313-5a60-89a7-0f22bcc4bffa.html|title=Oklahoma court rules that Claremore police dash-cam video is public record|date=June 2013 }}

Lee filed a lawsuit against Washington and Nowata County District Judge Curtis DeLapp, alleging abuses of power.{{Cite news|url=https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/abuse-power-allegations-levied-judge-ordered-woman-jail-without-bond-talking/|title=Abuse of power allegations levied at judge who ordered woman jailed without bond for talking during court|work=The Frontier|access-date=2018-11-24|language=en-US}} The Oklahoma Supreme Court subsequently filed a removal petition against Judge DeLapp accusing him of "gross neglect" and "oppression in office."{{Cite news|url=https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/washington-county-judge-guilty-gross-neglect-oppression-office-state-supreme-court-justice-writes/|title=Washington County judge guilty of 'gross neglect,' 'oppression in office,' state Supreme Court Justice writes|work=The Frontier|access-date=2018-11-24|language=en-US}} Judge DeLapp resigned from the bench and withdrew his bid for reelection.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/22/okla-judge-who-jailed-people-for-eating-sunflower-seeds-and-talking-in-court-has-resigned/|title=Okla. judge who jailed people for eating sunflower seeds and talking in court has resigned|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en|access-date=2018-11-24}} In July 2020, Reuters Investigates published a series on judicial misconduct in the United States titled "Teflon Robe." Part 2, "Emboldened By Impunity," discussed the conduct of Judge DeLapp and Lee's role in the case.{{Cite news|url= https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-judges-deals/ |title=With 'judges judging judges,' rogues on the bench have little to fear|website=Reuters|language=en-US|access-date=2020-07-11}}

In DUI and criminal law, he has been the attorney of record for the following cases:

• Exonerations of Malcolm Scott and De'Marchoe Carpenter: On May 19, 2016, a Tulsa County District Judge found Scott and Carpenter "actually innocent" of a 1994 drive-by shooting that resulted in prison sentences of Life + 170 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.readfrontier.com/investigation/malcolm-scott-demarchoe-carpenter-freed-20-years-prison-judge-declares-innocent-94-murder-case/|title=Malcolm Scott and De'Marchoe Carpenter freed|website=The Frontier|language=en-US|access-date=2016-06-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/two-tulsa-men-declared-innocent-in-fatal-shooting-after-serving/article_c64cac2f-152d-5466-b846-73ee79118e24.html|title=Two Tulsa men declared innocent in 1994 fatal shooting after serving 20 years in prison|website=Tulsa World|date=10 May 2016 |access-date=2016-06-02}} Scott and Carpenter became the 31st and 32nd individuals exonerated in Oklahoma since 1989.{{Cite web|url=http://okj2.org/?p=1021|title=Judge declares two Tulsa men INNOCENT after they served more than 21 years in Oklahoma prisons {{!}} Oklahoma Journalists for Justice|website=okj2.org|access-date=2016-06-02}} The 21 years and 8 months they spent in prison as wrongfully convicted men was the longest served among the previous 30 exonerees in Oklahoma.{{Cite web|url=http://okj2.org/?p=1021|title=Judge declares two Tulsa men INNOCENT after they served more than 21 years in Oklahoma prisons {{!}} Oklahoma Journalists for Justice|website=okj2.org|access-date=2016-06-02}} Lee, along with Oklahoma Innocence Project Legal Director Christina Green, represented Scott in this matter. His closing argument from the January 29, 2016 hearing was noted by journalists and local court watchers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.readfrontier.com/investigation/a-killers-word-should-michael-lee-wilsons-confession-free-two-men/|title=A killer's word: Should his death row confession free two men?|website=The Frontier|language=en-US|access-date=2016-06-02}} He also represented both Scott and Carpenter when District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler appealed the exonerations.{{Cite news|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/appeals-court-closes-case-of-tulsa-men-declared-innocent-of/article_4d47ad42-7ca2-539e-a1df-b612c1f9f218.html|title=Appeals court closes case of Tulsa men declared innocent of 1994 murder|work=Tulsa World|access-date=2017-04-10}}
• Andrews v. State, 2014 OK CIV APP 19: In this case, the appellate court ruled that paramedics are not authorized to perform blood withdrawals under Oklahoma's Implied Consent Law.{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=472722|title = ANDREWS v. STATE ex rel. DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY}}
• State v. Mayes: The charges against a 74-year-old woman were dismissed at the preliminary hearing after authorities seized marijuana and cash from her residence.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/drug-charge-against--year-old-vinita-woman-dismissed/article_0936be46-78c6-5187-b2cf-6e2e7772c691.html|title = Drug charge against 74-year-old Vinita woman dismissed| date=9 April 2013 }}{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/granny-drug-kingpin-busted-16142621|title = Video Granny Drug Kingpin Busted|website = ABC News}}

Josh D. Lee has contributed to discussions on forensic science and legal issues in publications including Chemistry World,{{Cite web|title=Massachusetts crime lab scandal explodes|url=http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/04/us-massachusetts-forensic-lab-chemist-charged}}{{Cite web|title=Crime lab chemist accused of fabricating drug test results {{!}} Chemistry World|url=http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2016/03/forensic-crime-lab-chemist-drug-test-fraud|access-date=2016-06-02|website=rsc.org}} Colorado Springs Independent,{{Cite news |url=http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/blood-and-circus/Content?oid=2583641 |title=Blood and circus: Why many DUI lawyers don't trust the state's drug lab |first=Chet |last=Hardin |publisher=Colorado Springs Independent |date=November 7, 2012 |access-date=2014-03-23 |archive-date=2013-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130807210057/http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/blood-and-circus/Content?oid=2583641 |url-status=dead }} and Chemical & Engineering News.{{Cite web |url=http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i37/Forensic-Science-Innocence-Project.html |title=Forensic Science and the Innocence Project | September 10, 2012 Issue - Vol. 90 Issue 37 | Chemical & Engineering News |access-date=2014-03-23 |archive-date=2013-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104155315/http://cen.acs.org/articles/90/i37/Forensic-Science-Innocence-Project.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i7/Criminal-Law-Ignores-Science.html |title=Why Criminal Law Ignores Science | February 18, 2013 Issue - Vol. 91 Issue 7 | Chemical & Engineering News |access-date=2014-03-23 |archive-date=2014-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201214047/http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i7/Criminal-Law-Ignores-Science.html |url-status=dead }} He has authored chapters in legal texts, including Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence (2011 Edition),{{cite book|title=Understanding DUI Scientific Evidence, 2011 ed: Leading Lawyers and Scientists on Recent Developments in Forensic Science, Understanding Chemical and ... Validity of Test Results (Inside the Minds): Multiple Authors: 9780314278890: Amazon.com: Books|last1=Vosk|first1=Ted|last2=Authors|first2=Multiple|date=August 2011|publisher=Aspatore Books|isbn=978-0314278890}} and The Legality of Search and Seizure in DUI Cases,{{cite book|author1=Aspatore|title=The Legality of Search and Seizure in DUI Cases, 2012 ed: Leading Lawyers on Leveraging Science and Process to Develop Winning Defense Strategies (Inside the Minds): Multiple Authors: 9780314285843: Amazon.com: Books|date=August 2012|publisher=Aspatore Books |isbn=978-0314285843}} along with articles for The South Carolina Bar Association,{{cite web|url=http://www.scbar.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=oRQ3nULuQ0w%3D&tabid=1127|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310204622/http://www.scbar.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=oRQ3nULuQ0w%3D&tabid=1127|archive-date=2014-03-10|title=The Lawyer's Guide To Gas Chromatography|publisher=South Carolina Bar}} Tennessee Criminal Defense Lawyers Association,{{Cite web |url=http://www.tacdl.com/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-JULAUG.pdf |title=For The Defense |access-date=2014-03-10 |archive-date=2014-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228175332/http://www.tacdl.com/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-JULAUG.pdf |url-status=dead }} and Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.{{cite web|title=Portable Breath Testers: A Potentially Dangerous Non-Specific and Non-Selective Measure at Roadside | Voice For The Defense Online|date=2 October 2012 |url=http://www.voiceforthedefenseonline.com/story/portable-breath-testers-potentially-dangerous-non-specific-and-non-selective-measure-roadside|publisher=voiceforthedefenseonline.com}}

• Freedom of Information Oklahoma, Inc., Board of Directors [http://foioklahoma.org Freedom of Information Oklahoma, Inc.],
• Chemistry and the Law Division of the American Chemical Society, Executive Committee Member/Forensic Science Co-Chairman[http://www.chemistryandthelaw.org/executive-committee Chemistry and the Law Division],

In 2018, Lee received the Fern Holland Courageous Lawyer Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association.{{Cite web|url=https://www.okbar.org/annualmeeting/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/10/2018-House-of-Delegates-Booklet.pdf|title=Oklahoma Bar Association 2018 Award Winners|date=October 2018|website=Oklahoma Bar Association|access-date=November 24, 2018|archive-date=November 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125030849/https://www.okbar.org/annualmeeting/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/10/2018-House-of-Delegates-Booklet.pdf|url-status=dead}} He was featured in Oklahoma Magazine's 40 Under 40 list for 2018. In 2014, Freedom of Information Oklahoma, Inc. recognized the law firm of Ward, Lee, & Coats, PLC, Josh Lee, and Steve Fabian, with an honorable mention for the Ben Blackstock Award.[http://foioklahoma.org/2014/03/15/foi-oklahoma-deems-gov-fallin-records-policies-black-hole-for-second-year/ Freedom of Information Oklahoma, Inc.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114212605/http://foioklahoma.org/2014/03/15/foi-oklahoma-deems-gov-fallin-records-policies-black-hole-for-second-year/ |date=2014-11-14 }}, He has also been recognized by state and national defense-related organizations.{{Cite news|url=http://www.wardandlee.com/oklahoma-attorney-josh-lee-honored-2013/|title=Attorney Josh Lee Honored in 2013|work=Ward Lee & Coats {{!}} Attorneys at Law Vinita Oklahoma|access-date=2017-04-10|language=en-US}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.leecoats.com Lee|Coats Law, PLC]
• [http://www.grandlakedui.com Grand Lake DUI]

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Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:American criminal defense lawyers