Jeff Starling

Guest Columnist

After more than two decades as an attorney, I’ve seen firsthand how complex and overburdened our legal and judicial system has become. Every day, judges are expected to rule on an array of topics from traffic violations in the morning to intricate corporate disputes by the afternoon.

It’s a tall order and not always fair to those who rely on the courts to deliver timely, accurate and informed decisions.

Just as football teams have specialists –– offense, defense, special teams — so does the legal profession. Attorneys dedicate their careers to mastering specific fields such as business law, energy regulation or criminal defense. Yet judges, typically, are generalists and are too often required to rule on high-stakes, highly technical matters that may fall outside their core areas of expertise.

That’s why states like North Carolina and Texas created business courts, to bring specialization into the courtroom and ensure cases are decided by well-equipped judges. Oklahoma cannot be left behind!

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This is why I fought to bring business courts to Oklahoma. As a leader on the state’s Task Force for Business Courts, I am proud to see our business court legislation signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt.

These courts will strengthen our legal infrastructure and attract more companies to invest and grow in Oklahoma.

Expert judges for complex business cases

You wouldn’t want a math teacher grading your English paper. Why should a small business litigating a complex contract have their case heard by someone without deep experiences in business law?

Oklahoma’s new business courts will ensure commercial disputes and complicated contracts are decided by judges with at least a decade of experience in civil business litigation, business law, and/or commercial matters. Business court judges also will serve eight-year terms, longer than other judges in Oklahoma, allowing them to further develop expertise in the legal precedents and procedures required to adjudicate these actions. This means informed rulings, more predictable outcomes for litigants, fewer delays and most importantly, fairer results.

These courts will not only support our business community; they also will better support our judges. This reform gives all parties the tools to succeed.

Oklahoma’s businesses should spend less time in the courtroom and more time in their communities, selling goods, providing services, and moving our economy forward.

Our new business courts will streamline litigation and reduce the time it takes to solve disputes, saving businesses time and money while making Oklahoma’s economy grow.

Excess legal costs don’t just hurt businesses, they hurt our state. According to a study by The Perryman Group, excess tort costs result in an estimated $195 million in lost annual tax revenue for Oklahoma and $162.5 million for local governments.

With business courts in place, we will curb those losses and put those funds to good use in our schools and infrastructure.

As Oklahoma continues to grow and attract new companies, we need a legal system that can keep pace. Gov. Stitt set a clear goal: make Oklahoma the best state for business. That starts by keeping taxes low — but it also requires a legal system that’s efficient, fair, and built to do business.

Business courts eliminate waste and send a signal to companies that Oklahoma is open for business.

Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Stitt, Republicans in the Legislature and the Oklahoma Task Force for Business Courts, we’re taking a bold step forward to ensure the success of our state for generations to come.

Jeff Starling is Oklahoma’s secretary of energy and environment and served on Oklahoma’s Task Force for the Study of Business Courts.