The District Judge is permanently assigned to hold Court in each of the four (4) counties of the First Judicial District. Each Associate District Judge is permanently assigned to hold Court in the County from which he/she is elected and may be specially assigned to hold Court in other counties in the First Judicial District by written assignment of the District Judge. The District Judge may preside over any matter of any type in any county in the First Judicial District.

The assignment of cases by this rule is that there be fixed judicial responsibility for cases by categories and that the Judge to whom a case is assigned will have control of the case and of the decision and the judgment to be entered therein. Specific case assignment upon recusal of an Associate District Judge shall be by written order of the District Judge for assignment of a presiding Judge. In the event the District Judge recuses or otherwise cannot enter memorialized order assigning, that matter is for the Presiding Judge of the Northwest Administrative Judicial District to make assignment.

In order to expedite the handling of judicial matters, the District Judge may do a written order reassigning any case or cases for the purpose of a hearing, trial or other matter.

CIVIL DOCKET: All cases not in other categories are hereby assigned to the District Judge.

CRIMINAL DOCKET: All criminal felony cases are assigned to the Associate District Judge as Examining Magistrate, and then to the District Judge or assigned Associate District Judge from and after the time of District Court arraignment.

The Associate District Judge in Harper County is assigned to hold a felony arraignment docket in Texas County the second (2nd) Tuesday of each month, and preside over felony cases which he has not presided as Examining Magistrate in contested presented preliminary hearings. All cases handled on said docket shall be deemed assigned to said Judge without further written order.

All fish and game, criminal misdemeanor and trials de novo from municipal appeal cases are hereby assigned to the Associate District Judge in each County.

PROBATE DOCKET: All probate, guardianship, joint tenancy and life tenancy terminations and mental health cases are hereby assigned to the Associate District Judge in each County.

JUVENILE AND FAMILY RELATIONS DOCKET: All divorce cases, separate maintenance, paternity matters, annulments and reciprocal support cases, in Texas, Beaver, Cimarron and Harper counties are assigned to that Associate District Judge; All adoption cases are hereby assigned to the Associate District Judge in each County. All juvenile cases (delinquency and dependency) and matters governed by the Oklahoma Children's Code are assigned to the Associate District Judge of that County except in Texas County. All juvenile cases, deprived child cases, and matters governed by the Oklahoma Children's Code in Texas County are assigned to the Associate District Judge of Cimarron County who will maintain a case docket one day each week of the month beginning at 10:00 a.m., or as otherwise scheduled with notice to counsel and the parties. Other Associate District Judges and the District Judge will assist with the matters involving children in all Counties with emergency hearings, show cause hearings, initial appearances, further proceedings, review hearings, adjudicatory hearings and/or dispositional hearings; and, with written assignment when necessary.

SMALL CLAIMS AND DRIVER'S LICENSE APPEAL DOCKET: All cases under the Small Claims Act, forcible entry and detainer and driver's license appeals are assigned to the Associate District Judge in each County.

TRAFFIC CASE DOCKET: All “traffic citation information” cases are hereby assigned to the Associate District Judge in each County.

VICTIM'S PROTECTIVE ORDER: All Victim's Protective Order cases are hereby assigned to the Associate District Judge in each County.

MISCELLANEOUS DOCKET: The Associate District Judge in Cimarron County is assigned to hold a miscellaneous docket in Texas County the fourth (4th) Tuesday of each month. All cases handled on said docket shall be deemed assigned to said Judge without further written order.