Governor Appoints Tate as Osage County District Judge

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 16, 2020)— Governor Kevin Stitt announced today the appointment of Stuart Lee Tate as a District Judge for Osage County. 

“I am proud to appoint Stuart Tate as the next District Judge for Osage County,” said Gov. Stitt. “Judge Tate has spent his entire life getting to know the heart of the people he represents, and I have full faith he will continue to serve with integrity and a strong commitment to uphold the rule of law as he enters this new role.”

“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Stitt to the District Judgeship,” said Tate. “I look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Osage County and to supporting and defending our constitution and the integrity of our judicial system.”

Appointed by then Judge M. John Kane, Tate served Osage County as a Special Judge from 2010 to 2019, when he was elected Associate District Judge of Osage County. During his decade-long tenure on the bench, Tate has overseen traffic, wildlife, criminal misdemeanor and criminal felony cases. He has also overseen probate, guardianship, adoption and general family law cases. Prior to his time on the bench, Tate worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Osage County and in private practice with the Northcutt Law Firm in Ponca City. His general private practice included transactional work, wills and estates, domestic matters, bankruptcy, tax, litigation and criminal defense.  

Tate holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Central State University (1986), a Bachelor of Science from Oklahoma State University (2005) and a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University School of Law (1991). A native Oklahoman, Tate resides on his family farm near Fairfax with his wife Carrie and three children Hannah, Elizabeth and Andrew, where they have an ongoing cow-calf operation.  

Osage County is in the 10th Judicial District.