Robert D. Simms (February 6, 1926 – January 31, 2008) was a justice of the

Oklahoma Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is a court of appeal for non-criminal cases, one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma, and leads the judiciary of Oklahoma, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma.

from 1972 to 1999. He served as chief justice in 1985 to 1986. Robert D. Simms was born in Sand Springs,

Tulsa County, Oklahoma Tulsa County is located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 669,279, making it the second-most populous county in Oklahoma, behind only Oklahoma County. Its county seat and largest city is Tulsa, the second- ...

on February 6, 1926 in Tulsa. Son of Matthew Scott and Bessie L. (Moore) Simms. He attended Milligan College, Phillips University and got a Bachelor of Laws at Tulsa University. Served with United States Navy, 1943-1946.Hoberock, Barbara. "Justice retiring his post." ''Tulsa World''. June 24, 1999.
Accessed December 21, 2016.

Early life

Simms was a native of Sand Springs and graduated from Sand Springs High School in 1943. He won the Craftsman Award given to an outstanding senior boy. He then attended

Milligan College Milligan University is a Private university, private Christianity, Christian university in Milligan College, Tennessee. Founded in 1866 as the Buffalo Male and Female Institute, and known as Milligan College from 1881 to May 2020, the school has ...

, a church related liberal arts college in eastern Tennessee, and Phillips University, another church-related school, in Enid, Oklahoma. Judge Simms received his law degree from the

University of Tulsa College of Law The University of Tulsa College of Law is the law school of the private University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For 2021, ''U.S. News & World Report'' ranked the University of Tulsa College of Law at No. 111 among all law schools in the United S ...

in 1950.In 1975 he received a TU College of Law Annual Faculty and Alumni Award for his outstanding service to the legal profession."Robert Simms, 81, died Jan. 31, 2008 in Sapulpa." ''Sand Springs Leader''. February 2, 2008.
Accessed December 21, 2016.

Career in law

Starting in 1950 he began private law practice in Sand Springs. He became Assistant Tulsa County Attorney (1953-1954), Chief Prosecutor in County Attorney's office (1955-1958) Tulsa County Attorney (1958-1962), and judge of the Oklahoma District Court, District 14, (1962-1971), Oklahoma Court Criminal Appeals (1971-1972) and justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, (1985—2000). Member Oklahoma Crime Commission. He spent one year on the state Court of Criminal Appeals before his appointment to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 1972. He served as the chief justice in 1985 and 1986. He retired in October 1999. Governor Frank Keating appointed Daniel J. Boudreau to fill the vacancy created by Simms' retirement.Hainey, Janie. "Keating Appoints Boudreau to Supreme Court." ''The Journal Record''. October 13, 1999.
Accessed December 21, 2016.

Post-retirement Multicounty Grand Jury

In 2001, after Robert Simms had retired from the bench, his judicial talents were summoned again for a special service. The Oklahoma Supreme Court, in October 2001, and the Oklahoma Attorney General had authorized the empaneling of a Multicounty Grand Jury (MGJ) to investigate a variety of offenses in all seventy-seven counties of the state. Simms was named as presiding judge of the MGJ. The list of offenses that the MGJ investigated was extremely wide-ranging, including "... murder, rape, bribery, extortion, arson, perjury, fraud, embezzlement, violations of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Act, organized crime, public corruption, securities violations, and crimes involving the sale or purchase of goods or services by state and local subdivisions.""Multicounty Grand Jury SC-01-75 - Final Report." Signed by Robert D. Simms, Presiding Judge of the Eighth Muticounty Grand Jury.
May 2003. Accessed December 21, 2016. The MGJ's activities resulted in 10 indictments, containing 115 separate counts against 17 individuals. These were delivered to the state Attorney General for prosecution or further investigation. The MGJ also recommend certain changes in state laws to clarify the requirements of agency employees. In its conclusion, the final report stated that the MGJ stated, "...the Multicounty Grand Jury is an essential and invaluable tool for law enforcement in the State of Oklahoma. Information and evidence were obtained, and cases solved, that would likely not have been otherwise due to the use of the subpoena and investigatory powers of the Multicounty Grand Jury. We believe it is a process which should be continued, funded and fully supported by the citizens, Legislature, Governor, judiciary and law enforcement community of the State.

Family

Simms married Patricia J. Cook in Sand Springs, Tulsa County, Oklahoma on February 12, 1951.Robert D. Simms in "Oklahoma County Marriages 1890 - 1995" Ancestry.com (Subscription required).
Accessed December 22, 2016. They had one son, Robert Simms, Jr., who is married and has two sons.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simms, Robert D. 1926 births 2008 deaths Justices of the Oklahoma Supreme Court People from Sand Springs, Oklahoma University of Tulsa College of Law alumni 20th-century American judges