Court of Existing Claims Judge Extends Her Own Term

The lone judge on the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims on Thursday signed orders extending her term that was slated to expire at midnight. Judge Margaret A. Bomhoff cited sections in the state’s workers’ compensation statutes as authorizing her self-appointment. Specifically, the orders mention 85 O.S. 400(M) and 85 O.S. 400(Q) as the authority for her action. The first subsection vests the Court of Existing Claims, which was established as part of the reforms that created the state’s administrative comp system, to hear older claims with a date ...