US Supreme Court Rejects Case Of Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice

WASHINGTON (AP) -- State Supreme Court Justice Marian Opala has lost his lawsuit over being bypassed as chief justice of the court.<br/><br/>The US Supreme Court Monday refused to consider Opala's

Monday, December 4th 2006, 12:50 pm

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) -- State Supreme Court Justice Marian Opala has lost his lawsuit over being bypassed as chief justice of the court.

The US Supreme Court Monday refused to consider Opala's appeal of a federal appeals court ruling that threw out his lawsuit against other members of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Opala claimed in the lawsuit the other justices improperly changed a court rule to give Chief Justice Joseph Watt a second term. The rule change made it possible for the first time for the sitting chief justice to be re-elected.

Opala was vice chief justice at the time and said that under the previous rule he would have become chief justice.