By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
EL RENO – Khristan K. Strubhar has made history as Canadian County’s first female district judge.
Her mother, Reta Strubhar, was this county’s first female associate district judge more than 30 years ago before becoming a long-serving Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals’ judge.
Retired Judge Strubhar administered the oath to her daughter, new Canadian County District Judge Khristan Strubhar, during a swearing-in ceremony Jan. 27 at the Canadian County Courthouse.
“As the daughter of a father (Richard) who’s been a Canadian County lawyer for over 50 years – and the daughter of a mother (Reta) who tried to open doors for women in both the educational and legal fields – I stand before you as the first woman in Canadian County to hold the position of district judge,” Khristian Strubhar told the audience.
“I have been privileged to have great role models, mentors and friends throughout my legal career. I am so honored, humbled and blessed by the trust you have placed in me to serve as your next district judge. I will continue to work hard and demonstrate the kind of integrity and character this position and the citizens of Canadian County deserve.”
A former private practice attorney and prosecutor, she had served as a special judge since 2019.
The Piedmont woman was elected without opposition in 2022 to the next four-year term as Canadian County’s office two district judge, succeeding the recently retired Jack D. McCurdy II.
“Khristian Strubhar is now in her (mother Reta’s) old office,” McCurdy said. “I guess you could call her a ‘legacy’ in Canadian County.”
McCurdy joked that he too was a Canadian County “legacy” judge.
“My father was a judge here in Canadian County – Judge Gary McCurdy,” he said, prompting loud laughter and applause from the audience filling courtroom one for last Friday’s ceremony.
Other members of the Canadian County judiciary are District Judge Paul Hesse, Associate District Judge Bob Hughey, Special Judge Barbara Hatfield, Special Judge Charles Gass, Special Judge David Halley, and Children’s Justice Center Referee Erin Jones-Slatev.
“It is a special day for the courthouse, and a special day for Canadian County,” Judge Hesse said while welcoming attendees.
Besides Judge McCurdy, other retired Canadian County judges at the swearing-in ceremony were District Judge Edward C. Cunningham, District Judge Gary Miller and Special Judge Gary McCurdy.
Special guests included Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Noma Gurich, Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Scott Rowland, Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals Judge Thomas Prince, retired U.S. District Court Federal Magistrate Bana Roberts, Oklahoma County District Judge Sheila Stinson, Oklahoma County District Judge Richard Ogden, and retired District Attorney Cathy Stocker.
Also attending were Judge Strubhar’s family and friends, members of the Canadian County Bar Association, county and state officials and courthouse personnel.
‘NEVER DID I DREAM’
Judge Strubhar was five years old when her father graduated from law school. She recalls as a little girl when he’d take her to his Yukon law office on Saturday mornings to answer the phone and to Canadian County’s previous courthouse.
At the time, her mother was teaching at Mustang High School before attending law school at night.
“I remember my parents talking about the judges, whose pictures are on the wall out in our lobby,” Strubhar said. “But never did I dream that I would follow in my parents’ footsteps, go to law school and then become a judge.”
Interestingly, Reta and Richard Strubhar encouraged their daughter to attend medical school. After graduating from Yukon High School, Khristan went to Southern Nazarene University where she earned a chemistry degree with a minor in biology.
Even after she took the medical school admittance exam, the “doors to law” kept opening instead.
Khristan Strubhar would graduate from the University of Oklahoma’s School of Law, then serve as an Oklahoma County assistant district attorney before working at a large civil law firm.
Then-District Attorney Stocker went on to appoint her as managing attorney for the Garfield County Office.
“I found myself managing several very young, very bright and energetic assistant district attorneys,” Strubhar related. “Two of those assistant district attorneys are now-District Attorney Mike Fields and District Judge Paul Hesse.”
Strubhar later opened her own law office in the same Yukon building where her father practiced for decades. Judge Hesse appointed her as a Canadian County special judge four years ago.
Judge Strubhar referred to the “Canadian County standard” known to attorneys and citizens who enter the courthouse.
“We take pride when we often hear that Canadian County is the county that people want to come to and want to practice in,” she said.
Everyone must have confidence in the judicial system, Strubhar stressed.
“My job, as judge, is to ensure that everyone who appears before me gets a fair hearing or a fair trial,” she said. “By listening to all the facts and reviewing all the evidence presented to me from both sides, I make the best decisions I can based upon the facts and on the law.
“As judges, we don’t make the laws. But we must follow them, even if we don’t agree with them. The attorneys and parties may not always agree with all my decisions, but they should know that they were heard, and they received a fair and impartial hearing or trial.”
When judges take the oath of office, they give up some of their First Amendment rights. Judges cannot endorse political candidates or attend political fund-raisers and must be careful about what they post on social media.
“This is all to ensure confidence in the judiciary,” Judge Strubhar explained.
‘LADY OF JUSTICE’
After Canadian County’s first courthouse was built in 1901, a “Lady of Justice” statue was placed atop the three-story building. That statue is now prominently displayed in the lobby on the second floor of the Canadian County Courthouse.
Shortly before his recent death, longtime Canadian County attorney Bill James shared with Judge Strubhar documentation from around 1965 that detailed damage (including many bullet holes) sustained by the Lady of Justice.
The documents describe how county jail inmates labored nearly 1,000 hours combined to restore and repaint the statue. Local businesses donated materials to restore her.
When Richard Strubhar began practicing law in the 1960s, Canadian County had less than 25,000 people.
Canadian County’s population grew to more than 115,000 in 2010 and exceeded 154,000 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census.
And Canadian County is still growing as the fourth largest and fastest-growing county in Oklahoma.
This county “is the most desirable to live in, and our schools are highly rated,” Judge Strubhar said. “With I-40 and Historic Route 66, this is an extremely busy county and busy courthouse.
“Although Canadian County has changed so much, what hasn’t changed is the character of the people.”
In concluding her remarks at Friday afternoon’s ceremony, Canadian County’s first female district judge emphasized that she wants to continue making a positive difference.
“I will do my best to be the leader, role model and mentor to others that so many of you – and others – have been to me,” Strubhar said.
