Stephens County Associate District Judge G. Brent Russell has declared his candidacy for the office of district judge for Judicial District 5, which covers Stephens, Jefferson, Comanche and Cotton counties of Oklahoma, Russell said in a news release.
The office is Office 2 of District 5, which is primarily responsible for presiding over cases filed in Stephens and Jefferson counties.
A native of Duncan, Russell graduated from Duncan High School in 1977 and from Oklahoma State University in 1981. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1985, he returned to Duncan and joined the law firm of Ellis, Leonard and Buckholts.
In 1991, Russell joined the Stephens County District Attorney’s Office, where he served as an assistant district attorney and office manager for eight years.
In 1999, Russell returned to private practice in Duncan, where he practiced with Devin Giddens until he was appointed to the position of associate district judge by then-Gov. Brad Henry on Feb. 1, 2006, according to the news release. Russell ran unopposed for the position in 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
In 2020, Russell was one of eight judges selected by the chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court to serve on the Pandemic Judicial Advisory Committee to address the issues involved in keeping access to the courts available during the COVID- 19 pandemic, according to the news release. The committee made recommendations to the Oklahoma Supreme Court and the Oklahoma Legislature on how the courts in Oklahoma could maintain operation, uphold the trust in the judiciary during times of pandemic and continue serving the public while protecting those involved in the judicial process.
Russell lives in Duncan with his wife of 40 years, Jeanna, who is a retired teacher of Duncan Public Schools. They have two sons and daughters-in-law, Zach and Emily Russell of Edmond, and Jacob and Marni Russell of Oklahoma City, and three granddaughters, Vivien, Caroline and Millie.
“I have been honored to serve the citizens of Stephens County in my current position, and I look forward to the challenges of the office of district judge,” Russell said in the news release. “I am humbled by the trust shown by the citizens of Stephens County and the Stephens County Bar Association by allowing me to serve unopposed for more than 16 years.
“Now, I am seeking the trust of the citizens of Comanche, Cotton and Jefferson counties as well. I believe that my diverse background in the practice of law, as well as my experience on the bench, will serve me well if elected.”
“I would like to acknowledge retired Judges George Lindley and Joe Enos, and current District Judge Ken Graham in Stephens County, as well as retired Judges Allen McCall and Mark Smith of Comanche County, for the assistance they have provided me in my time as associate district judge. I am excited about the challenges of serving as district judge.”