Section VII-8: Classes of District Court Judges - Selection - Terms - Jurisdiction - Qualifications.

    (a)  The Judges of the District Court shall be District Judges,
Associate District Judges, and Special Judges.  Each District Judge,
each Associate District Judge, and each Special Judge shall be
selected according to the provisions of this Article.
    (b)  Superior Court Judges shall become District Court Judges on
the effective date of this Article.
    (c)  Common Pleas, County, Children's and Juvenile Court Judges
shall become Associate District Judges in the following manner: Those
Judges whose terms expire after the effective date of this Article
shall become Associate District Judges on the effective date of this
Article.  Those Judges whose terms expire on or before the effective
date of this Article, shall be subject to selection, in a manner
provided by law, as Associate District Judges for a term expiring the
day preceding the second Monday in January, 1971, and the selectees
shall become Associate District Judges on the effective date of this
Article.
    (d)  There shall be at least one Associate District Judge for
each County in the State.  The number of District Judges, including
Superior Court Judges who become District Judges, and Associate
District Judges shall continue at the number held over under this
Article until changed by statute.  The District Judges and Associate
District Judges shall exercise all jurisdiction in the District Court
except as otherwise provided by law.  The District Courts, or any
Judges thereof, shall have the power to issue any writs, remedial or
otherwise necessary or proper to carry into effect their orders,
judgments, or decrees.
    (e)  The appointment of any Judge to any Court abolished by this
Article made after its adoption shall be for a period ending on the
day preceding the effective day of this Article.
    (f)  The terms of District Judges and Associate District Judges
shall be for four years commencing on the second Monday of January in
1971 and vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided by law.
    (g)  Each District Judge shall have had prior to election or
appointment, a minimum of four years' experience as a licensed
practicing attorney, or as a judge of a court of record, or both,
within the State of Oklahoma; shall be a qualified elector of the
respective district; and shall have such additional qualifications as
may be prescribed by statute.  Each Associate District Judge shall be
an attorney licensed to practice in the State of Oklahoma and an
elector in the County at the time of filing; and they shall have such
additional qualifications as prescribed by statute.  Both District
Judges and Associate District Judges shall continue to be licensed
attorneys while in office.
    (h)  The District Judges in each judicial administrative district
shall appoint special judges to serve at their pleasure.  The
District Judges may appoint a nonlawyer as a special judge if no
qualified licensed attorney is available.  The jurisdiction of
Special Judges shall be limited as may be prescribed by statute.  The
formula used for the number of special judges to be allowed to each
judicial administrative district shall be set by the Legislature.
All judges of special sessions courts shall become Special Judges for
the remainder of their terms.
    (i)  District Judges, Associate District Judges and Special
Judges may hold court anywhere in this State authorized by rule of
the Supreme Court.