An Oklahoma City state representative is proposing a bill that would prevent Oklahoma judges having romantic relationships with a lawyer who is representing a client in the courtroom assigned to the judge. State rep. Jason Lowe recently filed the legislation to be known as the “Judge Timothy Henderson Act”.

Henderson was a former Oklahoma County judge who admitted to having a sexual relationship with a prosecutor. Due to his actions a man convicted of murdering a 94-year-old woman is now seeking a new trial because of the relationship.

Any judge who violates the proposed law could be imprisoned for up to two years and fined up to $100,000. The basis of the law, HB-3746, is establishing a clear line for expectations to help both the people of Oklahoma and judges.