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By J.C. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch
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On Monday, the Oklahoma Supreme Court met en banc — that is, nine justices gathered live — to hear 40 minutes of oral argument over Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s effort to intervene in Hursh v. State Farm, a bad faith insurance case that has come to represent upwards of 1,000 similar cases involving hail damage to Oklahoma roofs.

It was the second time in a month that a portion of the symbolically significant Hursh case has reached the Supreme Court.

But lurking behind Monday’s arguments was an even more portentous second.

Two weeks ago, the months-long State Farm roof claim saga appeared to have reached maximum audacity with the story of the insurance giant’s refusal to pay the claim of retired administrative law judge James R. Linehan.

That turned out to be more prologue than postscript.

On Monday, as Oklahoma’s sitting justices weighed arguments and posed questions to attorneys about whether Drummond should be permitted to exercise heightened subpoena powers to access critical State Farm documents, one of the justices’ own colleagues, retired Chief Justice Joseph M. Watt, awaited word on the State Farm roof claim case that he and his wife first brought 10 weeks ago.

Let that sink in for a moment.

In 2025, long after litigation over State Farm roof claims began — that is, when it was already apparent that the lawsuits would one day ascend to the state’s highest court — State Farm refused to pay the claim of a retired chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

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‼️ Watch Monday’s oral arguments from the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

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Here’s what’s happening in Oklahoma today:

• Oklahoma voters to decide property tax question in November (Oklahoma Voice)

• Cleveland County Sheriff Chris Amason pleads no contest to embezzlement, resigns (NonDoc)

• $25 million to be added to Parental Choice Tax Credit cap, pending governor approval (StateImpact Oklahoma)

• Oklahoma Supreme Court declines to remove Adam Pugh from state superintendent ballot (Oklahoma Voice)

• Tulsa WWII veteran laid to rest 77 years after disappearing in Arkansas River (News On 6)

• Oklahoma man found guilty of threatening to kill federal agents online (KFOR)

• Teen shoots 17-year-old while attempting to steal his sweatshirt in Wewoka, OSBI says (KOCO)

• Poll finds Oklahomans have low opinion of schools, want more funding for teacher salaries, classrooms (StateImpact Oklahoma)

• Ponca City Public Schools investigating allegations of child abuse by teacher (Kay News Cow)

• U.S. 75 bridge in Jenks delayed, but may soon be back on track, ODOT says (Tulsa World)*

• Woman, 18, dies after crash on US-69 near Stringtown (KXII)

• Six things to know about marijuana reclassification's impact on Oklahoma (The Oklahoman)*

• Oklahoma Legislature approves $40 million for OSU agronomy research center (KOSU)

• Caddo Nation to open new center addressing Oklahoma's rural child care shortage (KOSU)

• ‘Hot zingy!’ The Helen brings NYC breakfast dining to Meadow Gold District (Tulsa Flyer)

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