New Oklahoma County judge named
The state's newest district judge is ready to take on Oklahoma County's drug, mental health and diversions courts.
Kenneth Morgan Stoner fills the vacancy created by the retirement last year of Oklahoma County District Judge Bryan Dixon.
Gov. Mary Fallin announced his appointment Tuesday. Stoner, 49, of Oklahoma City, has been both a county prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney since becoming an attorney in 2001.
“Kenneth Stoner is a skilled attorney who has a wealth of experience in the law and criminal proceedings,” Fallin said. “His expertise and knowledge in working with those who have been charged with crimes related to untreated mental illness- and substance abuse-related offenses will help ensure they receive treatment and appropriate care."
Stoner said his primary motivation to become a judge was to "provide leadership to our drug, mental health and diversion courts."
"We are certainly moving in the right direction, but more can be done to strengthen and expand these courts," he said. "I believe the right conditions exist for us to create nationally recognized programs in these critical areas. We need to build additional public-private partnerships and explore ways that technology can help.
"Addiction is the public health crisis of our time, and is a significant underlying factor in the majority of cases at our courthouse. We can’t wait for somebody else to solve this problem for us. We have to be responsibly creative and innovate in this area.”