A Chandler attorney has been appointed the new district judge for District 23.
Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed Sarah L. Bridge to fill the vacancy created earlier this year.
In a prepared statement released recently, the governor said, “Sarah is committed to the pursuit of justice and has committed her career to advocating for the children and families of Oklahoma. With her high moral character and integrity, I’m confident Sarah will be an excellent steward of justice and I look forward to having her on the bench.”
Bridge said this week she is not sure when she will be sworn in.
“No date has been set yet. There are a lot of factors. It will be sometime later next week before we can begin to determine when that might be,” she said.
“I have to wrap up some cases and refer others out,” she noted.
Explaining why she decided to apply for the position, Bridge said, “There were lots of reasons, but two-fold I see it as an opportunity to grow my career and serve the community in some way.”
She began her career she said in August of 2007 as an attorney with Lenora and Upton Law firm. “The entirety of my career has been with the law firm,” she stated.
It’s now Lenora, Upton and Bridge Law firm.
She and her husband Douglas have three children ranging in ages from 10 to 15 and they reside in Chandler, she said.
“I am dedicated to upholding the ethical standards and principles of justice that are crucial for members of the judiciary,” said Bridge.“As district judge, I’ll bring balance, patience, and composure to the bench, and I look forward to making meaningful contributions to protect families and our most vulnerable populations. I’m proud to serve my community, and I’m incredibly grateful to Governor Stitt for his faith and trust in me.” Asked about the new position and how it might affect her family life, Bridge said, “I’m involved in activities and I want to continue to be my kids’ mom.”
Bridge was appointed to fill the position created by the resignation of former District Judge Traci Soderstrom who resigned Feb. 9, 2024 creating the vacancy.
Bridge was selected from among five people who had applied for the position. The other four included Joseph Alan Dobry, Emily Jean Mueller, Mark James Pordos and Zachary Allen Privott, all of Chandler.
The five were interviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission on June 4. Following the interviews, the JNC narrowed the list to three, including Bridge, Dobry and Pordos. Those three were immediately forwarded to the governor’s office for him to make a decision and he appointed Bridge.
Bridge has served as president of the Lincoln County Bar Association since 2018 and is a member of the Chandler Education Foundation. She received her undergraduate degree from East Central University in 2001 before going on to earn her juris doctorate from the University of Oklahoma in 2007.
Additional information provided by the governor’s office indicated that throughout her career, Bridge has tirelessly advocated for children and families.
She has served as guardian ad litem for children in contested custody proceedings, working to defend children in difficult situations.
She also has experience representing young Oklahomans in deprived juvenile cases across Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties.