NORMAN — Four local attorneys, including the incumbent, are seeking the Cleveland County Associate District Judge post.
Tuesday’s non-partisan judicial ballot includes Stephen Bonner, the incumbent, Ted L. Ryals, J. Michael Sherrod and Michael Gardner. The position handles Cleveland County matters and only Cleveland County voters will see the four names on their ballots.
If no candidate gets a majority of the votes, the top two vote getters will be on the General Election ballot Nov. 2. Two District Judge posts — one based in Norman and one based in Purcell — are also on Tuesday’s ballot.
Bonner was appointed to the Associate District Judge post in November of 2003. He did not draw an opponent in 2006.
He moved to Norman in 1948 and attended Norman schools. He worked in his father’s automobile business from 1962 to 1967 and received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Oklahoma and a masters in tax law from Southern Methodist University.
He managed the trust department at Security National Bank from 1970 to 1986. Bonner served as chairman of the Oklahoma Bankers Association Trust Divison Intermediate Trust School and Oklahoma Bankers Association Trust Division Executive Committee.
Bonner practiced law in Norman for 40 years with an emphasis on trusts and estate planning. He was an adjunct professor at the OU College of Law, teaching wills, trusts, decedents’ estates and future interests.
He has been active in the United Way of Norman, Big Red Kiwanis, Arthritis Foundation, St. Joseph’s Church, St. Thomas More, Archdiocese Stewardship Committee, Cleveland County Bar Association, Oklahoma Trial Judges Association, Juvenile Services, Inc., Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma, Exchange Club, AARP tax preparer, Oklahoma Bar Association and American Bar Association.
Bonner and his wife, Mary, an educator, have two sons and four grandsons.
Sherrod, a trial lawyer for more than 20 years and a Norman resident since 1974, received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from OU and a law degree from the OU College of Law.
He served as an administrative law judge for the Department of Human Services and was an assistant district attorney in Seminole County and public defender in McIntosh County. Sherrod served as the municipal judge for the Town of Hanna. In Seminole County, he drafted and instituted the first cross deputization agreement between the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the various law enforcement agencies serving Seminole County.
He served as first or second chair in 51 jury trials, including 15 homicide trials and has conducted hundreds of preliminary hearings, administrative hearings and other bench trials.
Sherrod served as general counsel for Vanguard USA, a public corporation with operations in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas where he negotiated oil and gas contracts, vending contracts and real estate transactions on behalf of the corporation as well as coordinated all litigation in the three-state area.
Sherrod’s wife, Shannon Sherrod, is owner of the Pink Elephant Cafe. He has two daughters, two stepdaughters and one grandson.
Ted Ryals has previously run for state representative and Cleveland County commissioner and treasurer. He is an Oklahoma City native and received his law degree from the OU College of Law.
He attended Northwestern University and Oklahoma City University and New York University. He graduated from law school in 2002 and had worked for law firms in various capacities for several years before going to law school. He was a nuclear power plant supervisor in the U.S. Navy.
His professional associations and memberships include the Oklahoma Film Society, the Urban League, American Legion, Legal Aid Society of Oklahoma, the American and Oklahoma Bar Associations and the Federal Bar Association.
Ryals practice includes some criminal law, family law, probate, corporate, tax litigation and intellectual property. He also directs the music program at New Hope Christian Church in south Oklahoma City. He lives in Moore with his wife, Suzanne, and twin sons. He has twin, grown daughters from a previous marriage.
Gardner is a native born Oklahoman. He graduated from Morrison High School where he played football, baseball, basketball, and ran track. Gardner has a double degree from Oklahoma State University in political science and economics with a concentration in public administration. He graduated from the OU College of Law in 1992 and has practiced law in Cleveland and McClain counties for 19 years with the Law Offices of Joe Farnan. This is a general law practice and Gardner’s duties have included trials, hearings, motions and appeals. He is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the United States Supreme Court Bar and the Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Fraternity.
Gardner’s wife, Tricia, is an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center at the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. They have a 4-year old daughter. Gardner has lived in Norman for 22 years. Michael, Tricia and Alex enjoy being students at Vision Martial Arts Academy in Norman and attending OU football and basketball games. He is the son of a retired Army master sergeant.
