Joseph M. Watt is currently a justice

Judge

A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...

 on the Oklahoma Supreme Court

Oklahoma Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....

, assuming that post in 1992, and was retained by the voters in 1994, 1996, and 2002. From 2003 to 2007, he served two terms as chief justice

Chief Justice

The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...

. In 2005, he was reelected to an unprecedented second term as Chief Justice, despite a federal age discrimination

Ageism

Ageism, also called age discrimination is stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups because of their age. It is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, and values used to justify age based prejudice, discrimination, and subordination...

 lawsuit filed by the Court's then-Vice Chief Justice Marian P. Opala

Marian P. Opala

Marian Peter Opala was a Polish-American lawyer and jurist who served as a Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court for thirty-two years. Opala was appointed to the State's highest court in 1978 by Governor of Oklahoma David L. Boren...

, then 83 years old, who claimed Supreme Court rules were changed to prevent him from becoming Chief Justice.

Early life

Watt was born in Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

 and graduated from high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 there in 1965. In 1969, he earned a bachelor's degree

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...

 majoring in history and government from Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...

. He earned his J.D.

Juris Doctor

Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...

 from the University of Texas at Austin

University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...

 in 1972. A year later, he moved to Altus, Oklahoma

Altus, Oklahoma

Altus is a city in Jackson County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 19,813 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County....

, working in private practice

Practice of law

In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...

 until his appointment as the Altus city attorney in 1980, serving in that capacity until his appointment as a Special District Judge for Jackson County, Oklahoma

Jackson County, Oklahoma

Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 28,439. Its county seat is Altus.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....

 in 1985. The following year, he was elected as an Associate Judge, serving in that capacity until 1991. From 1991 until his appointment to the state Supreme Court, he served as General Counsel

General Counsel

A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...

 in the Office of Oklahoma Governor David Walters

David Walters

David Lee Walters was the 24th Governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995.-Biography:Walters was born near Canute, Oklahoma. He graduated as valedictorian from Canute High School in 1969. He later graduated from University of Oklahoma in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering...

. He is married to Cathy Watt, and has four children, and three grandchildren.