Robert D. Simms

Robert D. Simms (1926 – 2008) was a justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court from 1972 to 1999. He served as chief justice in 1985 to 1986. Robert D. Simms was born in Sand Springs, Tulsa County, Oklahoma on February 6, 1926 in Tulsa. Son of Matthew Scott and Bessie L. (Moore) Simms. He attended Milligan College, Phillips University and got a Bachelor of Laws at Tulsa University. Served with United States Navy, 1943-1946. Early life Simms was a native of Sand Springs and graduated from Sand Springs High School in 1943. He won the Craftsman Award given to an outstanding senior boy. He then attended Milligan College, a church related liberal arts college in eastern Tennessee, and Phillips University, another church-related school, in Enid, Oklahoma. Judge Simms received his law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 1950.In 1975 he received a TU College of Law Annual Faculty and Alumni Award for his outstanding service to the legal profession. Career in law Starting in 1950 he began private law practice in Sand Springs. He became Assistant Tulsa County Attorney (1953-1954), Chief Prosecutor in County Attorney's office (1955-1958) Tulsa County Attorney (1958-1962), and judge of the Oklahoma District Court, District 14, (1962-1971), Oklahoma Court Criminal Appeals (1971-1972) and justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, (1985—2000). Member Oklahoma Crime Commission.