Governor Fallin Wednesday announced the appointment of Paul Hesse as Canadian County district judge. He is replacing Gary E. Miller, who retired.
Hesse’s appointment is effective immediately.
Hesse, of Mustang, is first assistant district attorney in the Canadian County district attorney’s office, where he supervises five attorneys and is responsible for the prosecution of all serious felony offenses and representing Canadian County in civil matters and advising county officials. Before that, he worked as a law clerk for the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
“As a prosecutor for more than 20 years, Paul Hesse has proven himself as a talented and skillful attorney committed to upholding the law,” said Fallin. “He will serve the state well during his time as a Canadian County district judge.”
Hesse earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and a law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.
He is a citizens advisory board member for the C.A.R.T House., a children’s advocacy center in El Reno and is a board member of the Intervention & Crisis Advocacy Network.
“Although I feel that many of my daily decisions and actions as a prosecutor influence whether justice is served in a particular instance or case, more often it seems that justice is determined by the decisions of a jury or judge,” Hesse said. “A judge does this in a variety of ways: interpreting statutes and case law, ruling on motions or evidentiary issues, weighing evidence, and the imposition of sentences. Many of these decisions are influenced by a judge’s judicial or sentencing philosophy.”
Hesse and his wife, Mandy, reside in Mustang with their three children, Paige, Connor and Piper.
