Appointed by Jimmy Carter Succeeded by Ronald A. White Role Judge | Name Frank Seay Preceded by Joseph Wilson Morris | |
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Alma mater University of Oklahoma (B.A.)
University of Oklahoma College of Law (LL.B.) Education University of Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma College of Law | ||
Frank Howell Seay (born 1938) is a Senior United States federal judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
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Early life and education
Born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Seay received a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma in 1961 and an LL.B. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1963.
Career
Seay was in private practice in Seminole, Oklahoma from 1963 to 1966. He was a County attorney of Seminole County, Oklahoma from 1963 to 1966. He was a First assistant district attorney of 22nd Judicial District, Oklahoma from 1967 to 1968.
Judicial service
Seay was an Associate judge, District Court of Oklahoma, Seminole County, Oklahoma from 1968 to 1974. He was a judge on the 22nd Judicial District Court, Oklahoma from 1974 to 1979.
Seay was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Seay was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on September 28, 1979, to a seat vacated by Joseph Wilson Morris. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 31, 1979, and received his commission on November 2, 1979. He served as chief judge from 1980-1996. He assumed senior status on September 25, 2003.
Ada affair
Judge Seay was instrumental in reversing the miscarriages of justice that led to the convictions of Ronald Keith Williamson and Dennis Fritz for the murder of Debbie Carter in Ada, Oklahoma, events that were documented in John Grisham's non-fiction book The Innocent Man. He is quoted as attaching to an epilogue of his legal opinion: "God help us, if ever in this great country we turn our heads while people who have not had fair trials are executed. That almost happened in this case".
Personal
Seay's paternal grandfather was a full-blooded Native American. Seay did not discover his Native American heritage, likely Cherokee, until after he was appointed to the federal bench.