The Oklahoma Supreme Court has tapped Justice Douglas Combs as its new chief justice.
In keeping with its constitutional requirement to select a chief justice and vice chief justice every two years, the state's highest court on Monday elected Combs to the two-year term. He will replace outgoing Chief Justice John Reif.
Combs will be replaced as Vice Chief Justice by Noma Gurich.
Both new positions become effective on Dec. 1.
Both Combs and Gurich are appointees of former Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry.
Combs is a Shawnee native who served as a judge in Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties for 15 years before Henry appointed him to the Supreme Court in 2010.