Chief Justice John C. Garrett was born and raised in Stilwell, Ok. After graduating from Stilwell High School in 1960, he attended the University of Oklahoma earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1965 and then worked in the corporate world for the next five years.
Following his completion of law school at the University of Tulsa in 1973, he worked in private practice for seven years in Muskogee. Justice Garrett then returned to Stilwell and served as the Associate District Judge for a term of four years after which he resumed private practice in Stilwell until his appointment to the District Judge bench in 1995 where he served until his retirement in 2006.
In May 2012, Chief Baker nominated Justice Garrett to serve on the Supreme Court of the Cherokee Nation. His appointment was confirmed by the Tribal Council in June 2012.