bohanon was born on august 9, 1902, in fort smith, arkansas, to william and artelia hickman bohanon. his family moved to stigler, oklahoma, four years later. another move took the family of 14 children to kinta, oklahoma where he completed his elementary education. he completed his high school education at muskogee, oklahoma. bohanon received a bachelor of laws in 1927 from the university of oklahoma college of law. he was an assistant county attorney for seminole county, oklahoma in seminole, oklahoma from 1927 to 1928. he entered private practice in seminole and oklahoma city, oklahoma from 1928 to 1936, then solely in oklahoma city from 1936 to 1961. bohanon was partnered with alfred p. murrah during his entire law service at the law firm of murrah & bohanon, with their two most notable clients being armand hammer and howard hughes. bohanon also worked with oilman robert s. kerr to elect leon phillips as governor. their friendship continued thereafter. he also became a friend of kerr's brother, aubrey. in 1961, when bohanan was being considered for another appointment, the aba said that he was unqualified. attorney general robert f. kennedy, who was not a friend of the kerrs, had the nomination stalled in the u. s. senate. kerr, in turn, stalled certain legislation in the senate that the kennedy administration considered critical. the stalemate was eventually broken and bohanon received his appointment. he resigned his aba membership and never rejoined.