Joseph Dickerson graduated from the University of Kansas and practiced law in Marion, Kansas, where he was an active member of the Republican Party. Appointed to the United States Court for the Indian Territory in 1904, he managed institutional risk in high-finance before transitioning to public service. Post-statehood, he served on the State Board of Affairs and later in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, where he played a key role in an impeachment trial. His career also included a judicial appointment by a Democratic governor in 1934, showcasing cross-party collaboration.

Joseph Dickerson's political career is marked by an intriguing blend of partisan affiliations and cross-party appointments, suggesting a highly localized and calculated approach to governance. His judicial role in the Indian Territory and later service on the common pleas court under a Democratic governor reveal an unexpected willingness to transcend partisan lines for regional stability. Dickerson's legislative actions in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, including serving as an impeachment manager, further illustrate a strategic blend of ideological rigor and pragmatic flexibility.