Wyoming Supreme Court
| Wyoming Supreme Court | |
|---|---|
|
Wyoming Supreme Court Building, in downtown Cheyenne.
 Wyoming Supreme Court courtroom | |
| Country | Wyoming, United States |
| Location | Cheyenne, Wyoming |
| Composition method | Executive appointment |
| Authorized by | Wyoming State Constitution |
| Decisions are appealed to | Supreme Court of the United States |
| Judge term length | 8 years |
| Number of positions | 5 |
| Website | Official website |
| Chief Justice | |
| Currently | E. James Burke |
| Since | 2014 |
| Lead position ends | 2022 |
| Jurist term ends | 2019[Note 1] |
The Wyoming Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The Court consists of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices. Each Justice is appointed by the Governor of Wyoming from a list of three nominees submitted by the judicial nominating commission,[1] for an eight-year term.[2] One year after being appointed, a new justice stands for retention in office on a statewide ballot at the next general election.[3] If a majority votes for retention, the justice serves the remainder of the term and may stand for retention for succeeding eight-year terms by means of a nonpartisan retention ballot every eight years.[3] A justice must be a lawyer with at least nine years' experience in the law, be at least 30 years old, and must also be a United States citizen who has resided in Wyoming for at least three years.[4] Justices must retire when they reach 70 years of age.[5]
The five Justices select the Chief Justice from amongst themselves. The person chosen serves as Chief Justice for four years. However, Richard V. Thomas of Cheyenne, a justice from 1974–2001, was chief justice only for two years, 1985–1986.
Justices
Current Justices[6]
| Name | Appointed | Current Term Expires | Position | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keith G. Kautz | August 4, 2015 | 2016 | Associate Justice | Matt Mead |
| Michael K. Davis | August 30, 2012 | August 30, 2028 | Associate Justice | Matt Mead |
| William U. Hill | November 3, 1998 | November 3, 2022 | Associate Justice | Jim Geringer |
| Kate M. Fox | January 3, 2014 | 2016 | Associate Justice | Matt Mead |
| E. James Burke | January 2005 | December 2021 | Chief Justice | Dave Freudenthal |
In 1974, Chief Justice Leonard McEwan (1925–2008) stepped down from the high court in Cheyenne to assume the Fourth District judgeship in Sheridan, where he had earlier practiced law. McEwan is thus far the only Supreme Court justice in Wyoming history to move to a lower court judgeship. McEwan was narrowly elected to the high court in 1968 on a nonpartisan ballot.
References
- ↑ "Article 5, Section 4 (b)". Wyoming Constitution. State of Wyoming. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Article 5, Section 4 (f)". Wyoming Constitution. State of Wyoming. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- 1 2 "Article 5, Section 4 (g)". Wyoming Constitution. State of Wyoming. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Article 5, Section 8". Wyoming Constitution. State of Wyoming. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Article 5, Section 5". Wyoming Constitution. State of Wyoming. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
- ↑ "Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Bios". Wyoming Supreme Court website. Wyoming Supreme Court. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
Notes
- ↑ Justice Burke will reach age 70 before term as Chief Justice will officially expire