Wyoming Supreme Court
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The Wyoming Supreme Court is the appellate court of last resort in Wyoming. Five justices sit on the court; they are chosen via a nominating commission system, and they face a retention election every eight years.
Jurisdiction
The Wyoming Supreme Court has general appellate jurisdiction, hearing appeals from lower Wyoming courts in civil and criminal cases. The court also has "general superintending control over all inferior courts, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by law."[1]
The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in cases involving quo warranto and mandamus as to all state officers and in habeas corpus. The Court also has power to issue writs of mandamus, review, prohibition, habeas corpus, certiorari, and other writs necessary to the exercise of its appellate duties.
Case load
In data from 2007, the Wyoming Supreme Court published 208 opinions, up from the 162 opinions in 2006. Fifty of those 208 opinions were authored by Justice Marilyn Kite.[2] Despite the increased case load, the general fund budget for the entire judiciary is less than 2% of the state's entire general fund budget - a percentage that has been relatively unchanged for at least the last decade.[3]
The court's justices
Selection of justices
- Main article: Judicial selection in Wyoming
From 1890-1972, justices of the court were elected by the people of the state. Starting in 1972, justices gained a seat on the court through a commission selection process. They face a retention election every eight years. There are seven members of the nominating commission, which is called the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Commission. The chairman of the commission is the chief justice of the Supreme Court, or another justice of the Court designated to act on behalf of the chief justice. Three members of the commission are elected from the active membership of the Wyoming State Bar. Three Wyoming electors who are not admitted to the bar are appointed to the commission by the governor.[4]
Qualifications
Requirements for service as a justice on the court are laid out in Article 5 of the Wyoming Constitution and include:
- U.S. citizenship
- Wyoming resident for at least 3 years.
- Nine years of legal experience
- Minimum age of 30.
- The mandatory retirement age is 70.
Current justices
| Name | Appointed | Term expires | Appointed by | Party affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Golden | 1988 | 2014 | Mike Sullivan (Democrat) | - |
| William U. Hill | 1998 | 2016 | Jim Geringer (Republican) | - |
| Marilyn Kite | 2000 | 2014 | Jim Geringer (Republican) | - |
| Barton Voigt | 2001 | 2010 | Jim Geringer (Republican) | - |
| James Burke | 2005 | 2012 | Dave Freudenthal (Democrat) | - |
Chief justice
The Chief Justice of the court serves for a four-year term. Barton Voigt is the current Chief Justice of the court, a position to which he was elevated on on July 1, 2006.
Court house renovations
Between 2006 and 2008, the building which houses the state high court, the law library, and the state library, underwent extensive renovation. During renovations, court was held in the former offices of the Wyoming Department of Health located in the Hathaway Building, and a miniature courtroom was erected in the Hathaway's lobby. At the time of the renovations, the building was 70 years old.[5]
External links
- Wyoming Constitution: Administration of the Government
- Wyoming Judicial Branch Official Site
- 2007-2008 Budget
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Wyoming History Timeline
References
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The Wyoming Project on Judgepedia
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