Bridget Hill
2025 - Present
2027
0
Bridget Hill is a judge of the Wyoming Supreme Court. She assumed office on May 28, 2025. Her current term ends on January 4, 2027.
Hill first became a member of the Wyoming Supreme Court through an appointment by Gov. Mark Gordon (R) to fill the seat left open by the retirement of Kate M. Fox.[1] To learn more about this appointment, click here.
Biography
Education
Hill earned a bachelor's degree and J.D. from the University of Wyoming.[2]
Appointments
2025
Governor Mark Gordon (R) appointed Bridget Hill to the Wyoming Supreme Court to replace Chief Justice Kate M. Fox, who retired on May 27, 2025.[3] Clement announced her retirement in a letter to the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Commission, of which she is the chair.[4] She resigned due to reaching Wyoming's mandatory retirement age of 70.[5] Hill is Gov. Gordon's third nominee to the five-member supreme court. She was sworn in on May 28, 2025.
In Wyoming, state supreme court justices are selected through assisted appointment with a hybrid judicial nominating commission. Justices are appointed by the governor with the assistance of a commission who has no majority of members selected either by the governor or the state Bar Association. There are 10 states that use this selection method. To read more about the assisted appointment of judges, click here.
When a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of three names provided by a nominating commission. After the appointed justice has served at least one year, they must stand for retention in the next general election. If retained, a judge will finish the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term. Subsequent terms last eight years.[6]
Political career
Below is a list of offices within Ballotpedia’s scope. Offices outside of that scope will not be listed. If an update is needed and the office is within our scope, please contact us.
Hill's political career includes the following offices:
- 2025-present: Wyoming Supreme Court
- 2019-2025: Attorney General of Wyoming
She previously served as the Director of the Office of State Lands and Investments.[7]
State supreme court judicial selection in Wyoming
- See also: Judicial selection in Wyoming
The five justices of the Wyoming Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. When a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of three names provided by a nominating commission. There are seven members on the commission. Three members must be lawyers appointed by the state bar and three must be non-lawyers appointed by the governor. The chief justice of the supreme court serves as chairman and only votes in the event of a tie. The governor must appoint a person from the commission's list.[6][8]
Newly appointed judges serve for at least one year, after which they must stand for retention in the next general election. If retained, a judge will finish the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term. Subsequent terms last eight years.[9][10]
Qualifications
To serve on the supreme court, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a state resident for at least three years;
- at least nine years legal experience;
- no younger than 30 years old; and
- no older than 70.*[9]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote, serving in that capacity for four years.[6]
Vacancies
When a vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement from a list of three names provided by a nominating commission. After the appointed justice has served at least one year, they must stand for retention in the next general election. If retained, a judge will finish the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term. Subsequent terms last eight years.[6]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Laramie Boomerang, "Gordon appoints Attorney General Bridget Hill to Wyoming Supreme Court," April 13, 2025
- ↑ Wyoming Attorney General, "Attorney General Bridget Hill," accessed May 28, 2025
- ↑ Governor Mark Gordon, "Governor Gordon Appoints Bridget Hill to the Wyoming Supreme Court," April 11, 2025
- ↑ Wyoming Judicial Branch, "Judicial Nominating Commission Announces Wyoming Supreme Court Vacancy," January 30, 2025
- ↑ Wyoming Tribune, "Unswayed by national currents: Chief Justice Fox recounts career, commitment to law," March 28, 2025
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Wyoming Judicial Branch, About the Supreme Court, accessed April 17, 2025
- ↑ Casper Star-Tribune, "Bridget Hill sworn in as Wyoming's 38th attorney general," March 15, 2019
- ↑ Wyoming Judicial Branch, "Judicial Nominating Commission," accessed April 17, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wyoming," accessed August 11, 2021
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wyoming," archived January 13, 2012
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kate M. Fox |
Wyoming Supreme Court 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Peter Michael (R) |
Attorney General of Wyoming 2019-2025 |
Succeeded by Ryan Schelhaas (R) |
| Preceded by Peter Michael (R) |
Attorney General of Wyoming 2019-2025 |
Succeeded by Keith G. Kautz (R) |
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Wyoming • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Wyoming
State courts:
Wyoming Supreme Court • Wyoming District Courts • Wyoming Circuit Courts • Wyoming Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Wyoming • Wyoming judicial elections • Judicial selection in Wyoming
 |
State of Wyoming Cheyenne (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
