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Peter G. Arnold
Peter G. Arnold was a judge for the First District Court of Laramie County, Wyoming. Arnold was appointed in February 2005 by Governor Dave Freudenthal.[1] He was retained in 2012. Arnold retired in 2014, effective April 1.[2][3]
Education
Arnold received his undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Wyoming in 1973.[4][5]
Career
After he earned his law degree, Arnold served as a JAG officer in the Army for five years before entering private practice. Arnold was appointed to the First District Court bench in 2005.[4]
Elections
2012
- See also: Wyoming judicial elections, 2012
Arnold was retained on Nov. 6, 2012.[2]
Notable Rulings
Newspaper Restraining Order
Judge Arnold briefly granted a restraining order against two Cheyenne newspapers,the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle and the Wyoming Herald, blocking the papers from publishing a story critical of Laramie County Community College president Darrel Hammon. The college had argued that publication of the story might cause it to lose federal funds. Judge Arnold lifted the restraining order four days later, writing that, "The proposition that the college is going to lose federal money if the newspaper publishes it is purely speculative and not supported by any evidence properly before the court."[6]
Reversal in Guinn v. State
In Guinn v. State, the Wyoming Supreme Court reversed Judge Arnold's sentencing order because the Court found that he (Arnold) took the defendant's unwillingness to plead guilty into account during sentencing. At the sentencing hearing Judge Arnold stated, "I think the corollary to that benefit to someone who pleads guilty is someone who does not plead guilty, someone who does not accept responsibility, somebody who one disregards the impact of stepping up into this witness stand and appearing in a courtroom [full] of strangers, appearing in a courtroom in front of somebody the jury determined had victimized that child. I think it's appropriate for me to take all of those things into consideration." Chief Justict Voigt, writing for the Court, argued that this statement made it apparent that Judge Arnold was punishing the defendant for choosing to exercise his constitutional right to a jury trial. Chief Justice Voigt wrote that "we simply cannot ignore the fact that the district court positively declared at sentencing that it was appropriate to consider the fact that the appellant chose to go to trial...The district court violated the appellant's constitutional right to a jury trial by considering at sentencing his exercise of that right". The Court remanded the case for a new sentencing hearing. Guinn v. State, 201 P.3d 423 (Wyo. 2009).[7]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Supreme Court of Wyoming, "Judicial Terms," accessed December 4, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Statewide Judicial Candidates Unofficial Summary Wyoming General Election - November 6, 2012
- ↑ Billings Gazette, "Wyoming district Judge Peter Arnold announces retirement," November 26, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Wyoming State Bar "Wyoming's Newest Judge - the Picture of Contentment," June, 2005
- ↑ Martindale.com Profile
- ↑ Wyoming Tribune-Eagle "Judge lifts restraining order preventing publication of LCCC story," May 25, 2010
- ↑ Wyoming Judicial Branch Opinions "Guinn v. State," February 09, 2009 (dead link)
