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Wyoming Supreme Court justice vacancy (October 2018)
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| Burke Vacancy Wyoming Supreme Court |
| Vacancy date |
| Vacancy status |
| Confirmation date |
| September 5, 2018 |
| Table of contents |
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The appointee Selection process About Chief Justice Burke |
| See also |
| Recent news External links Footnotes |
Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice James Burke retired on October 8, 2018. He joined the court in January 2005.
Under Wyoming law, supreme court justices are appointed by the governor from a list of three names provided by the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Commission. Burke's replacement was Republican Governor Matt Mead's fifth nominee to the five-member supreme court.
The appointee
On September 5, 2018, Gov. Matt Mead (R) appointed Kari Jo Gray to succeed Burke on the state supreme court.[1]
Gray obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas and a J.D. from the University of Wyoming. She worked as an attorney in private practice for 12 years. She served as director of the Wyoming Department of Family Servies from 1999 to 2000. Gray served as Mead's chief of staff from January 2011 to October 2018.[2]
The selection process
Wyoming uses the assisted appointment method of judicial selection. The five justices of the Wyoming Supreme Court are appointed by the governor from a list of three names provided by the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Commission. 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.[3][4]
About Chief Justice Burke
Chief Justice Burke was appointed to the Wyoming Supreme Court in January 2005 by Democratic Governor Dave Freudenthal. His most recent term would have ended January 1, 2023. Burke was appointed as the chief justice in 2014 to succeed Marilyn Kite.[5][6]
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Burke was engaged in private practice in Cheyenne until his appointment as a Wyoming First District Court judge in 2001. He served in this capacity until his appointment to the Wyoming Supreme Court.[5]
Burke received his B.S. from St. Joseph’s College (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) in 1971 and earned his J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 1977.[5]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ KGWN, "Governor Mead appoints chief of staff to supreme court," September 5, 2018
- ↑ Office of Governor Matt Mead, "Governor Appoints New Justice to the Wyoming Supreme Court," September 5, 2018
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wyoming," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Wyoming," archived January 13, 2012
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Wyoming Judicial Branch, "Justice E. James Burke," accessed August 10, 2016
- ↑ Wyoming Secretary of State, "Supreme Court of Wyoming," accessed December 4, 2014
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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
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