Bill Simpson

With his 70th birthday and mandatory retirement arriving early next year, District Court Judge Bill Simpson is preparing to leave the bench.

The Wyoming Supreme Court announced Thursday that it’s now accepting applications from lawyers or other judges who are interested in succeeding Simpson.

A longtime civil and defense attorney, Simpson was appointed to the position by then-Gov. Matt Mead in 2017; Big Horn Basin voters overwhelmingly opted to keep him on the bench in the 2018 and 2024 elections.

As the Cody-based judge within the Fifth Judicial District, Simpson generally handles all of Park County’s most serious criminal and civil cases, divorces, probate matters, criminal cases against juveniles and involuntary hospitalizations as a result of mental illness. He also handles the bulk of the civil suits filed in Big Horn County, while picking up other cases in the Basin and elsewhere as needed.

“It’s been a great pleasure and a great honor to work and serve the people of the Fifth Judicial District and Park County and Washakie and Big Horn and Hot Springs,” Simpson said Friday. “I’ve loved every minute of it, I really have.”

He said he’ll miss the job.

The Wyoming Constitution requires district judges (and supreme court justices) to retire when they reach the age of 70. State lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment in 2022 that would have raised the limit to 75, but the measure failed when only about 38% of voters supported the idea.

Simpson said he expects to depart just before his 70th birthday, on Feb. 23, with his successor sworn in immediately after that.

Not just anyone can replace him: A district judge must be at least 28 years old, have lived in Wyoming for at least two years, have practiced law for at least one year and be “learned in the law.” Those interested in the post also need to fill out a 22-page form and submit a writing sample to the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission.

Made up of the chief justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, three attorneys picked by the state bar association and three citizens appointed by the governor, the commission is charged with vetting all judicial candidates.

After reviewing the submissions and conducting interviews, the panel will forward three names to Gov. Mark Gordon, who will choose the new Cody judge from that trio of candidates. 

The commission indicated it’s looking for candidates who have “proven relevant experience, a strong work ethic, excellent communication skills, a collegial and impartial temperament, sound critical thinking and decision-making abilities, a service-oriented mindset, and a reputation for fairness, integrity, and leadership.”

Simpson has also noted the need for a judge to be compassionate, decent and human.

“You know, thank God we don’t have 3 million people in Park County. We have 31,000 souls in this county, plus or minus. And every individual is special, in my mind,” he said at a February sentencing hearing. “Every individual is unique, and every individual deserves the full attention of the court.”

The Judicial Nominating Commission is accepting expressions of interest until 5 p.m. on Oct. 22. Applicants’ identities have historically been kept confidential.

More information is available at tinyurl.com/yubcwtxk. The salary for the position is $160,000.

Simpson’s departure will be just one part of a shakeup of the local justice system, as longtime Park County and Prosecuting Attorney Bryan Skoric is also leaving his post in January. Skoric is expected to be replaced by Deputy County Attorney Ericka Smith, who won the Republican primary election in August and is unopposed in the general election.