Lex Anteinternet: Chief Justice James Burke to retire

Monday, June 18, 2018

Chief Justice James Burke to retire

Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice James Burke is retiring.

Wyoming Supreme Court in a photograph rather obviously taken during the winter.

Justice Burke has been on the Wyoming Supreme Court since 2005 and has been Chief Justice since 2014. This seems amazing to me as I well recall Justice Burke as a District Court Judge of the 2nd Judicial District and that doesn't seem that long ago. I guess it is.

Justice Burke is not a native Wyomingite, which wouldn't be that remarkable in general except that the legal profession in the state is heavily made up of natives. He came to Wyoming due to his service in the Vietnam War era United States Air Force as he was stationed in Cheyenne's F. E. Warren AFB. After receiving his discharge from the USAF he went to law school

Just Burke has been a good Chief Justice and he'll be missed. He was appointed to the Wyoming Supreme Court by Governor Freudenthal and he is the last justice on the Court who was not appointed by Governor Mead. His departure means that starting in early 2019 all of the Justices on the Wyoming Supreme Court will have been appointed by Governor Mead.

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Lex Anteinternet?

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Our answer to the question was: "The intent of this blog is to try to explore and learn a few things about the practice of law prior to the current era. That is, prior to the internet, prior to easy roads, and the like. How did it work, how regional was it, how did lawyers perceive their roles, and how were they perceived?"

We also noted: "Part of the reason for this, quite frankly, has something to do with minor research for a very slow moving book."

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