Posted on: April 17, 2020
Since emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michael K. Davis, Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, has issued court orders to implement procedures that will protect the health of the public and court personnel throughout the state, while still permitting essential court functions to proceed in a timely manner. The Wyoming Supreme Court Justices wish to extend their deep gratitude to the circuit court clerks for helping the state’s 24 circuit courts to continue to operate in these difficult times.
The circuit courts, sometimes thought of as being the “People’s Courts,” are perhaps the most visible courts in the Wyoming judiciary, with their clerks having the most hands-on interaction with the public. The criminal jurisdiction of the circuit courts covers all misdemeanor cases; the civil jurisdiction covers small claims cases, civil cases, and family violence, stalking and sexual assault protection order cases. Because of this sizeable jurisdiction, a citizen who has had dealings with a court in the state will most likely have dealt with a circuit court and with one or more of the 132 circuit court clerks who are employed by the Wyoming judiciary. Due to this recent crisis, there is growing appreciation for the members of the workforce who do their important jobs behind the scenes. These employees are being brought to the foreground as being integral parts of their organizations. The circuit court clerks deserve to be recognized in this group.
“I would like to thank the circuit court clerks for their dedication to their jobs,” Chief Justice Davis said. “Their commitment, discipline and resilience have made all the difference in being able to continue the work of the judicial branch. I also recognize that while they continue to stay on the job during the pandemic, they are simultaneously managing challenging personal and family situations as well. Please know that while these are difficult times, we will continue to work together to successfully weather this crisis.”
