Opinion ID: 1115282
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: WYOMING LAW ON PEREMPTORY OR CHALLENGES OF JUDGES FOR CAUSE PRESENT W.R.C.P. 40.1(b) AND W.R.Cr.P. 23(d) and (e)

Text: The history of a peremptory right to change the trial judge was first introduced to Wyoming law by statute in 1877, thirteen years before statehood, and it, like a change of venue provision has had a somewhat rocky path in application; one reversal before statehood and none since regarding the discretionary right of the trial court to change venue. However, the change of judge itself was peremptory and the provision remained in Wyoming law except for a brief time when the statutorily adopted right was eliminated and, because of the vociferous objection of the trial bar to the change, then quickly reinstated. See Wyo. Sess. Laws § 1 (1877); Revised Statutes of Wyoming § 3400 (1877); Story, 788 P.2d 617; Smallwood v. State, 771 P.2d 798 (Wyo. 1989); Continental Ins. Co. v. First Wyoming Bank, N.A., 771 P.2d 374 (Wyo. 1989); Blanchard v. Blanchard, 770 P.2d 227 (Wyo. 1989); Garnett v. State, 769 P.2d 371 (Wyo. 1989); Lozano v. State, 751 P.2d 1326 (Wyo. 1988); Cordova v. Gosar, 719 P.2d 625 (Wyo. 1986); Pote v. State, 695 P.2d 617 (Wyo. 1985); Kobos By and Through Kobos v. Sugden, 694 P.2d 110 (Wyo. 1985); Osborn v. Manning, 685 P.2d 1121 (Wyo. 1984); Hopkinson, 679 P.2d 1008; Grubbs v. State, 669 P.2d 929 (Wyo. 1983); Kimbley v. City of Green River, 663 P.2d 871 (Wyo. 1983); Norman v. City of Gillette, 658 P.2d 697 (Wyo. 1983); Osborne v. District Court of Ninth Judicial Dist., 654 P.2d 124 (Wyo. 1982); Cline, 600 P.2d 725; Smith v. State, 598 P.2d 1389 (Wyo. 1979); Meyer v. Meyer, 538 P.2d 1389 (Wyo. 1975); Barbour v. Barbour, 518 P.2d 12 (Wyo. 1974); S-Creek Ranch, Inc. v. Monier & Co., 518 P.2d 930 (Wyo. 1974); Rhoads v. Gilliland, 514 P.2d 202 (Wyo. 1973); State ex rel. Johnston v. District Court of Platte County, 495 P.2d 255 (Wyo. 1972); Higby v. State, 485 P.2d 380 (Wyo. 1971); Leitner v. Lonabaugh, 402 P.2d 713 (Wyo. 1965); Stroup v. City of Sheridan, 392 P.2d 517 (Wyo. 1964); State ex rel. Petro v. District Court of Sheridan County, 389 P.2d 921 (Wyo. 1964); In re Greybull Valley Irr. Dist., 52 Wyo. 479, 76 P.2d 339, reh'g denied 52 Wyo. 479, 77 P.2d 617 (1938); Washakie Livestock Loan Co. v. Meigh, 47 Wyo. 161, 33 P.2d 922 (1934); Tucker v. State ex rel. Snow, 35 Wyo. 430, 251 P. 460 (1926); Aspoli v. State, 22 Wyo. 210, 137 P. 577 (1914); Murdica v. State, 22 Wyo. 196, 137 P. 574 (1914); Huhn v. Quinn, 21 Wyo. 51, 128 P. 514 (1912); Ross v. State, 8 Wyo. 351, 57 P. 924 (1899); In re Moore, 4 Wyo. 98, 31 P. 980 (1893); and Dolan v. Church, 1 Wyo. 187 (1875). See also Comment, Civil and Criminal Procedure  Disqualification of District Judges for Prejudice in Wyoming, VI Land & Water L.Rev. 743 (1971) and Larson, Exiling a Wyoming Judge, 10 Wyo.L.J. 171 (1956). The apparent weight or the assumed balance in the Wyoming case law seems to clearly favor institutional solidity and disfavor challenges to the bias or prejudice of the trial judge. The standards provided by this nation's case law and authoritative texts are not equivalently restrictive. For reasons not clarified in case or historical information, this court's rules, W.R.C.P. 40.1(b) and W.R.Cr.P. 23(d), are procedurally different. The Wyoming civil rule provides: (1) Peremptory Disqualification.  A district judge may be peremptorily disqualified from acting in a case by the filing of a motion requesting that he be so disqualified. The motion shall be filed by a plaintiff at the time the complaint is filed, designating the judge to be disqualified. The motion shall be filed by a defendant at or before the time the first responsive pleading is filed by him or within thirty (30) days after service of the complaint on him, whichever first occurs. One made a party to an action subsequent to the filing of the first responsive pleading by a defendant cannot peremptorily disqualify a judge. In any matter, a party may exercise the peremptory disqualification only one (1) time and against one (1) judge. (2) Disqualification for Cause.  Whenever the grounds for such motion become known, any party may move for a change of district judge on the ground that the presiding judge (A) has been engaged as counsel in the action prior to his election or appointment as judge, (B) is interested in the action, (C) is related by consanguinity to a party, (D) is a material witness in the action, or (E) is biased or prejudiced against the party or his counsel. The motion shall be supported by an affidavit or affidavits of any person or persons, stating sufficient facts to show the existence of such grounds. Prior to a hearing on the motion any party may file counter-affidavits. The presiding judge shall rule on the motion and if he grants the same shall immediately call in another district judge to try the action. (3) Effect of Ruling.  A ruling on a motion for a change of district judge shall not be an appealable order, but the ruling shall be entered on the docket and made a part of the record and may be assigned as error in an appeal of the case. (4) Motion by Judge.  The presiding judge may at any time on his own motion order a change of judge when it appears that the ends of justice would be promoted thereby. (5) Probate Matters.  In any controverted matter arising in a probate proceeding, a change of judge, or in cases where a jury is demandable, a transfer of trial, or both, may be had for any cause authorizing such change in a civil action. The procedure for such change shall be in accordance with this rule. Except for the determination of such controverted matter, the judge having original jurisdiction of such probate proceeding shall retain jurisdiction in all other matters in connection with said proceeding. W.R.C.P. 40.1(b). The criminal rule is differently stated: (d) Peremptory disqualification.  A district judge may be peremptorily disqualified from acting in a case by the filing of a motion requesting that he be so disqualified. The motion shall be filed by the state at the time the information or indictment is filed, designating the judge to be disqualified. The motion shall be filed by a defendant at the time of his arraignment and following the entry of his plea, designating the judge to be disqualified. In any matter, a party may exercise the peremptory disqualification only one (1) time and against only one (1) judge. (e) Disqualification for cause.  Whenever the grounds for such motion become known, the state or the defendant may move for a change of district judge on the ground that the presiding judge is biased or prejudiced against the state, the prosecuting attorney, the defendant or his attorney. The motion shall be supported by an affidavit or affidavits of any person or persons stating sufficient facts to show the existence of such ground. Prior to a hearing on the motion any party may file counter-affidavits. The presiding judge shall rule on the motion, and if he grants the same shall immediately call in another district judge to try the action. A ruling on a motion for a change of district judge shall not be an appealable order, but the ruling shall be entered on the docket and made a part of the record, and may be assigned as error in an appeal of the case. W.R.Cr.P. 23.