Court Opinion

ID: 9626188
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 08:04:50.153356+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:06:22.887750
License: Public Domain

CARDINE, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent.
The court in its opinion relies heavily upon cases from the federal courts. But, federal courts sit primarily in large population centers where the judge is rarely known by the mass of population; and so, Jackson, Wyoming, with its population of 4,511, points up the clear difference between the federal judiciary and that of our state courts. The state court judge may have close personal relationships with a large percentage of persons in a small town. Occasionally, for honest and legitimate reasons, one of those persons may feel that the judge should not try his case. A litigant in this circumstance who believes he will not receive a fair trial by a particular judge should not have to try his case before that judge. There are two judges in the ninth judicial district, one of whom resides in Lander. It would have been a simple matter to assign this case to the Lander judge.
With respect to the claim of prejudice, plaintiff’s attorneys Larry and Andrew Hartnett discussed with the judge more than a year ago his not sitting on this case. The judge advised plaintiff’s counsel that:
“[I]f they filed a motion to swear me off the case, I would withdraw my permission for Andrew Hartnett to represent the plaintiffs in this case; * * ⅜ and I told Larry Hartnett that that is what I would do.”
I am unable to understand why the judge threatens this kind of sanction when asked not to hear this case. Finally, plaintiffs state that the judge is a personal friend of one of defendants. For the reasons stated, I at least would have preferred to hear oral argument on the certiorari petition.