The Wyoming Supreme Court building in Cheyenne at sunset
The Wyoming Supreme Court in September 2023 in Cheyenne. (Joshua Wolfson/WyoFile)

Gov. Mark Gordon is appointing Robert Jarosh to the Wyoming Supreme Court, he announced Friday — a decision that will likely affect the state long past the governor’s tenure. 

Jarosh is a partner at Cheyenne firm Hirst Applegate, LLP and is a former president of the Wyoming State Bar. He’s been in private practice for the last 20 years and has argued multiple cases before the state’s highest court. 

“I am incredibly honored by Governor Gordon’s appointment and the trust in me that it represents,” Jarosh said in a statement. “I also very much appreciate the work of the Judicial Nominating Commission. I look forward to serving the legal profession, the State of Wyoming and the public I am being entrusted to serve.”

While it hasn’t reached the state’s highest court yet, all eyes are on the case in Teton County challenging Wyoming’s two abortion bans. Ninth District Court Judge Melissa Owens is currently mulling over requests from both parties to rule on their behalf without a trial, after which the case is expected to be appealed. 

That case could determine whether abortion should be considered a constitutionally protected health care decision people can choose to get in Wyoming. 

Retirement

Jarosh is replacing Justice Keith Kautz, who is required to retire in March because of his age.

To replace him, the Judicial Nominating Commission chose three candidates for Gordon to choose from. The commission includes Supreme Court Chief Justice Kate Fox as chair, three lawyers elected by the Wyoming State Bar — Katherine Strike of Lander, Devon O’Connell of Laramie and Mandy Good of Cheyenne — and three gubernatorial appointees — Paul Scherbel of Afton, former lawmaker Dan Kirkbride of Chugwater and Lisa Anderson of Shell.

Fox only votes in the case of a tie. 

The commission chose 6th District Court Judge Stuart S. Healy III (serving the northeast corner of the state), Cheyenne attorney Robert C. Jarosh and former lawmaker Timothy M. Stubson as their candidates in December. 

In a statement, Gordon said Justice Kautz leaves “big shoes to fill.”

“Fortunately, I was provided with a very talented group of nominees,” he stated. “Each brings with them unique strengths, and any one of these individuals would have been a strong addition to the Wyoming Supreme Court. Rob brings extensive courtroom experience, clear, articulate writing and a keen respect for the law.”

Madelyn Beck reports from Laramie on health and public safety. Before working with WyoFile, she was a public radio journalist reporting for NPR stations across the Mountain West, covering regional issues...

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3 Comments

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  1. In Reply to Mr Throgmorton,
    Let it be known, he was referring
    To a law School in
    Laramie, AKA the
    University of Wyoming
    Law School,
    I am a grad of that Law School.
    As an Alumni of that law school
    I wondered why its Alumni and
    Professors never replied when
    Fame seeking attorney Gerry
    Spence went on a decades long
    Bash on U of Wyo law school
    that it defrauded its law students,
    See on Bob Rose too in
    Spence’s P R., an ex
    Supreme Court Justice( Wyo)
    I have commented on
    Linked matters in
    The piece on Wyofile
    On Earth First and
    Monkey Wrenchers.( Wyofile)
    Mr Spence as a D A loss the
    E L Newton case, and the
    Miss Wyo case, ( other) but his
    Desire for fame seems to know no bounds.
    Also, he was removed from
    A non- profit board, in
    a matter of a College( so called)
    which he started branded
    as the Trial Lawyer College.
    See line of cases on.
    All lawyers in Rocky Mt States
    Are required to
    Take continuing education
    After they pass the bar.
    I graduated from a top
    25 law school on a fellowship
    To get a graduate law degree,
    Besides being a grad of U of Wyo law.
    As to why, all the nominees
    For the Wyo Supreme Court
    are grads of U of Wyo law
    , those persons practiced law in
    Wyo for years, and their peers
    “ colleagues “ knew them.
    Mr Spence wrote a forward to
    The Book of
    Norm Pattis, called
    “ Take Back”, blasting
    Law professors, and those
    In the Bar( the profession)
    Mr Pattis is a J6
    Ranter deep in
    Podcast circles, and
    The Blog- o – sphere
    The myth he ( Spence) never loss a case, is spread for P R.
    I knew his ex Pard in
    Law school, Ed Morarity
    Ed had troubles in
    Az with its Bar.
    I have done a book review on
    Spence’s book(s)
    For the Casper Star Tribune.
    I find Gerry Spence books
    Interesting, but they are
    Not the holy Gospel, and might
    Be taken with a grain of salt.
    After I Left Wyo after
    Graduating from
    U of Wyo law, I moved out of
    Wyo, and worked for
    The Federal Government.
    ( Public Service so to speak)
    The old boy network
    Of the Wyo Bar is a close nit club,
    ( network)
    It has a narrow selection
    Preferences, and those are linked
    to political preferences.
    In Wyo, the Governor selects
    The State Attorney General.
    In many other States, that is
    an elected position.
    Do many Alumni of
    U of Wyo Law School
    agree with Gerry Spence
    On his screeds that they were
    Defrauded of their legal
    Education?
    It will be curious if
    Any Alumni hold
    Forth on those issues,
    and give there 2 cents here,
    with name etc?
    What?….
    Wyofile is doing a good
    Job on covering issues .
    I enjoy reading it.
    Thanks for the opportunity
    To give my 2 cents from
    South of the Wyo State Line
    JH
    ( Colo)

    Reply
  2. Reply

  3. I am sure Mr. Jarosh will be a fine Wyoming Supreme Court justice, but I find it unimaginative and possibly limiting that every member of the Wyoming Supreme Court graduated from the same law school.

    Reply