Albany County District Court Judge to Retire in January

Albany County District Court Judge Jeffrey Donnell will end his two decades on the bench when his current term expires Jan. 2, 2017.

Donnell has presided over many notable cases, including the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard and the 2001 drunken-driving crash that killed eight University of Wyoming students.

Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice James E. Burke announced Donnell's retirement Tuesday. Burke chairs the Judicial Nominating Commission, which will accept expressions of interest through Aug. 29 from qualified people who would like to succeed Donnell.

The Commission will submit three names from the pool of applicants to Governor Matt Mead, who will appoint a new Albany County District Court judge.

Here is the full release from Chief Justice Burke:

Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice E. James Burke, who acts as Chairman of the Judicial Nominating Commission, announced today that Second Judicial District Court Judge Jeffrey A. Donnell will be retiring from the court, effective January 2, 2017.

The Judicial Nominating Commission will accept expressions of interest from qualified persons to fill the vacancy through August 29, 2016. Copies of the expression of interest form can be obtained from the Supreme Court’s website, http://www.courts.state.wy.us/Administration/Careers. The completed form must be received in the office of the Chief Justice no later than 5:00 p.m., on August 29, 2016.

Governor Matthew H. Mead will appoint the Second Judicial District Court Judge (Albany County) from a list of three names submitted to him by the Judicial Nominating Commission. Serving on the Judicial Nominating Commission are Chief Justice Burke, three lawyers elected by the Wyoming State Bar: P. Craig Silva of Casper, Richard H. Honaker of Rock Springs, and Professor John M. Burman of Laramie; and three nonlawyers appointed by the Governor: Janine Thompson of Cheyenne, Lori A. Emmert of Douglas, and Teri Bowers of Grover.

TO SERVE AS A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE, ONE MUST BE LEARNED IN THE LAW, AT LEAST TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF AGE, A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, AND A RESIDENT OF WYOMING FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.