All Rise . . . to congratulate Supreme Court Clerk Carol Thompson on her upcoming retirement and to welcome Patty Bennett as the new Clerk of Court.
Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice E. James Burke recently announced the retirement of the Clerk of Court Carol Thompson, effective February 28, 2017. Carol has served as Clerk since her appointment to the position in February, 2012. Carol joined the Court in August 1994, when she was appointed Deputy Clerk, serving in that position for 12 years until she became Chief Deputy Clerk in 2006. During her tenure as Clerk, Ms. Thompson expanded public accessibility to more complete dockets by implementing the scanning of documents that were paper filings. No longer do gaps appear on the Court’s docket when one or more parties to a case is not an electronic filer. In an effort to bring e-filing to the Court’s entire docket, she advocated for electronic filing in attorney and judicial disciplinary cases. Ms. Thompson has dedicated her career to serving the public and to that end when she learned of a sister state’s practitioner’s guide for oral argument, she revised it for Wyoming attorneys and their staffs; it is now posted on the Judicial Branch website. Carol served on the Permanent Rules Advisory Committee – Appellate Division; the Wyoming State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB); and the Convention Assistance Committee. She is also a member of the National Conference of Appellate Court Clerks. Carol commented, “It has truly been a pleasure to serve the citizens of the State of Wyoming as first a Deputy then Clerk of the Supreme Court. I would be remiss if I did not give Clerk of Court Judy Pacheco (retired) special thanks for her guidance throughout much of my career. I am proud to be part of one of the first state appellate courts to have electronic filing with an accessible public docket. I wish Ms. Bennett success in her appointment and hope that the legacy of public service this office has established continues under her leadership.”
“Carol has served with great dedication and distinction for nearly 23 years,” said Chief Justice Burke. “Her contributions to this Court, the judicial branch and the citizens of this State have been significant. She will be missed. We wish Carol and her family the best in retirement.”
Chief Justice Burke also announced that Patty Bennett has been chosen to replace Carol Thompson as Wyoming Supreme Court Clerk. Ms. Bennett is a graduate of the University of Wyoming College of Law. She was most recently a partner in the Bennett Law Group, P.C., of Rawlins, Wyoming, and has practiced in both Federal and State courts.