Local attorneys nominated for district court judge

WORLAND — Two local attorneys have been nominated for Fifth Judicial District Court judge.

On behalf of the Judicial Nominating Commission, Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael K. Davis, who serves as chairman, announced Friday that the Commission has completed its consideration of all who have expressed interest in the position of District Judge of the Fifth Judicial District.

The Judicial Nominating Commission submitted three nominees for the position to Governor Matthew H. Mead for his consideration. Those nominees are Edward G. Luhm of Worland, Bobbi Dean Overfield of Thermopolis and Stephen Joseph Darrah of Powell.

Governor Mead has 30 days to appoint one of these three nominees to serve as the new District Judge. Luhm said traditionally the governor interviews all three nominees and noted they were looking at a date later this month for the interviews.

Luhm has been practicing law for 32 years, all of them in Worland. He said he came to Worland “right out of law school,” the University of Wyoming College of Law.

He was in practice for many years with Bill Shelledy, he said.

He also serves as the Worland Municipal Court judge, Ten Sleep Municipal Court judge, Ten Sleep town attorney and is a part-time hearing examiner with the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Luhm said he also has served as a hearing officer for Washakie and Park counties, and in the past Hot Springs County, for tax appeals and road cases.

Luhm said applying for district court judge is a great opportunity and considered a “capstone of a legal career. I enjoy being a judge in the manners in which I have served,” he added.

He said he considers the Fifth Judicial District his home. “I have lived and worked here for 32 years. It is my home.”

He added there are two “exceedingly fine candidates who have also been forwarded to the governor.”

Overfield is a partner with Michael Messenger in Thermopolis. She is a graduate of the UW College of Law. She started practicing law in 2002 in Laramie with Corthell and King and moved to Thermopolis in 2005.

She has previously served as a prosecutor, public defender and circuit court magistrate.

Overfield said, “The chance to apply for a district court judge position in your home district is rare. The opportunity to further my legal career and remain in the Big Horn Basin were important factors in my decision to seek the position.”

The position is becoming vacant with the retirement of Judge Robert Skar.

Current members of the Judicial Nominating Commission are three lawyers elected by the Wyoming State Bar: Richard H. Honaker of Rock Springs, Professor John M. Burman of Laramie, and Gay Woodhouse of Cheyenne; and three non-lawyers appointed by the Governor: Rosie Berger of Big Horn, Lori A. Emmert of Douglas, and Paul Scherbel of Afton.