THERMOPOLIS – Wyoming Governor Matt Mead appointed Thermopolis attorney Bobbi Dean Overfield to be District Court Judge for the Fifth Judicial District in August, serving Big Horn, Hot Springs and Washakie counties. Overfield fills the vacancy occurring with the retirement of Judge Robert E. Skar, also of Thermopolis in October.
On Thursday, Governor Mead was in attendance in Thermopolis at the Hot Springs County courtroom when the Wyoming Supreme Court held a special session to swear-in and hold a robing ceremony for Judge Overfield, in front of a capacity audience including Senators John Barrasso and Alan Simpson, Judge Skar, and the staff of the Fifth Judicial court, legal professionals, and friends and family of Judge Overfield.
After a presentation to Judge Overfield of a handmade gavel by Judge Skar (who is a woodworker), Governor Mead stressed the importance of the judicial system in Wyoming and praised Judge Overfield's many accomplishments, noting her young age (the judge just turned 41.)
After a swearing-in ceremony before the Supreme Court, Judge Overfield was helped into her robes by her husband, Heath. Afterward, the judge visited with dignitaries and guests who had traveled to the event.
Born and raised in Riverton, Wyoming, Overfield was a partner at the firm Messenger & Overfield. She has been in private practice in Thermopolis for the past 13 years and, prior to that, was at Corthell and King in Laramie. She has a varied general practice, which includes family litigation, trial work, administrative law and many other areas of the law. She received a law degree, as well as a bachelor's degree in rangeland ecology and watershed management, from the University of Wyoming.
She is a member of both the Wyoming and Colorado State Bar, the American Bar Association and is a Board Member of the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association (WTLA). She served on the Executive Board for the WTLA last year and also writes the criminal law summaries for the WTLA publication the Coffeehouse.
Outside of her work Overfield is active in the community, previously serving as the president of the Thermopolis Rotary, she participated in Leadership Hot Springs County and served two years as a facilitator for the Parent Leadership Training Institute in Thermopolis and actively volunteers with 4-H.