Case closed — Resignation halts civil case for Hadlock’s removal from office

The civil case seeking the removal of former Weston County Clerk Becky Hadlock has been closed, and the jury trial that had been scheduled to begin April 13 has been canceled. Criminal charges are scheduled to move forward this week. 

According to Wyoming Judicial Branch Communications Director Jacob Just, 6th Judicial District Judge Michael J. McGrady issued an order closing the case following a motion by the parties.

“In the order, (1) all further scheduled proceedings are vacated; and (2) the case file is closed,” Just said in an email.

The decision ends the expedited civil proceedings that had been moving toward a three-day jury trial in Weston County District Court.

As previously reported, the case — State of Wyoming vs. Clerk Becky Hadlock — was initiated by the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office earlier this year seeking Hadlock’s removal from office under state statute.

The matter stemmed from issues tied to the 2024 general election, including ballot formatting errors, audit discrepancies and concerns raised by state officials over Weston County’s election administration.

The case was moving quickly, with deadlines for filings, discovery and pretrial proceedings set throughout March and early April ahead of the scheduled April 13 trial.

The closure of the case follows Hadlock’s resignation as county clerk on April 9, one day after she was charged in Weston County Circuit Court with felony counts related to election misconduct.

Hadlock, who has held the office since 2018, was arrested April 8 and charged with one count of violation of election code by an official and one count of falsifying election documents. Both charges are felonies punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both, and removal from office.

The charges stem from actions she is alleged to have taken in November 2024 involving election-related duties and documentation, including accusations that she failed to perform a duty required by election law and knowingly submitted false election records.

An affidavit of probable cause outlines an investigation into post-election audit discrepancies and documentation submitted to the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office, including concerns about ballot counts and certification processes.

Hadlock was released on a $3,000 unsecured bond, and a preliminary hearing in the criminal case is scheduled for April 22 in Weston County Circuit Court.