Governor appoints fourth District Court judge in Campbell County

GILLETTE (WNE) — The new courtroom inside the Campbell County Courthouse will soon be full.

Gov. Mark Gordon appointed Mike McGrady as District Judge for the Sixth Judicial District serving Campbell County as well as Crook and Weston counties.

McGrady comes to Gillette from Green River. Gordon chose McGrady over two local Gillette attorneys on the governor’s shortlist: Ron Wirthwein and Alison Ochs Gee.

Those three were chosen by the Judicial Nomination Commission for Gordon to choose from.

“This was a particularly difficult choice with three exceptionally qualified candidates,” Gordon said in a press release. “Mike is an accomplished attorney who has demonstrated excellent analytical skills and a strong legal mind. These qualities make him well-prepared to serve as a District Court judge.”

The fourth District Court judge was created and funded by the Legislature this year.

In 2022, the legislature passed a bill approving adding a judge to the 3rd, 6th and 7th judicial districts. Another bill that passed provided funding for the 3rd and 7th judicial districts and said that the 6th judicial district would get funding once a new courtroom has been built.

Campbell County completed construction of that new courtroom this winter, and the Wyoming Legislature passed a bill earmarking $1.24 million from the state’s general fund to pay for costs associated with the fourth judge for two years.

McGrady has worked as vice president of human resources and environment, health and safety for Sisecam Wyoming. He previously worked for Ciner Resources in Green River. He practiced law for more than 15 years, including handling federal natural resource cases for the State of Wyoming, and he was appointed the Deputy of Torts Division in the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office.

He earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Wyoming.

This story was published on June 13, 2024.