This joint resolution strengthens accountability, transparency, and public trust in Wyoming’s judiciary by restoring a meaningful role for the people’s elected representatives in the selection of supreme court justices. Our courts wield immense power over public policy, constitutional interpretation, and the daily lives of Wyoming citizens. It is reasonable and healthy in a constitutional system for that power to be checked by a confirmation process that brings nominations into the light of public scrutiny.

This resolution does not politicize the judiciary. It balances it. By requiring Senate confirmation of supreme court justices, SJ04 ensures that nominees are publicly vetted, their records examined, and their judicial philosophy openly discussed. That process builds confidence that those elevated to the highest court in Wyoming reflect not just professional credentials, but also the values and expectations of the people they will serve.

SJ04 also improves the structure of the Judicial Nominating Commission by ensuring a majority of its members are not attorneys or judges. That matters. Judicial selection should not be controlled primarily by insiders within the legal profession. Broadening the commission brings diverse perspectives into the process and reduces the perception of a closed system choosing its own successors. This reform strengthens legitimacy without undermining judicial independence.

Finally, allowing the Legislature to define what qualifies as the “actual practice of law” adds clarity and prevents credentialing gamesmanship. It ensures that justices of the supreme court bring real, substantive legal experience to the bench, not merely technical compliance with vague standards.

At its core, SJ04 reinforces the separation of powers. It preserves judicial independence while adding democratic accountability, opens the nomination process to greater public confidence, and ensures Wyoming’s highest court is shaped through a transparent, constitutional process worthy of the authority it holds.