Tori Kricken sworn in as District Court judge

Kricken took the oath of office before four members of the Wyoming Supreme Court — Chief Justice E. James Burke and Justices William Hill, Kate Fox and Keith Kautz — and was subsequently helped into her black judge’s robe by her two young children, Cole and Amanda.

“They say that it takes a village to raise a child,” Kricken said. “Well, I can attest that it takes an entire community, if not a state, to sculpt a judge. I have not done this alone — I could not possibly, in the few minutes that I have today, mention the names of the many friends and family who have guided me and supported me throughout the life, and who have been instrumental in helping me realize this dream.”

Kricken began serving on the bench this month following the retirement of former District Court Judge Jeffrey Donnell. In early October, the state Judicial Nominating Commission selected Kricken as one of three finalists for the Second Judicial District vacancy, along with Wyoming State Board of Equalization member Robin Sessions Cooley and Peter H. Froelicher, a hearing examiner for the Wyoming Office of Administrative Hearings; Gov. Matt Mead appointed Kricken to the bench later that month.

Prior to becoming a judge, Kricken served as a staff attorney for the Second Judicial District and was also a District Court commissioner, DUI/Drug Court judge and Circuit Court magistrate in the Second Judicial District.

In a speech during the ceremony, Mead said he looked for “well-rounded” individuals when selecting new judges and chose Kricken in part because of the positive responses from those who had worked with her.

“As I think about my job in the selection process, I know how important it is,” he said. “I know how important it is, because in this hyper-political world that we live in right now, we need a judiciary. We need that apolitical body that can make these very important decisions about life, liberty and property.”

Donnell spoke about the challenges that judges face, such as making difficult decisions in court cases and always being in the public eye.

“You’ll decide who children grow up with, who goes to prison and who doesn’t, and what to do about parents who abandon and abuse their children,” he said. “You’ll do it on your own, in most cases — no input or advice from anybody, and you will do it under the watchful eye of everyone.”

He told Kricken some people are born to do their jobs — and she might be that type of person.

“I don’t think I have ever found anyone with a keener intellect or a better legal mind who at the same time had the ability to empathize and interact with people the way you do,” he said. “And I know you will undertake this work with all of the integrity and intellect and courage and leadership that it requires.”