More than half of attorneys responding to a judicial poll tabulated by the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center oppose Circuit Court Judge Craig Jones’ retention.
Jones, as well as Circuit Court Judge John Prokos were reviewed in the 2018 Wyoming Judicial Advisory Poll, a biennial poll, which anonymously surveys Wyoming attorneys on their opinions regarding circuit, district and state supreme court justices up for retention for the Wyoming State Bar.
The poll uses a five-point scale to determine attorneys’ opinions based on areas such as a judge’s knowledge of the law, courteousness, politeness, their integrity and ethics to carry out the duties of a judicial office.
Of 29 respondents, only 41.4 percent favor Jones’ retention, while 58.6 percent oppose.
For Jones, the biggest concern attorneys had was Jones’ courteousness and politeness, which 33 percent of the 33 respondents strongly disapproved of. Another 9.1 percent somewhat disapproved of Jones in the category, while 15.2 percent neither approved or disapproved, 12.1 percent approved and 30.3 percent strongly approved of Jones.
Another category Jones didn’t score well in was his open-mindedness and impartiality in judicial matters, where 9.1 percent of 33 respondents strongly disapproved of his actions in this regard, with another 36.4 percent somewhat disapproving of him. Another 12.1 percent neither approve of disapprove of his open-mindedness and impartiality, while 15.2 percent somewhat approved of Jones and another 27.3 percent strongly approving of him. Jones scored well in other areas of the survey, with a majority of attorneys polled either approving or strongly approving his knowledge of the law, his integrity and ethics, his preparedness for court proceedings and his application of rules of evidence and procedures.
Prokos fared much better in the survey, with 69 percent of 42 respondents supporting his retention, compared to 31 percent opposing.
Prokos scored well in his courteousness and politeness, with 54.5 percent of 44 respondents listing the strongly approved of the judge in this regard, with another 27.3 percent responding they somewhat approve.
Of those respondents, the survey lists 11.4 percent neither approved or disapproved of Prokos’ courteousness and politeness, while another 2.3 percent somewhat disapproved of him and 4.5 percent strongly disapproved.
Prokos scored well in integrity and ethics, with 54.8 percent of 42 respondents strongly approving of him and 16.7 percent somewhat approving, while another 16.7 percent neither approved or disapproved, 2.4 percent somewhat disapprove and 9.5 percent strongly disapprove. One respondent offered no opinion of Prokos.
The area lawyers had the most concern about Prokos involve how well his decisions are reasoned and how clearly he expresses them. Of 39 respondents, 17.9 strongly disapproved of Prokos’ ability in this area, with another 17.9 somewhat disapproving, 15.4 neither approving or disapproving, 20.5 percent somewhat approving and 28.2 percent strongly approving of him.
Four respondents listed no opinion for the question.
Nearly one-third of respondents strongly disapproved or somewhat disapproved of Prokos’ knowledge of the law, with 9.5 percent of 42 respondents strongly disapproving and 21.4 percent somewhat disapproving.
Another 14.3 percent neither approved or disapproved, while 23.8 percent somewhat approved of Prokos and 31 percent strongly approved.
Two respondents listed no opinion.
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