10th Circuit and Wyoming Supreme Court Hear Arguments at College of Law
Published December 15, 2025
In continuing its mission to provide quality educational experiences to its students and the public, the University of Wyoming College of Law hosted two sessions of oral arguments during the fall semester, first with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in September and later with the Wyoming Supreme Court in October.
Chief Justice Jerome Holmes, Judge Joel Carson, and Judge Gregory Phillips, a graduate of the University of Wyoming College of Law, heard arguments for four cases for the 10th Circuit on September 24th. The cases included U.S. v. Shobert, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Cincinnati Insurance Company, U.S. v. Coad, and Frank v. Gray, et al.
From left: Justices Robert Jarosh, Kari Gray, Lynne Boomgaarden, John Fenn, and Bridget Hill.
The chosen cases offered a glimpse into current affairs under the 10th Circuit Court’s jurisdiction over the six states of Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah.
Later in the semester, the Wyoming Supreme Court traveled to Laramie to hear oral arguments on October 16th. It was a homecoming of sorts for them—all of the members of the Court graduated from the College of Law. The visit, part of the College of Law’s annual Law Week, was organized by the John Burman Student Bar Association.
The Wyoming Supreme Court heard arguments for Castaner v. State, an appeal from a district court’s sentencing of a juvenile defendant who pleaded guilty to stalking and second-degree murder. Following Castaner v. State, the Court heard arguments for Voscopoulos v. Reese, a case involving a dispute between owners of a Wyoming limited liability corporation that buys real estate to renovate and manage as rental properties in Florida.
Following the oral arguments, the justices held a question-and-answer session with law students. The justices discussed their lives on the Court and the process of becoming a judge, recommended classes to take at the College of Law, and encouraged students to apply for clerkships.
For many law students, events like these are often the first formal court experience they have after their admission to law school. It is also many students’ first time watching the Large Moot Court in the Brimmer Legal Education Center transform from a classroom into a full courtroom, complete with a judge’s bench, witness stand, and jury box.
Watching courts in action is a core part of experiential education at the College of Law and helps set the foundation for student success in the legal field.
