GOVERNOR NAMES THOMAS HARRINGTON TO FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT CIRCUIT COURT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - A Worland native, longtime Big Horn Basin attorney and municipal judge has been named a judge for the Fifth Judicial District Circuit Court by Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

Thomas W. Harrington, a municipal judge for the Town of Thermopolis and a part-time magistrate for the Fifth Judicial District Circuit Court, has wide-ranging experience in the practice of civil and criminal law.

The Governor said the well-recommended attorney’s experience, his deep connections to the community and his acumen for the law made him a good choice for the seat.

“Tom’s legal background prepares him well for the issues that a circuit court judge most often faces,” Freudenthal said. “But most importantly, he seems to possess the special temperament and personality that makes a good judge. As an attorney he cares deeply about his clients, and I have no doubt that he will be a fair and considerate judge.”  

From 1995 to 2002, Harrington served as Washakie County and Prosecuting Attorney, conducting criminal prosecutions and advising county commissioners on all legal matters. Prior to that, he served as an associate with Messenger and Jurovich of Thermopolis, where he focused on workers compensation cases and was an assistant public defender for Washakie County.

In his current practice, Davis & Harrington, P.C., the attorney spends most of his time on domestic relations cases, criminal defense, juvenile justice cases, estate planning, guardian ad litem and other manners.

Harrington called it a great honor to be named to the circuit court bench.

“I am deeply honored by this appointment and by the trust that the Governor has placed in me,” Harrington said. “I have deep ties in each of these three counties and many friends and acquaintances who have been very important in my life. I will do my best to serve the people of the Fifth District as fairly and impartially as I can.”

In recommendation letters, Harrington’s colleagues said that he thinks well on his feet, is always mindful of the best interests and needs of his client and is a decent, well-grounded and well-liked person with an astute understanding of the law.

Harrington has spent most of his life in Wyoming, graduating from Worland High School and then earning his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Wyoming.

Prior to attending law school, Harrington taught high school in Greybull and Worland, and coached wrestling teams at the high school and club levels. He has maintained deep connections in the three counties included in the Fifth Judicial District.

The attorney remains active in his community and serves on the City of Worland Planning and Zoning Commission and is a supervisor for the Washakie County Conservation District. In the past he has served on the Washakie County Youth Alternatives Council, the Washakie County Health Board, the Big Horn Basin Child Support Authority Board and the Advisory Council to the Department of Family Services.


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