Spotlight
Alumnus Ben Burningham Appointed Wyoming’s First Chancery Court Judge
Ben Burningham (‘09) has been appointed Wyoming’s first Chancery Court judge, presiding over a specialized statewide court designed to streamline the resolution of commercial, business, and trust cases. His appointment went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
“The Chancery Court is designed to resolve business cases efficiently, avoiding the delays and complications that often arise in such matters,” said Burningham. “Our mission is to streamline these cases and help them move to resolution as quickly as possible, saving time and money for everyone involved.”
Officially launched in December 2021, the chancery court was initially overseen by three district court judges. During that time, Burningham served as the Wyoming Judicial Branch’s chief legal officer and as its director until his appointment as the court’s first full-time judge.
“The selection process was rigorous,” said Burningham. “Applicants first submit an expression of interest to a commission chaired by the Chief Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court and composed of lawyers and residents appointed by the governor and state bar. This commission carefully reviews applications, interviews candidates, and submits a short list of three people to the governor.”
“The governor then conducts interviews and appoints one of the three to serve as judge,” continued Burningham. “It’s a six-year term, with retention elections at the end of each term. The whole application process, from announcing the vacancy to the appointment, took about 90 days.”
Several other states have business courts, with the Delaware Chancery Court being the most well-known. Wyoming’s Chancery Court features bench trials, active case management, tailored discovery, electronic filings, limited motions practice, and regular settlement efforts, with the goal of resolving most cases within 150 days.
“By statute, Chancery Court decisions are published and made available on the judicial branch website and other legal databases, and there’s a good reason for this publishing requirement,” said Burningham. “Published decisions provide businesses with guidance on conducting their affairs and offer insight into how similar cases might be resolved if tried.”
In addition to his work in the Wyoming Judicial Branch, Burningham served as chief of the Consumer Protection & Antitrust Unit for the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office from 2015–21. He also worked as an attorney for Kellogg Hansen, a firm in Washington D.C. He earned his Juris Doctorate with honors from The George Washington University.
“My interest in law grew out of personal experience,” Burningham said. “While serving a mission in Venezuela during the Hugo Chávez regime, I witnessed firsthand what it means to live in a society without an independent judiciary and the rule of law. That experience made me appreciate the role of courts in a free and prosperous society and sparked an intellectual curiosity that motivated my studies at Southern Virginia University and during law school.”
“I didn’t start my career with aspirations to become a judge,” Burningham continued. “But over time working in this field, I began to recognize characteristics and attributes I had that aligned with the role. It felt less like a career choice and more like a calling.”
While studying political science at Southern Virginia University, Burningham was a member of the university’s inaugural football team, where he played all four years and served as team captain. He also participated in student government as the senior class president, worked as a research assistant for Professor Jeremiah John, and co-authored and directed a student film for the Southern Virginia Film Festival. He and his wife, Holly, also a Southern Virginia alumna and principal of an elementary school, live in Wyoming with their family.