Sublette County seeks funding to maintain legal operations amid rising case filings

The Weston County Commissioners held a budget workshop on July 1, 2025, focusing on the operational needs of the county's legal office. The meeting highlighted the challenges faced by the office, particularly in managing a high volume of felony cases, including felony strangulation and drug possession.

During the discussion, officials compared Weston County's legal staffing and budget to those of neighboring counties. It was noted that Cook County, for instance, had filed 26 district court cases with a budget that included a salary of $125,000 for the lead attorney and $70,000 for deputies. In contrast, Weston County is currently funding approximately 1.75 full-time equivalent (FTE) attorneys, who are reportedly handling more work than their compensation reflects.

The county's legal office emphasized the need for adequate funding to maintain its operations. The request was framed as essential for the office to continue functioning effectively and to manage both criminal and civil cases. The discussion underscored the importance of ensuring that the legal office is properly staffed and funded to meet the demands of its workload.

As the budget planning progresses, the commissioners will need to consider these staffing and funding requests to ensure that the legal office can fulfill its responsibilities to the community.