Cheyenne municipal court asks council for $60,500 to cover magistrates, training and part‑time clerk

Senior Municipal Court Judge David Singleton told the Cheyenne City Council at a work session that the municipal court is seeking $60,500 in additional funding to cover magistrate pay, staff training and a part‑time clerical position.

The request matters because the court handles thousands of cases a year and Judge Singleton said current staffing levels leave regular staff “overtasked,” making it harder to keep the public counter staffed and to cover conflicts when he must recuse himself.

Judge Singleton described the municipal court’s jurisdiction and workload, saying, “By state statute, the municipal court has jurisdiction over all violations of municipal code,” and that the court must be prepared to try cases to protect defendants’ rights. He told the council the court handles roughly “5 to 6,000 cases per year,” and said that in 2024 the court held “over 100 bench trials” and two jury trials. He summarized the additional budget requests as $25,000 for magistrates…