Senate Approves Kelly Harrison Rankin as Federal Judge in Wyoming

Rankin becomes the 182nd federal judge confirmed during Joe Biden's presidency.

The U.S. Senate today held a recorded vote to confirm one individual as an Article III federal judge. With this confirmation, 182 judges nominated by President Joe Biden have now been confirmed by the Senate. With today’s action, 139 of Biden’s judicial nominees have been approved for service on federal district courts.

By voice vote, Kelly Harrison Rankin was confirmed as a Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming. He is Biden’s first confirmation to the 3-person court, with no additional vacancies at this time.

Rankin assumes the Cheyenne-based seat previously held by Nancy D. Freudenthal, who took senior status in June 2022. A nominee of President Barack Obama, Freudenthal served on this court from 2010 to 2022 and was Chief Judge from 2011 to 2018. Rankin was nominated to this seat on the federal judiciary by Biden in January 2024.

Rankin’s legal career began as a Deputy County Attorney in the Office of the Lincoln County Attorney from 1994 to 1995. He then joined the Office of the Park County Attorney in 1995 as Deputy County Attorney and later served as Park County Attorney from 1999 to 2003. He then was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming from 2003 to 2008. He was then confirmed as U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming - holding the office from 2008 to 2010.

In 2010, Rankin served as Counsel to Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal. He then rejoined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming - acting as the Criminal Chief from 2010 to 2012. Since June 2012, he has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming.