The Weston County clerk accused of skipping a legislative subpoena was scheduled to go to trial Thursday in Casper Circuit Court — until the judge ruled that her claims against the lawmakers who summoned her should be heard in a higher court first.
That’s according to a Monday order by Casper Circuit Court Judge Kevin Taheri in the criminal case of Weston County Clerk Becky Hadlock.
Hadlock’s public saga is a long one, starting in November 2024, when faulty ballots circulated into the general election in Weston County and skewed the votes in two unopposed races.
Hadlock took full responsibility for the errors at the time.
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray told lawmakers repeatedly throughout 2025 that the bigger issue was that after the election, Hadlock filed a post-election audit report that didn’t show the errors, which Gray called a sign that the audit was fraudulent or wasn’t actually conducted.
The legislative Management Audit Committee in July created a subcommittee to investigate the election further. In September, Hadlock did not appear for a subpoena calling her to testify before the subcommittee.
She told the investigator on what is now the criminal subpoena-skipping case that she had committed already to doctor’s appointments for herself and her mother and had told the Legislative Service Office she wouldn’t be available the day of the meeting – before receiving a short-notice subpoena from the committee.
On claims lawmakers exceeded their authority, broke the law and violated Hadlock’s rights, her attorney Ryan Semerad asked Taheri to dismiss the criminal case against her. Taheri declined, saying questions remain for a jury to answer.
Semerad plans to re-file his argument with the higher court, Natrona County District Court, he told Cowboy State Daily. He asked Taheri to pause Hadlock’s case — which was slated for trial Thursday — while the higher court contemplates it.
Taheri granted that motion Monday.
Clarification - An earlier version of this story said Semerad has filed the appeal, but rather, he plans to file it later this week, he told Cowboy State Daily
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
