Governor Gordon designates Keith Kautz as the new Attorney General
In a significant shift for Wyoming's legal landscape, Keith Kautz has officially taken over as the state's Attorney General, effective July 7, 2025. Kautz, a retired Wyoming Supreme Court justice, replaces Ryan Schelhaas, who had been serving as interim Attorney General.
Kautz's appointment by Governor Mark Gordon marks a new chapter for the Wyoming Attorney General's Office, an agency that serves as the state's top law enforcement officer and chief litigator, as well as its legal advisor. The Office represents Wyoming and defends its laws in court, providing a crucial role in upholding the state's legal framework.
With a career spanning over three decades, Kautz brings a wealth of legal experience to the position. He earned both his Bachelors and Juris Doctorate degrees from the University of Wyoming before embarking on a successful career as a private practice attorney in Torrington, Wyoming. From 1993 until 2015, Kautz served as a District Court Judge for the Eighth District, and from 2015 until his mandatory retirement in 2024, he served as a justice on the Wyoming Supreme Court.
The Wyoming Attorney General's Office is responsible for a range of services, including statewide criminal investigations, law enforcement training, crime victim advocacy, and victim support programs. Under Kautz's leadership, these responsibilities will continue to be fulfilled.
One of the key challenges facing the Office is the defense of several abortion-related legislative policies passed in 2023. Given Kautz's strong religious convictions and opposition to abortion, he is expected to lead the state's defense of bans and restrictions on abortion, including bans, ultrasound requirements, off-label prescription prohibitions, and regulations on the state's lone abortion clinic.
Kautz's extensive judicial experience, particularly his time on the Wyoming Supreme Court, positions him well to interpret and defend complex legal issues the state confronts, especially in high-profile and contentious areas such as women's reproductive rights.
In summary, the Wyoming Attorney General's Office under Keith Kautz will continue to focus on representing and defending the state in legal matters, with a significant current emphasis on abortion-related cases. Kautz’s judicial background and personal convictions are likely to influence the Office’s legal strategies and enforcement priorities, particularly on social and constitutional issues.
The Wyoming Attorney General's Office, under Keith Kautz, will delve deeply into policy-and-legislation matters, especially focusing on defending the state's abortion-related legislative policies due to the high-profile and contentious nature of women's reproductive rights. The Office's strategies and enforcement priorities in politics and general news will likely be influenced by Kautz's extensive judicial experience and strong personal convictions.
