U.S. District Judge Kelly Rankin of U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming

 

7/02/2024

U.S. District Judge Kelly Rankin

U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming 

c/o Joseph C. O’Mahoney Federal Center

2120 Capitol Avenue, Room 2131

Cheyenne, WY 82001

Dear U.S. District Judge Rankin,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others.  U.S. District Judge Rankin, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work when you served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming to be very inspiring to me. 

When you served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming from 2008-2009, I truly appreciated on how you were a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities rights, prosecuting people who commit hate crimes to help protect minorities including people who are different, and investigating public places that practice different forms of discrimination. Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, expanding services to help victims of crime or victims of domestic violence get help on dealing with their trauma, and pushing for funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to help solve cases including evidence efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense for criminal justice reform. Also on criminal justice reform, I like on how you are working to support the need for social workers to help people with disabilities including people who struggle with mental health get help instead of strict sentencing and expand on wrongful conviction unit to investigate any misconduct in cases. Another thing that I liked about your work as U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming is how you prosecuted after public officials who are corrupt or accepted illegal bribes and went after industries that illegally polluted the environment or violated environmental protection laws. In your current role as U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming is how you are a continuous strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights and criminal justice reform.  Another thing that I like about your work in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming is how  you support continuing to protect civil liberties from being violated like the 4th amendment to help protect people from unreasonable searches, 6th amendment to for the person accused of a crime know what charges or evidence is against them, and many others.

U.S. District Judge Rankin, I have autism with a learning disability.  Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advanced subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts in different settings, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Your role as a former U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming helps give me motivation to continue to learn history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. Also I have enjoyed visiting Cheyenne Wyoming where I got to explore the Wyoming state capitol, visit the Wyoming Historic Governor Mansion to learn some of the history of the first female governor including some history of Wyoming, and The Nelson Museum of the West to learn more history of Wyoming. Also I enjoyed walking around learning about how Wyoming became the first state to allow women the right to vote. 

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference in the judicial system. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights including people with disabilities rights and push while advocate for criminal justice reform. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn about your work, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to advocate for common sense ideas.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick