Nuttall retires after nearly two decades in circuit court

After 18 years as Big Horn County’s chief clerk of circuit court, Diane Nuttall will retire back to her home state of South Dakota.

“You cannot go to school for this job. It’s an on-hand learning thing. There’s really no way to explain this type of a job to anybody, you just have to do it,” Nuttall said.

 Nuttal grew up on a ranch, and she and her husband, Dale Nuttall, went to high school together in South Dakota before they were married. The Nuttalls moved to Greybull in 1998. Diane Nuttall worked for Hawkins and Powers Aviation before their issues with plane crashes and ultimate bankruptcy led to its closure. She started in the Big Horn County Attorney’s office in 2003 before moving to circuit court in 2007.

“This court’s seen a lot of change over the years,” Nuttall said. She has served several judges: Robert Skar, Tom Harington and Ed Luhm. With each presiding judge, the forms and paperwork on Nuttall’s end changed. On top of that, the laws are different year to year.

“It’s an always-changing system. It changes every day, and it’s something new every day,” Nuttall said. 

Computers brought a major reform to the courthouse, making things easier and more difficult at the same time, Nuttall said. The good news is the process has become more streamlined and public records more accessible through digital technology. The Big Horn County courthouse talks to support staff in Cheyenne near daily to make sure they are up to speed.

Seeing every case that comes through the system, Nuttall has noticed other trends. In her time, there has been a perceived increase in drug offenses, as well as crimes against people, such as sexual assault. 

“Those are the things that I’ve noticed over the last years. … That weighs on a person,” Nuttall said, adding that she handles it the same way that all of the law enforcement officers she has worked with do.

“When you leave this door, you leave that stuff. You cannot take it home.”

Some of her toughest cases to deal with are when young people come up through the system. This was particularly difficult for Nuttall when her own children were still in school, she said. 

“Because I just want to ring their neck,” she laughed. “That was hard. Seeing the kids come through, seeing the lives that have been affected by different things.”

The most enjoyable part of her job is helping people, Nuttall said. Through her work, she has learned that the world is not black and white, and kindness goes a long way. 

“Even in the toughest of times, people are still human, and you have to treat them as such,” she said. 

“I hope I can help them, because sometimes this system is a tough system to navigate, and sometimes if you have that helpful attitude, then things aren’t so harsh for them. Everybody makes mistakes, and sometimes you have to help them through that.”

Nuttall left her position at the end of July, with her husband retiring from Wyo-Ben near the same time. The couple plans to move close to their hometowns to Pierre, South Dakota, to be near their grandchildren, ages 4 and 1. With two kids still in the area, the Nuttalls will still be visiting town. 

“It’s not like we’re going to leave forever,” Nuttall said.

Starla Gesch, who has been working in district court, will take over Nuttall’s position. 

“I’ve really enjoyed it so far,” Gesch reported. She shared that she has had three weeks to “download all of Nuttall’s infinite wisdom” and will still be able to phone a friend if she needs.

“She’ll do great; she’s got what it takes,” Nuttall said.