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From 1976 to 1978, Honaker was a state assistant attorney general and an aide to Democratic [[Governor]] Edgar Herschler (1918-1990). In 1979, Herschler named Honaker as Wyoming's second state public defender, in which capacity he supervised the work of thirty trial lawyers during a two-year stint. While he was a public defender, Honaker prosecuted a lengthy [[homicide]] case in Rock Springs and decided to open a law office there. He is the only person to have served as president of both the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association and Wyoming Bar Association, a position he held in 2002 and 2003. He was appointed by the Wyoming Supreme Court to the bar association's rules and disciplinary committees.<ref>United States Department of Justice, Honaker judicial resume [http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/honakerresume.htm USDOJ]; no longer on-line.</ref>​

From 1976 to 1978, Honaker was a state assistant attorney general and an aide to Democratic [[Governor]] Edgar Herschler (1918-1990). In 1979, Herschler named Honaker as Wyoming's second state public defender, in which capacity he supervised the work of thirty trial lawyers during a two-year stint. While he was a public defender, Honaker prosecuted a lengthy [[homicide]] case in Rock Springs and decided to open a law office there. He is the only person to have served as president of both the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association and Wyoming Bar Association, a position he held in 2002 and 2003. He was appointed by the Wyoming Supreme Court to the bar association's rules and disciplinary committees.<ref>United States Department of Justice, Honaker judicial resume [http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/honakerresume.htm USDOJ]; no longer on-line.</ref>​

From 1987 to 1993, Honaker served in the Wyoming House of Representatives as a [[conservative]] Democrat from Rock Springs in Sweetwater County. Part of a five-member Sweetwater County delegation, Honaker's three terms coincided with the administration of Democratic Governor Michael John Sullivan, who  endorsed Honaker's judicial nomination. Honaker served on the House corporations, judiciary, and rules committees. He did not run for a fourth term in 1992 because of [[redistricting]]. He changed his affiliation to Republican in 1994 and was defeated in a bid to return to the Wyoming House under a revised district plan. Honaker said that his party switch was motivated by his opposition to policies of U.S. President [[Bill Clinton]]. Since 2000, Honaker has maintained a solo law practice in Rock Springs, a stronghold of the Democratic Party and [[organized labor]] within usually otherwise Republican-leaning Wyoming.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prochoice.org/policy/courts/nominations/honaker_facts.html|title=Nomination of Richard H. Honaker|publisher=Prochoice.org|accessdate=September 9, 2019; no longer on-line.}}</ref>

From 1987 to 1993, Honaker served in the Wyoming House of Representatives as a [[conservative]] Democrat from Rock Springs in Sweetwater County. Part of a five-member Sweetwater County delegation, Honaker's three terms coincided with the administration of Democratic Governor Michael John Sullivan, who  endorsed Honaker's judicial nomination. Honaker served on the House corporations, judiciary, and rules committees. He did not run for a fourth term in 1992 because of [[redistricting]]. He changed his affiliation to Republican in 1994 and was defeated in a bid to return to the Wyoming House under a revised district plan. Honaker said that his party switch was motivated by his opposition to policies of U.S. President [[Bill Clinton]]. Since 2000, Honaker has maintained a solo law practice in Rock Springs, a stronghold of the Democratic Party and [[organized labor]] within usually otherwise Republican-leaning Wyoming.

In 2002, Honaker joined the [[Federalist Society]], a body from which President Bush has procured numerous court nominees. He is a board member of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He has also been an adjunct professor of business law at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs.<ref name=honaker/>​

In 2002, Honaker joined the [[Federalist Society]], a body from which President Bush has procured numerous court nominees. He is a board member of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He has also been an adjunct professor of business law at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs.<ref name=honaker/>​