He was appointed to the court in 2010 [1] by Governor Brian Schweitzer to fill the vacated seat of Justice John Warner.

[2] He served with the United States Marine Corps and fought in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969 and was awarded the Purple Heart.

[3] After the war Wheat attended the University of Montana and graduated with a BA in Political Science in 1975.

[3] He received his JD from the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the University of Montana in 1978.

[3] In 2017, Wheat announced that he would retire at the end of the year to spend more time with his family.