From 1954 to 1958, he was a prosecutor for Boone County, Missouri, then returned to private practice in Columbia until 1979.

[1] On May 24, 1979, Wright was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri created by Congress.

[1][2] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 25, 1979, and received his commission the following day.

[3] Judge Wright wrote a book in 2007 titled: Never in Doubt: Memoirs of an Uncommon Judge Hardcover – January 1, 2007 by Scott O. Wright Profits from a book Wright co-authored, "Never in Doubt, Memoirs of an Uncommon Judge,” were donated to the Missouri University Law School.

“I feel like the University of Missouri did me a great favor for me by putting me through law school.