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Wyoming Court Records

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The court system in Wyoming is structured to provide a clear and organized means of resolving legal disputes at various levels. It consists primarily of the Wyoming Supreme Court, District Courts, Circuit Courts, and the newly established Chancery Court. Each of these courts has specific responsibilities and jurisdictions. Together, these courts handle more than 105,000 cases every fiscal year.

At the highest level of the judiciary is the Wyoming Supreme Court. This court serves as the state's court of last resort and holds both appellate and administrative authority over all other Wyoming courts. It reviews decisions from the lower courts, interprets constitutional and statutory law, and ensures consistency in judicial decisions across the state. The Supreme Court also oversees the regulation of attorneys, the adoption of court rules, and the administration of the state's judicial branch.

Below the Supreme Court are the District Courts, which function as Wyoming's general jurisdiction trial courts. Each of the state's nine judicial districts has a district court that handles a wide range of legal matters, including felony criminal cases, large civil disputes, family law cases such as divorce and child custody, probate and estate issues, and appeals from circuit and municipal courts. These courts also hear juvenile and probate matters. Its jurisdiction is unlimited except for misdemeanors, small claims cases, and civil cases under $50,000.

The Circuit Courts operate at a lower tier than the District Courts and are present in each of Wyoming's 23 counties. Circuit Courts handle misdemeanor criminal offenses, traffic violations, small civil claims up to $50,000, small claims cases not exceeding $6,000, and preliminary proceedings in felony cases, such as arraignments and bail hearings. They are also responsible for issuing protection orders and search warrants.

The Chancery Court is a recent addition to the Wyoming judiciary. It was established to hear complex commercial, business, and trust cases. This specialized court is designed to resolve business disputes efficiently and fairly, with a focus on non-jury, equity-based relief such as injunctions and declaratory judgments in actions seeking money recovery over $50,000. The Chancery Court aims to promote swift and expert resolution of matters that require detailed knowledge of business law.

What Are the Types of Court Records In Wyoming?

Courts in Wyoming maintain specific types of records depending on the scope of their jurisdiction. These may be registers of actions, dockets, decrees, judgements, transcripts, and other documents filed or created by defendants, plaintiffs, or court personnel relating to a judicial proceeding. The records in each court are maintained by the clerk of the court and include the following:

  • Supreme Court
    • Opinions and Rulings: Final decisions in appeals from district courts, addressing constitutional, statutory, and procedural questions under Wyoming and federal law.
    • Case Dockets: Detailed records of all appellate case filings, including briefs, motions, and court orders.
    • Administrative Orders: Directives issued by the Supreme Court to regulate judicial conduct, set statewide procedures, and update court rules.
    • Certiorari Petitions: Formal requests for the Supreme Court to review discretionary cases from lower courts where no automatic right to appeal exists.
  • District Courts
    • Criminal Case Records: Include felony prosecutions, indictments, arraignments, plea deals, jury trial records, sentencing orders, and post-conviction motions.
    • Civil Case Records: Include claims related to contracts, property, personal injury, torts, and business disputes with no monetary limit.
    • Appeals from Circuit and Municipal Courts: Reviews of the decisions made in lower courts, including traffic and misdemeanor cases.
    • Family and Probate Matters: Records of divorce, child custody, support, dependency, foster care, termination of parental rights, adoption, guardianship, wills, estates, and conservatorship matters.
    • Juvenile Court Matters: Records of juvenile delinquency and status offense cases
  • Circuit Courts
    • Criminal Case Records: Records of misdemeanors, initial felony proceedings, DUIs, pretrial motions, and sentencing documentation.
    • Civil Case Records: Records of claims involving monetary disputes up to $50,000, including landlord-tenant conflicts and debt recovery.
    • Traffic Violation Records: Include citations for speeding, reckless driving, and license offenses.
    • Preliminary Hearings: Records of initial hearings in felony cases, including arraignments, bail setting, and probable cause determinations.
  • Municipal Courts
    • Ordinance Violations and Misdemeanors: Records of non-felony offenses under city laws, such as noise violations, minor thefts, and disorderly conduct.
    • Traffic and Parking Infractions: Records of local traffic tickets, parking violations, and other infractions occurring within municipal boundaries.
    • Arraignments and Bail Hearings: Records of initial appearances for criminal charges originating under municipal authority.
  • Chancery Court of Wyoming
    • Equity and Commercial Disputes: Records of complex business matters, including contract breaches, trade secrets, shareholder disputes, and fiduciary obligations.
    • Injunctive and Declaratory Relief Cases: Records of cases seeking non-monetary remedies, such as injunctions or judicial declarations in corporate contexts.
    • Case Management Innovations: Records of specialized procedures for faster and more efficient handling of commercial litigation across Wyoming.

Are Wyoming Court Records Public?

Wyoming court records are generally public and accessible to the public under the Wyoming Public Records Act. In addition, the Wyoming Rules Governing Access to Court Records determine how the public may access court records. These laws classify court records into public and confidential categories and guide when and how records can be sealed or redacted. Despite the provisions of these laws, some records are typically exempt from public access. Wyoming court records may be sealed or withheld if they fall under the following exemptions:

  • Confidential or Sealed by Law or Rule
    • Juvenile court records
    • Adoption, paternity, and guardianship records
    • Mental health commitment and evaluation proceedings
    • Certain family law records, such as abuse or custody disputes involving sensitive data
    • Victim or witness identity in sexual assault cases
    • Grand jury materials and pre-sentence investigation reports
  • Privacy and Safety Concerns
    • To protect minors, victims of crimes, or sensitive personal data (details such as Social Security numbers and financial information)
    • To comply with federal laws like HIPAA or FERPA
  • Court-Ordered Sealing
    • Upon request and showing of good cause, a court may seal records to protect privacy, business secrets, or the integrity of ongoing investigations.

How Do I Search Wyoming Court Records?

Wyoming does not have a centralized public portal for court records. However, the state offers access to case summaries of its appellate court via the Wyoming Appellate E-filing System. You may perform a search on this system by providing the case number or the name of a party involved in a case. Other records you may access online include the following:

How To Retrieve Court Records Offline

To obtain actual copies or certified copies of documents filed or generated in a court case, you must visit the office of the clerk of the court where the case was filed. Requests may be in person, by mail, or via email, depending on the request procedures of the court. In your request, you should provide as much information as possible, such as:

  • Full names of parties involved
  • Case number (if known)
  • Approximate date of filing
  • Type of case (such as criminal, civil, probate)

Note that obtaining records of Wyoming courts attracts certain fees. Fees vary by county or court but are typically $1 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Certification may cost up to $2.50 per document, while exemplification costs $5 per document. A record search fee of $10 may also apply.

Simple requests are typically processed within 2-5 business days upon receipt of payment. However, complex or older records may take longer, especially if records are archived or require extensive search efforts.

Note that you may view court records at the courthouses via the public access terminals available there.

Can I Seal or Expunge a Wyoming Court Record?

Expungement and sealing are terms often used interchangeably in Wyoming, although they have different meanings. Expungement refers to the process of removing a criminal charge or conviction from an individual's public record. Once an expungement is granted, the offense is treated as though it never occurred, allowing the individual to lawfully state that they have not been arrested or convicted. Record sealing, in contrast, does not erase the record but restricts public access to it. While sealed records are not publicly available, certain agencies, such as law enforcement or government authorities, may still access them under specific legal conditions. Wyoming's expungement laws are primarily found in Title 7, Chapter 13 of the Wyoming Statutes.

The following eligibility requirements apply for expungement in Wyoming:

  • Arrest Records (No Conviction):
    • At least 180 days have passed since the arrest or dismissal of charges.
    • No formal charges are pending.
    • No convictions resulted from the incident.
    • No filing fee is required.
  • Misdemeanor Convictions:
    • At least 5 years have passed since completing the sentence, including probation for a non-status offense, or 1 year has passed since the end of a sentence for a status offense. A status offense is an offense considered only illegal for certain groups of people, such as minors.
    • The offense did not involve the use or attempted use of a firearm.
    • The individual is not a substantial danger to themselves or society.
  • Felony Convictions:
    • At least 10 years have passed since completing the sentence, including any court-ordered programs.
    • No subsequent felony convictions or pending charges.
    • The offense did not involve the use or attempted use of a firearm.
    • The individual is not a substantial danger to themselves or society.
  • Juvenile Records:
    • The individual has reached 18 years of age.
    • No subsequent felony convictions or pending charges.
    • The court believes the individual has been rehabilitated.

You may obtain expungement in Wyoming by following these steps:

  • Prepare the Petition: Gather necessary documents, including details of the offense, sentencing, and proof of sentence completion.
  • File the Petition and Pay the Relevant Fee: Submit the petition to the court where the case was originally heard. A filing fee of $100.00 is required to submit a petition for the expungement of a misdemeanor offense, while a fee of $300.00 applies to petitions for the expungement of a felony offense. Petitions to expunge arrests that did not result in a conviction may be filed free of charge.
  • Serve Relevant Parties: Provide copies of the petition to the prosecuting attorney and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the prosecuting attorney, and the victims of the crime to be expunged.
  • Await Response: The prosecuting attorney has 30 days to file an objection. If no objection is filed, the court may grant the expungement without a hearing.
  • Court Hearing (if necessary): If an objection is filed, the court will schedule a hearing to consider the petition.
  • Order of Expungement: If granted, the court will issue an order sealing the records and directing relevant agencies to remove the records from public access. The court will provide a copy of the Order to the Division of Criminal Investigation. Once received, any records related to the arrest, charge, or case outcome will be removed from public access in the state's central records system.

How To Search Federal Court Records in Wyoming

Wyoming has one federal court: the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming. Operating in four locations (Casper, Jackson, Lander, and Mammoth), this court hears a wide range of federal cases, including bankruptcy and civil and criminal matters falling under federal jurisdiction.

To access records of this court online, you may use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system. To use the system, you must create an account on the portal. Once your account is active, you may search by case number, party name, or filing date to view dockets, motions, orders, and other case filings. There is a small fee of $0.10 per page, with a maximum charge of $3.00 per document, although charges under $30 in a quarter are waived for most users. PACER does not include sealed or confidential records, which require special permission to access.

If you prefer to request records in person or by mail, you may contact or visit the Clerk's Office of the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming. The court's main offices are located in Cheyenne and Casper, with smaller offices in Lander, Jackson, and Mammoth. At the courthouse, you may request to view case files, ask for copies, or obtain certified documents. When making a request, it should include the case number, names of the parties involved, and the specific documents needed. Standard copy fees are generally $0.50 per page, and certification may cost $12 per document.

How To Get Wyoming Court Records Online for Free?

Wyoming does not provide a statewide portal for accessing the trial court online for free. However, it allows the public to access case summaries of its appellate court via the Wyoming Appellate E-filing System. To perform a search, the name of a party or case number is required. You may also use third-party websites, such as PeopleRecords.us, to look up Wyoming court records online for free. Third-party websites are able to aggregate court records in their databases due to the public nature of most court records.

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