Wyoming Court Information, Location and Rules

Though there are many obvious similarities in the court systems among the various U.S. states, there are dissimilarities as well. In the legal hierarchy, some states have a more elaborate system in place, and some states do not. For example, the Wyoming court system is rather simple. There are just 3 courts in the state and they are:

•    The Supreme Court
•    The District Courts (these are present in 9 districts)
•    The Circuit Courts

The Supreme Court

This is the top-most legal body in the state in which there are 4 Associate Justices and heading them is the Chief Justice. Though the Chief Justice has a term of 4 years, the term for the Associate Justices is for 8 years. The website for the state’s Supreme Court is http://www.courts.state.wy.us.

District Courts

These are the general jurisdiction trial courts in the state. There are 23 counties in Wyoming and you will find a District Court in each one of them. They have the jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases, and issues involving probate and juvenile matters. Cases also come to this court from lower courts.

If you are not happy with a ruling of the District Court in the state, you can move your case and make an appeal to the Circuit Court.

Circuit Courts

These courts can hear small civil cases and misdemeanor criminal matters. The civil matters entertained are those in which the damages are equal to or less than $7,000. The Circuit Court also has the jurisdiction to decide on setting the bail of someone accused in a criminal case. Each district in the state has a Circuit Court.

The judges in the state’s Circuit Courts serve terms of 4 years. To be eligible to become a judge in the state, one needs to become a member of the State Bar.

Contacting the Authorities at any Wyoming Court

Before petitioning a court for any legal help, you must have adequate knowledge of the system. You must know the regulations as well as the jurisdiction each court enjoys. This way you can be sure that your petition will not be rejected.

You can get all the information you want from http://www.courts.state.wy.us. This website provides detailed information regarding all the courts that are located within the state. Apart from getting the information you want, you can also view electronic versions of the court records if you want to.

The Supreme Court is located at 2301, Capitol Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82001. The Wyoming Clerk’s office is where you should contact personnel for any legal issues. To reach the office via telephone, please dial (307)777-7316.

The Binding Rules on the State Courts of Wyoming

In Wyoming, the laws state that the general public should have easy access to courtroom information. For this purpose, the Supreme Court prepares and maintains electronic dockets. Administrative aspects of the tasks of the courts are also attached due importance, whether they are related to human resource issues or issues that are financial in nature. The Court Administrator performs all these tasks.

The Wyoming courts also have a Self-Help Center that you can approach. Any cases involving domestic violence can be referred to these centers. The Self-help Centers in Wyoming can attend divorce lawsuits and cases related to child custodial support.

The courts can also initiate what are formally known as the ‘Court Initiatives’. One of the most important of such initiatives is the Children’s Justice Project, as created by the state judiciary.

The codes of law prevalent in Wyoming also empower the courts located here to create judicial commissions or legal boards, if the situation so demands. Some of the most important of such commissions are:

•    The Commission of Justice
•    Judicial Nomination Commission
•    Judicial Policy and Administrative Affairs Board
•    Commission for the Ethics of Judicial Conduct