Welcome to the Wyoming Judicial Branch

As an independent branch of government, the Wyoming Judicial Branch provides access to justice through the timely, fair, and impartial resolution of legal disputes. The Wyoming Judiciary is a cohesive and collaborative court system, characterized by excellence, that provides justice for the individual and society through the rule of law. Our judges, and all members of the Judicial Branch, are working diligently to make the guarantee of equal justice embedded in our constitution a reality in Wyoming. We are proud of our judges who endeavor every day to fulfill their responsibilities. We invite you to visit our courts to see how they work and encourage you to learn more about our system of justice.

The Judicial Branch serves a critical role in Wyoming’s democratic process, and in maintaining law and order for our citizens. It ensures the constitutional rights of litigants, the safety of our communities, and the stability of our businesses. Our judges and staff work every day to provide the just, speedy, and inexpensive resolution of Wyoming citizens’ disputes. As envisioned by the founders over two hundred years ago, when the judicial system protects the rights of one, the rights of all remain secure.

The Wyoming Judicial Branch delivers this constitutionally guaranteed public service with approximately 350 employees, justices, judges, and retired judges in four distinct jurisdictional court conferences and one administrative office.
All the judges in the Wyoming Judicial Branch are selected pursuant to the merit selection system in the Wyoming Constitution. The process ensures quality judges whose allegiance is the rule of law and not to campaign donors or political parties.

The Supreme Court of Wyoming, located in Cheyenne, is the highest level of court in the state and therefore is the final arbiter of cases that arise under state law. It decides cases appealed from lower courts or administrative agencies. Its decisions are final except for cases that involve a question of federal law, which can be appealed to the United States Supreme Court. In deciding these appeals, the Supreme Court sets forth the definitive statements on Wyoming law which are binding upon all other courts and state agencies unless changed by legislative action.

There are five Supreme Court justices. Each justice has two staff attorneys that assist in drafting opinions and a judicial assistant. The clerk of the court, a constitutional officer, serves at the pleasure of the Court. The clerk is keeper of the court seal, she collects all fees and keeps the records, papers, and journals of the Supreme Court, both paper and electronic.

The district courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction. The district judges preside over felony criminal and civil cases as well as juvenile and probate matters. They also hear appeals from lower court decisions. The jurisdiction of the district courts is unlimited except for civil cases under $50,000, small claims cases, and misdemeanors, which are handled by the circuit courts. As a result, the work of the district courts includes the most serious cases and controversies in the state. There are 27 district judges in the state organized into nine judicial districts. District court is held in each county seat so that some judges must regularly travel to all counties within their district to hear the cases that arise there. In addition, district judges travel to other districts when necessary to assist another judge with the workload of the district.

The clerk of district court is the elected county official who keeps the court record. The clerk maintains electronic case files, which include all records of a case-complaint, answers, pleadings, orders, judgment, and written opinions, if any. In addition, the clerk keeps a docket showing all cases filed and decided in the court, receives and transmits all fees and monies deposited with the court, and manages the calling and initial examination of jurors for the court.

The Wyoming legislature in 2019 adopted legislation to create a Chancery Court whose purpose is to provide a forum for streamlined resolution of commercial, business, and trust cases. The act establishes a court with jurisdiction to decide actions seeking declaratory or injunctive relief and actions seeking money recovery over $50,000 that arise from claims including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, derivative actions, the Uniform Commercial Code, and the Uniform Trust Code. A full time Chancery Court judge will take over January 1, 2025.

Circuit courts serve the people in each of the nine judicial districts and 23 counties of the State of Wyoming. The civil jurisdiction of the circuit courts covers cases in which the damages or recovery sought do not exceed $50,000. Small claims not exceeding $6,000.00 may also be filed in circuit court. Circuit courts also hear family violence, stalking, sexual assault and forcible entry and detainer (eviction) cases. The criminal jurisdiction includes all misdemeanors. The circuit court is authorized to set bail for people accused of crimes, and to conduct preliminary hearings in felony criminal cases.

Treatment courts have been an effective way of addressing the substance use challenges of many court-involved individuals over the past two decades. Effective July 1, 2024, treatment court management was transferred from the Wyoming Department of Health to the Judicial Branch. In the process, DOH and the judiciary worked together to refresh the applicable standards and rules, and to implement improved peer review and data management systems.

Behavioral health diversion was just piloted beginning in January, 2024 in Campbell County. It is based on the concept, proven in other states, that diverting non-violent but seriously mentally ill persons away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment and support services will stop or slow the unproductive recycling of the seriously mentally ill through our criminal justice system and ease pressure on jails, courts, and the state hospital. Plans to implement similar programs in Laramie and Natrona counties are underway.