Legal Resources

If you represent yourself in court, you are responsible for knowing the rules and laws that apply to your case. Legal research is the process of finding the law and rules that apply to your legal problem or support your side in a legal case.

Important: Representing yourself can be risky. If you are not trained as a lawyer, it is often difficult to find all the information you need to effectively present your case. Some legal issues may be too complicated to research on your own. Because legal research can be time-consuming and difficult, the best thing you can do is talk to a lawyer about your legal problems. However, if you cannot find a lawyer, or choose to go forward with your case on your own, the following information may be helpful as you begin your legal research.

Find a Lawyer

It is sometimes difficult to determine what the law is for any given legal issue. If you are new to legal research, you can begin by reading one of the many guides available to explain the legal research process and legal resources. Some recommended guides are:

• How to Research a Legal Problem: A Guide for Non-Lawyers by the George W. Hopper Law Library and the University of Wyoming College of Law
  Basics of Laws and Legal Research from Nolo.com
• Legal Research: An Overview, prepared by the Cornell Legal Information Institute
  You can also find legal resources and help for conducting your research in the following places.

Links:

• https://www.uwyo.edu/lawlib/researchguides/howtoresearch.html
• https://www.uwyo.edu/lawlib/index.html
• https://www.nolo.com/legal-research
• https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/legal_research

Self-help law books are often the best place for people who are not lawyers to start their legal research. These books provide an overview of the law on a particular topic and guidance on how to proceed with certain types of cases.

Nolo is the primary publisher of self-help law books on a wide range of topics, including:

Wills
Estate planning
Retirement
Elder care
Personal finance
Taxes
Housing
Real estate
Divorce
Child custody
And more

You can find many Nolo books in Wyoming’s public libraries.

https://store.nolo.com/products/

Your local county library likely has print versions of the Wyoming Constitution, Wyoming Statutes, and Wyoming Court Rules. The print versions of the statutes and rules also contain references to past cases that might apply to your situation. (Note: to read the full text of cases, you may have to look online or go to a law library).

Your local library may also have useful self-help law books. If the library does not have the books at their location, they can request them via interlibrary loan. You can ask your local library to see what additional legal resources they provide.

Find your closest library with the library directory on the Wyoming State Library website.

https://library.wyo.gov/community/directory/

Law libraries are staffed by professionals experienced in helping attorneys and the public use legal resources and do legal research.

• The Wyoming State Law Library
• University of Wyoming Hopper Law Library

Law libraries have federal and state constitutions, statutes, regulations, and case law in their collections. They also have many other books and databases that discuss the law and information needed to bring a specific type of case through the courts. These resources are primarily designed for law students and attorneys practicing law. However, they can be useful for others interested in researching an area of law, too. You may have to visit the law library in-person to use specialized resources.

The Wyoming State Law Library website provides information and guidance about legal research resources available in Wyoming, including the services provided by the law library. The website also has links to many online legal resources including Wyoming and federal statutes, regulations, and cases.

State Law Library

https://www.uwyo.edu/lawlib/all-services-for-the-public/index.html”

The Wyoming state laws (Statutes) and Constitution are available for anyone to view online on the Wyoming State Legislature’s website.

Wyoming State Statutes

The Wyoming Judicial Branch website has court rules for all of Wyoming’s state and local courts. The rules govern things such as what papers you need to file, when you have to file them, the required fees, what type of evidence is allowed, etc.

Court Rules

Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute has constitutions, statutes, and legislative information for the federal government and all 50 states.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/statutes

Finding cases similar to your own can help you understand and make legal arguments. Court Listener, part of the Free Law Project, provides free case law searches. Court Listener does not have all federal and state court cases, but their database is always growing. Try to look for cases in the same state as where you have your legal problem and watch out for cases that have been overturned by a higher court.

https://free.law/
https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/

Congress.gov has information about current congressional activities and federal bills.

https://www.congress.gov/

Wyoming Free Legal Answers is an online legal advice option. You can answer a few questions to see if you qualify and make an account. Qualifying individuals can submit civil legal questions at no cost. Pro bono attorneys licensed in Wyoming answer the questions and provide legal advice.

You can ask civil, non-criminal legal questions. Civil legal issues include Divorce/Custody, Housing/Property, Eviction, Consumer Rights, Debts, Bankruptcy, Wills/Inheritance, Work/Employment, Expungement, Health Care, Disability, Benefits, Education, and Civil Rights.

ABA Federal Free Legal Answers is an online legal advice option for specific legal issues about immigration and veteran matters.

The federal free legal answers site does not accept questions about divorce, child custody, child support, housing matters, creditor and debt issues, probate, estate matters, or other similar state law-related questions. If you have questions about these matters, please try the Wyoming Free Legal Answers site above.

Questions about immigration: deportation, asylum, green cards, work permits, DACA, children’s cases, employment-based immigration, citizenship, and other immigration issues.

Questions about veteran matters: VA benefits, VA debts and overpayments, discharge upgrades, correcting or ordering military records, military retirement, and VA pension. Click here for more information.

https://abafederal.freelegalanswers.org/