2012 Wyoming Statutes
TITLE 14 - CHILDREN
CHAPTER 3 - PROTECTION
14-3-409. Taking of child into custody; shelter care hearing where no court order; conditional release; evidence; rehearing.

(a) When a child is taken into temporary protective custody without a court order or under an ex parte emergency order, a petition as provided in W.S. 14-3-412 shall be promptly filed and presented to the court. A shelter care hearing shall be held as soon as reasonably possible not later than forty-eight (48) hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, after the child is taken into temporary protective custody to determine if further shelter care is required pending further court action. Written notice stating the time, place and purpose of the hearing shall be given to the child and to his parents, guardian or custodian.

(b) At the commencement of the hearing the judge shall advise the child and his parents, guardian or custodian of:

(i) The contents of the petition and the nature of the allegations contained therein;

(ii) Their right to counsel as provided in W.S. 14-3-422;

(iii) The right to confront and cross-examine witnesses or to present witnesses and evidence in their own behalf and the right to issuance of process by the court to compel the appearance of witnesses and the production of evidence;

(iv) The right to a jury trial as provided in W.S. 14-3-423;

(v) The right to appeal as provided in W.S. 14-3-432; and

(vi) The state's obligation, pursuant to W.S. 14-3-431(d), to file a petition to terminate parental rights when a child has been placed in foster care under the responsibility of the state for fifteen (15) months of the most recent twenty-two (22) months unless the court finds that one (1) of the exceptions listed in W.S. 14-3-431(m) applies.

(c) An initial hearing may be held in conjunction with a shelter care hearing, provided the requirements of W.S. 14-3-413, 14-3-414 and 14-3-426 have been met. The court shall set a time not to exceed sixty (60) days for an adjudicatory hearing, unless the court finds good cause to delay or postpone the hearing. In no case shall the court hold the adjudicatory hearing more than ninety (90) days after the date the petition is filed.

(d) The court shall determine whether or not the child's full-time shelter care is required to protect the child's welfare pending further proceedings. If the court determines that returning the child to the home is contrary to the welfare of the child, the court shall enter the finding on the record and order the child placed in the legal custody of the department of family services. If the court finds that full-time shelter care is not required, the court shall order the child released and may impose one (1) or more of the following conditions:

(i) Place the child in the custody and supervision of his parents, guardian or custodian, under the supervision of the department of family services or under the protective supervision of any individual or organization approved by the court that agrees to supervise the child; or

(ii) Impose any other terms and conditions of release deemed reasonably necessary to assure the appearance of the child at subsequent proceedings or necessary to his protection from harm.

(e) All relevant and material evidence helpful in determining the need for shelter care may be admitted by the court even though not competent in an adjudicatory hearing on the allegations of the petition.

(f) If a child is not released after a shelter care hearing and it appears by sworn statement of the parents, guardian or custodian that they did not receive notice and did not waive notice and appearance at the hearing, the court shall rehear the matter without delay.