2020 Wyoming Statutes
Title 9 - Administration of the Government
Chapter 1 - State Officers
Article 6 - Attorney General
Section 9-1-603 - Duties Generally; Retention of Qualified Practicing Attorneys; Matters in Which County or State Is Party or Has Interest; Assistance to County and District Attorneys in Felony Trials; Coordination of County and School Safety Activities; Bankruptcy Proceedings.

9-1-603. Duties generally; retention of qualified practicing attorneys; matters in which county or state is party or has interest; assistance to county and district attorneys in felony trials; coordination of county and school safety activities; bankruptcy proceedings.

(a) The attorney general shall:

(i) Prosecute and defend all suits instituted by or against the state of Wyoming, the prosecution and defense of which is not otherwise provided for by law;

(ii) Represent the state in criminal cases in the supreme court;

(iii) Defend suits brought against state officers in their official relations, except suits brought against them by the state;

(iv) Represent the state in suits, actions or claims in which the state is interested in either the Wyoming supreme court or any United States court;

(v) Be the legal adviser of all elective and appointive state officers and of the county and district attorneys of the state;

(vi) When requested, give written opinions upon questions submitted to him by elective and appointive state officers and by either branch of the legislature, when in session;

(vii) Effective July 1, 2000, serve as the designated agency to administer the Wyoming governor's council on developmental disabilities. A memorandum of understanding shall be executed by and between the designated agency and the governor's council, which shall incorporate the provisions of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. 6024;

(viii) Approve or disapprove any contract submitted to him for review within thirty (30) days of submission;

(ix) Establish a call center to accept information related to school and student safety issues and assist in the delivery of that information as necessary to allow for the coordination of local law enforcement, emergency response personnel and school district officials. To the extent possible, the identity of parties reporting information via the call center shall remain unknown to all persons and entities. The attorney general may enact rules as necessary to administer the duties required under this paragraph;

(x) Supervise the Medicaid fraud control unit created by W.S. 42-4-401 et seq.

(b) With the approval of the governor the attorney general may retain qualified practicing attorneys to prosecute fee-generating suits for the state if expertise in a particular field is desirable.

(c) Upon the failure or refusal of any district or county attorney to act in any criminal or civil case or matter in which the county, state or any agency thereof is a party, or has an interest, the attorney general may, at the request of the board of county commissioners of the county involved or of the district judge of the judicial district involved, act on behalf of the county, state or any agency thereof, if after a thorough investigation the action is deemed advisable by the attorney general. The cost of investigation and the cost of any prosecution arising therefrom shall be paid out of the general fund of the county where the investigation and prosecution take place. The attorney general shall also, upon direction of the governor, investigate any matter in any county of the state in which the county, state or any agency thereof may be interested. After investigation, the attorney general shall submit a report of the investigation to the governor and to the district or county attorney of each county involved and may take such other action as he deems appropriate.

(d) When requested by a county or district attorney, the attorney general may assign a member of his staff who is experienced in trial work and in the prosecution of criminal cases to assist in the prosecution of a felony.

(e) All records or information related to the operation of the call center required under paragraph (a)(ix) of this section are confidential and shall not be deemed a public record under W.S. 16-4-201 et seq. Except pursuant to a court order, the attorney general shall not be compelled to produce any materials obtained in relation to the operation of the call center.

(f) Notwithstanding W.S. 18-3-302(a)(i) or subsection (c) of this section, at the request of the board of county commissioners and if deemed advisable by the attorney general, the attorney general may consult with or act jointly with the county attorney or may act on behalf of the county in a bankruptcy proceeding where the county has an interest in collecting taxes from the entity seeking bankruptcy. The costs of the bankruptcy proceeding shall be allocated pursuant to an agreement between the state and the county.