Wyoming Law

Wyoming residents are subject to Wyoming state and U.S. federal laws. Federal laws apply in Wyoming as they do across all 50 states. In addition to the U.S. Constitution, which is the supreme law of the U.S., federal laws include statutes that are periodically codified in the U.S. Code. Federal laws also include decisions by courts that interpret federal laws. Finally, federal laws include regulations issued by federal administrative agencies to implement federal laws. You can explore federal laws and related resources by visiting the federal law section of the Justia site.

The state of Wyoming also has its own state laws. Wyoming state laws include the Wyoming Constitution, laws passed by the Wyoming legislature and periodically codified in the Wyoming Statutes, and decisions by courts that interpret Wyoming laws.

Comprised of 21 articles, the Wyoming Constitution was ratified in 1889, one year before Wyoming became a state. Article 1 covers individual rights and imposes stricter limitations on government authority than the U.S. Constitution. It also spans a greater range of issues than the U.S. Bill of Rights. Article 20 provides the processes for amending the Constitution. Under Sections 1 and 2, an amendment proposed in the legislature will appear on a ballot if two-thirds of each chamber of the legislature votes in its favor. Under Sections 3 and 4, meanwhile, a proposal for a constitutional convention will appear on a ballot if two-thirds of each chamber votes in its favor.

The Wyoming Statutes contain the laws passed by the Wyoming legislature. These laws and the provisions of the Wyoming Constitution are often interpreted by the Wyoming Supreme Court, which is the only appellate court in the state. The federal Wyoming District Court also issues decisions that may affect Wyoming residents. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals holds the authority to review decisions by the Wyoming District Court. Sometimes the U.S. Supreme Court may review a case that has been appealed from the Tenth Circuit or from the Wyoming Supreme Court.