Wyoming's public records law states that "All public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, during business hours of the state entity or political subdivision..." W.S. 16-4-202. The Wyoming Administration and Information Office has information regarding who is the designated public records person for each government agency. They strongly suggest submitting your request in writing. Although you can call or make your request in person, it is easier to trace if there is a paper trail. If your request for records is denied, you can contact the Public Records Ombudsman to appeal.
All government agencies, including the courts, law enforcement, the Secretary of State's Office, the Attorney General's Office, local town offices, the Department of Corrections, and others create, maintain, share, and store public records for the state of Wyoming.
Public records are defined by law as "any information in a physical form created, accepted, or obtained by a governmental entity in furtherance of its official function and transaction of public business which is not privileged or confidential by law." These records may include "[A]ny written communication or other information, whether in the paper, electronic, or other physical form, received by a governmental entity in furtherance of the transaction of the public business of the state or agency, institution or political subdivision of the state..." W.S. 16-4-201.
The Wyoming State Archives office is the government entity in charge of all historical public records. They have extensive records online, making it easy for you to search and find what you need. You may also visit in person. Some of their collections include vital records (for help with genealogy research), information on woman Suffrage, World War I records, death certificates, military, and government public records, newspapers, county records, and a vast database of photographs.
To make records requests easy, the state government created a handy guidebook to help. Their guidelines stipulate the following process:
If you are denied a request, the state has appointed a "public records ombudsman" to help you file an appeal and get the records you need.
"The Division of Criminal Investigation within the Office of the Attorney General is designated as the central repository for criminal history record information." They have set up a website where you can go to request public criminal records per Wyoming Statute 7-19-101 through 109. Furthermore "For the purpose of maintaining complete and accurate criminal history record information at the central repository, all city, county, and state law enforcement agencies, district courts, courts of limited jurisdiction, district attorneys, the department of corrections, state juvenile correctional institutions and local probation and parole agencies shall submit the criminal history record information required under this section for which they are responsible to the division for filing at the earliest time possible following the occurrence of the reportable event.."
Some common types of criminal records in Wyoming include (but are not limited to):
The Wyoming Judicial Branch of government is the agency in charge of all Court records in Wyoming. Their website has extensive information about each of the courts, downloadable PDF forms for you to use, and dozens of legal resources. However, they do not store their court documents online. Therefore, you have to use their map and list of courts to find the one you need and visit in person to request copies of public court records.
Some types of court records in Wyoming include:
The court system in Wyoming consists of three levels beginning with the Supreme Court at the top, then the District Court, then Circuit and Municipal Courts.
Wyoming arrest records are included in the criminal reports available through the Criminal Records Unit - Division of Criminal Investigation. You can request them easily per their public records act. However, all the information comes from the courts and law enforcement agencies. If an arrest is not submitted to this agency, then it will not show up in the report. They even provide an email address if you have questions about records. You may also consult court records or the Department of Corrections for arrest records for convicted felons.
Some different types of arrests records in Wyoming are:
The Wyoming Department of Health is the agency in charge of all vital records for the state. They store and maintain birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. They also handle paternity and adoption information and health statistics. You can request copies of vital records through the mail using their vital printable records request form. You must supply proper documentation when doing so.
Along with criminal, court, arrest, and vital records, other types of public records you can find in the state of Wyoming include, but are not limited to:
The state of Wyoming has some exemptions that apply to public records requests. Three general ones include:
Some more specific exemptions are:
Some additional exemptions include: