On the Reference Desk, we get many questions about legal issues. For example:
Do you have the Wyoming State Statutes? Yes, we do.
Can you explain what this paragraph means? No, we cannot.
Do you have rental and lease forms? Yes, we have NOLO books that have forms, but they are general forms and not Wyoming specific.
I am changing my name, starting divorce proceedings, or filing a restraining order. These are all questions we are not qualified to answer.
We can give information about the books we have, or show people the City Ordinances, or how to use the Wyoming State Statutes, but we aren’t trained to give any kind of legal advice. So we, unfortunately, can’t answer those questions (“we” being the Librarians at Laramie County Library System, that is).
Opportunities to get legal information and assistance are available. Equal Justice Wyoming is a statewide program with an objective to expand access to civil legal services. You can access their website at www.equaljustice.wy.gov.
Here are a few of their services:
Volunteer Reference Attorney Program. Volunteer Reference Attorneys are available on the first Thursday of every month at the Laramie County District Court in Courtroom D (3rd Floor), 309 W 20th St, Cheyenne (https://equaljustice.wy.gov/index.php/get-legal-help/calendar-of-classes). These attorneys assist self-represented litigants by providing legal information and resource referrals for civil legal matters. Questions about the program can be directed to Equal Justice Wyoming at 307-777-8383. Volunteer Reference Attorneys do not provide any assistance with criminal matters or traffic tickets.
Free Legal Advice Clinic. Free legal advice clinics are held four times per year in Cheyenne at the First United Methodist Church located at 108 E. 18th Street (https://equaljustice.wy.gov/index.php/get-legal-help/calendar-of-classes). Volunteer attorneys provide one-on-one consultations and advice on civil legal matters for low-income individuals. These volunteer attorneys will work with you, providing help on what forms to use, what kinds of information you need to start litigation and whether you should consider legal action. The volunteer attorneys cannot assist with criminal matters or traffic tickets.
Self-help resources and information. Self-help resources and information are available at www.equaljustice.wy.gov. On the menu at the top, hover over Get Legal Help, and a dropdown menu will appear. If you then hover over Find Information by Topic, you’ll see a menu with a variety of legal issues. You can click on Representing Yourself to find information on courts and which one you might need to use. You’ll even find information on what to wear and courtroom etiquette. There are options for Common Questions, Resources, Forms (when available), and Courts.
Find a lawyer. Equal Justice Wyoming’s website has a section that helps people find a lawyer (https://www.legalhelpwy.info/index.php/get-legal-help/find-a-lawyer). There are income eligibility requirements for some of the services provided, including eligibility to work with a lawyer for free. They also have information about limited scope representation. This type of representation might be right for you if you can’t afford to pay a lawyer to handle every part of your case. The Lawyer Referral Service of the Wyoming State Bar can assist you in finding a lawyer who offers limited scope representation. The Wyoming State Bar also has the Modest Means Program for people who are over the income limits for legal aid services but are below 300% of the federal poverty level. For information about the Lawyer Referral Service or the Modest Means Program, contact the Wyoming State Bar at 307-632-9061 (https://www.wyomingbar.org/for-lawyers/modest-means-for-lawyers/).
Legal Forms. Equal Justice Wyoming has worked with lawyers, judges, and other people within the legal system to provide some standardized forms. These can be accessed by visiting the Equal Justice Wyoming website (www.equaljustice.wy.gov), hovering on Get Legal Help, and selecting Legal Forms.
Wyoming Free Legal Answers. Wyoming Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic in which qualifying users confidentially ask civil legal questions to be answered, for free, by attorneys licensed in Wyoming. WFLA cannot assist with criminal matters or traffic tickets.
This is a great resource and we have more information, pamphlets and fliers about this service at the library on the 3rd Floor Ask Here Desk.
Retired Reference Librarian, Sharon Mikesell
in collaboration with
Angie Dorsch, JD, MBA
Executive Director
Equal Justice Wyoming