Legal Glossary

Plain-English definitions for terms you'll run into across this site — in resource descriptions, court forms, and the "Relevant Wyoming Law" sections on each category page. This is a general reference, not legal advice, and definitions are simplified for clarity rather than written as precise legal doctrine.

Adjudication: The court's formal decision or ruling on a case — in juvenile court, this is the equivalent of a finding of guilt or innocence in adult criminal court.
Affidavit: A written statement made under oath, signed in front of a notary, confirming that the facts in it are true. Courts often require an affidavit to support a request like a fee waiver or a protection order.
Arraignment: A defendant's first court appearance in a criminal case, where the charges are formally read and the defendant enters a plea (guilty, not guilty, or no contest).
CHINS (Child in Need of Supervision): A legal category for a child whose behavior (such as truancy or running away) brings them into contact with the court, but who has not committed a crime — handled differently than a delinquency case.
Conservatorship: A court-supervised arrangement where a person (the conservator) is appointed to manage another person's finances and property because that person can't manage them alone. Often paired with a guardianship.
Defendant: The person being accused in a criminal case, or being sued in a civil case.
Deferred sentence: An arrangement where a court delays sentencing while a defendant completes certain conditions (like probation or treatment); if completed successfully, the case may be dismissed rather than resulting in a conviction.
Detainer (Forcible Entry and Detainer): Wyoming's legal term for the court eviction process — a landlord files a forcible entry and detainer action to legally remove a tenant.
Discovery: The pre-trial process where both sides in a case exchange evidence and information relevant to the dispute.
Docket: The official schedule or list of cases a court will hear, or the ongoing record of filings and events in a specific case.
Expungement: The legal process of sealing or clearing a criminal record from public view. In Wyoming, expungement is never automatic — a person must file a petition and meet specific waiting periods and eligibility rules.
Guardian ad litem (GAL): An attorney or advocate appointed by a court to represent the best interests of a child (or an incapacitated adult) in a legal proceeding — separate from the child's own parents or their attorneys.
Guardianship: A court-supervised arrangement where a person (the guardian) is given legal authority to make personal, medical, or living decisions for someone who cannot make those decisions themselves, such as a minor or an incapacitated adult.
Habeas corpus: A legal petition challenging the lawfulness of a person's detention or imprisonment — literally 'you have the body' in Latin.
In forma pauperis: Latin for 'in the manner of a pauper' — a formal request asking a court to waive filing fees because a person cannot afford them, usually submitted with an affidavit of indigency.
Indigent: Legally too poor to afford something, most often used to describe someone who qualifies for a court-appointed attorney or a fee waiver.
Litigant: A person involved in a lawsuit, whether suing or being sued.
Petition: A formal written request asking a court to take a specific action — for example, a petition for expungement, a petition for guardianship, or a petition for a protection order.
Petitioner: The person who files a petition asking the court for something, such as a protection order or a name change.
Plaintiff: The person or party who starts a civil lawsuit by filing a complaint against someone else.
Pro se: Latin for 'for oneself' — representing yourself in court without a lawyer. Wyoming courts publish self-help forms and guides specifically for pro se litigants.
Respondent: The person a petition or appeal is filed against — for example, the person a protection order is sought against is the respondent.
Sliding-scale fee: A fee that adjusts based on a client's income, so lower-income clients pay less (or nothing) and higher-income clients pay more, up to a standard rate.
Statute: A law formally enacted by a legislature (as opposed to a court ruling or a regulation). Wyoming statutes are cited like 'Wyo. Stat. § 6-2-501.'
Statute of limitations: The legal deadline by which a case must be filed. Once it passes, the right to bring that case is generally lost, no matter how strong the underlying claim is.
Subpoena: A court order requiring a person to appear and testify, or to produce documents, as part of a legal case.
Voir dire: The jury selection process, where attorneys and the judge question potential jurors to determine who will serve on the jury.