HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS IN WYOMING

This article will provide guidance on How To Serve legal papers in Wyoming.  In Wyoming, there is one federal district court, a state supreme court, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction.  Most states have a two-tiered trial court system, including courts with restricted and broad jurisdiction.  Criminal and civil proceedings of a lesser gravity are often heard by inferior or lower courts; Circuit and municipal courts are the state’s two categories of lower courts. A circuit court is located in each of Wyoming’s twenty-three counties, which are organized into nine judicial districts. 

All matters that have not yet been assigned to a lesser court are first heard by courts of broad jurisdiction, often known as main trial courts. If the damages sought in a civil action are more than a particular sum, these courts are the appropriate place to go. The district court is Wyoming’s only court of broad jurisdiction. 

BACKGROUND

Any person of legal age who is not a party to the action and has been designated by the clerk to serve the process may do so inside the state, including the sheriff of the county in which Wyoming Process Service is done or their undersheriff or deputy.

When a summons is issued, Wyoming Process Service must be signed by a clerk of the court, have a seal from the court, identify the parties, and be addressed to the defendant. Defendant’s appearance and defense must also be included in the complaint. If the defendant fails to do so, a judgment by default will be issued against the defendant for the requested remedy.

The clerk must issue a summons immediately after the complaint is filed, as ordered by the plaintiff. An individual summons for each defendant, or a copy of the summons if Wyoming Process Service is directed to more than one defendant, must be issued. A summons and a copy of the complaint must be delivered to the defendant.  Anyone above eighteen who is not a party to the action may serve the document. As requested by Plaintiff and upon payment of all relevant fees, the Clerk will [A.] deliver the summons and complaint to Sheriff for service as directed by Plaintiff, or [B.] serve the complaint by certified mail or first class mail, as directed by Plaintiff.

HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS TO AN INDIVIDUAL IN WYOMING

A summons and complaint may be served on an individual other than an infant or someone incompetent or convicted by delivering a copy of Wyoming Process Service to the subject in person or giving notice of the summons and complaint to a member of the individual’s family over the age of sixteen (16) and delivering a copy of Wyoming Process Service to that person. Personal service can also be enacted by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to a legal representative or agent duly appointed or statutorily authorized to receive or accept Wyoming Process Service on behalf of the person.

Wyoming Process Service can also be provided indirectly. Appropriate ser Wyoming Process Service vice may also be considered if the Plaintiff sends a copy of the summons and complaint via certified mail, return receipt requested, as long as the delivery is limited only to the intended recipient.

It is the responsibility of the plaintiff to provide the service provider with copies of the complaint or order, as well as to pay for the expenses of Wyoming Process Service. The plaintiff must pay the clerk a charge of ten dollars for every complaint served to have it served by certified mail. The plaintiff must pay the clerk five dollars for each complaint to be served through first-class mail. 

If the defendant can show the court that the return receipt was signed by an unauthorized person or that delivery was denied, any default or judgment by default will be vacated. This notification and acknowledgment of receipt of the summons and complaint are required to be completed on Form 14. The court might require the person served to pay the cost of personal service if the notice and acknowledgment of receipt of summons and complaint are not completed and returned within twenty (20) days after mailing without showing good reason. If the summons and complaint are served adequately, the record must include notification and acceptance of receipt of the summons and complaint. 

HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS ON A COMPANY

 A copy of the summons and complaint must be served on an officer, director, or trustee of a domestic private corporation by delivering or mailing it or by delivering a copy to any agent of the corporation.

In order to do business, foreign companies and business trusts must meet the requirements of the law. A copy of the summons and complaint must be sent to a foreign company, including a business trust, that has been granted permission to do business in the State. Corporations and trusts based outside of the United States will have to follow different Wyoming Process Service rules to the same. The summons and complaint may be served to any officer, director, trustee, or agent of a foreign corporation, including a business trust that is not authorized to conduct business in the State, or copies may be served to any agent or attorney authorized by appointment or statute to redress the situation.

Associations that are not incorporated will still require Wyoming Process Service to deliver or mail a copy of the summons and complaint to any officer, director, or governor of the unincorporated association. Alternatively, Wyoming Process Service can be provided to any agent or attorney authorized by appointment or by statute to receive and accept Wyoming Process Service on its behalf. 

SERVICE BY PUBLICATION

The plaintiff must file an affidavit in court stating: that the defendant is a foreign corporation or business trust for which Wyoming Process Service cannot be had because it has no officers or directors in the state where service can be obtained; or that defendant is a non-resident of the state for which service cannot be obtained because it does not have an agent, appointed or statutory agent or attorney. An order of publication for any action must include [A.] the name of action, [B.] subject matter, [C.] name of the attorney for the plaintiff, if any; [D.] and address of clerk where a complaint may be obtained; deadline for defendants to appear and defend, which must be no less than thirty days after the first publication of the action. 

If the timeline is not adhered to, judgment by default will be rendered against the defendants. Whenever an order of publication is issued, Wyoming Process Service must be published in a newspaper of broad circulation in the county where the action is taking place for two consecutive weeks (or for such a longer term as may be required by legislation, whichever period is longer). The publisher’s certificate of publication serves as proof of service by publishing.

HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS BY MAIL

When a plaintiff knows the location of a defendant who has been served, the location of a nonresident defendant, or the principal office of a nonresident defendant foreign corporation or business trust, the plaintiff should obtain constructive Wyoming Process Service of the defendant. If the defendant fails to appear and defend within thirty days of the date of mailing, a judgment by default will be issued against the defendant at any time after the date of mailing of the summons. 

No default judgment may be entered unless the record shows that the defendant has accepted or has refused to accept the certified mail or a return envelope. First-class mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the summons and complaint, and a notice that, despite the defendant’s refusal to accept delivery of the summons and complaint by certified mail, the case will proceed, and a judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant unless he or she shows up to defend the suit in person. A court clerk will issue an order of publication upon receiving an affidavit from the plaintiff stating that the method outlined was unsuccessful in serving the summons and complaint on the defendant. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVING LEGAL PAPERS IN WYOMING

Any defendant may be served personally with a copy of the summons and complaint outside this state. The Wyoming Process Service will have the same effect as personal service in this state, and the county where the defendant lives, if that defendant is then a resident, and if the plaintiff files an affidavit showing that fact with the court during the pendency of the action; otherwise, the service will have the same effect as constructive service. Within thirty days of serving of notice in each instance, the summons should state that the defendant must appear and defend in order to avoid judgment by default at any point in the future.

Everything related to the serving of legal Wyoming Process Service and publishing of legal notifications is included in the record of the case, including summonses and complaints and any other documents filed in connection with them, as well as evidence of service and certifications of publication. It is necessary for the person served to respond promptly and within the period. The person levying the Wyoming Process Service or order or distributing a notice must provide the court with evidence of service or publication.

If someone other than the sheriff or clerk performs the Wyoming Process Service, they must affidavit their actions. Any process, notice, or order may be served even if evidence of service is not provided within the appropriate period. Any process, notice, or order, as well as proof of service or publication of it, may be amended at any time by the court at its discretion and on such terms as it deems just unless it appears that material prejudice would be caused to the substantial rights of the party against whom the process, notice, or order was issued or entered.

Wyoming Process Service must be completed within the allotted time frame. The court may, on motion or its initiative after notice to the plaintiff, dismiss the action without prejudice to a defendant if service of the summons and complaint has not been made within a hundred and twenty days of the filing of the complaint.

HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS ON THE STATE

Delivering or sending a copy of the summons and complaint to the mayor, city manager, recorder, clerk, treasurer, or any member of the city council or board of commissioners is considered an appropriate service of a government agency. Alternately, Wyoming Process Service may be enacted if the individual delivers or sends a copy of the summons and complaint to each member of the county commission or other tribunal established to conduct county business or to the county prosecuting attorney. 

A copy of the summons and complaint may be delivered or mailed to any officer, director, or governor of another domestic public corporation, or it may be delivered or mailed to an authorized agent or attorney in fact, as defined by appointment or by statute, to receive or accept service on its behalf. 

HOW TO SERVE A SUBPOENA IN WYOMING

To ensure that the subpoenas issued by courts in the United States are properly executed, they must be issued in the official name of the state and must include a description of the action, the name of the court where it is pending, and the civil action number; command each person to attend and give testimony or produce, permit inspection, and copying of designated books and documents, or to allow in the inspection of tangible things in possession of that person; and, finally, to permit in the inspection and copying of designated books, documents, or tangible things in possession of that person. A summons to appear in a trial, hearing, or deposition may be accompanied by a demand to provide evidence or authorize inspection.

The court for the circuit where the hearing or trial is to be placed will issue a subpoena requiring attendance. The court for the circuit named in the notice of deposition shall issue a subpoena for the attendance at the deposition. As an alternative to an order of attendance, a subpoena for production or inspection may be issued from any court in the jurisdiction where the production or inspection is to take place.

A signed but otherwise a blank subpoena will be sent by the clerk to the party making the request, who must fill it up before it is served. A subpoena may be issued and signed by an attorney in their capacity as an officer of the court.

HOW IS SERVICE CONDUCTED FOR A SUBPOENA

It is permitted to serve subpoenas on anybody above eighteen, as long as they are not a party to the case. One way to provide Wyoming Process Service of a subpoena on someone mentioned in it is to present to that person if required, the fees for one day of attendance and the distance authorized by law. It is not necessary to pay fees and travel when a subpoena is issued by a government official or agency. 

It is possible to serve a subpoena anywhere in the state. If proof of service is required, the person who served the subpoena must certify the date, method, and names of those served and file the statement with the clerk of the court where the subpoena was issued. Only in the county where the deponent lives, works or transacts business in person may a deponent be obliged to attend an examination or at such other convenient location as the court orders. In order to avoid putting an excessive hardship or cost on the person who is the subject of a subpoena, the party or attorney responsible for its issue and service must take reasonable precautions.  No one is required to be personally at the location of the production or inspection until summoned for deposition, hearing, or trial in order to produce and authorize inspection and copying of certain books, papers, documents, or physical items.

After service of the subpoena or within fourteen days of Wyoming Process Service, a person who is obligated to produce and allow inspection and copying may, within that period, serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena a written objection to inspection or copying of the designated materials or A party issuing a subpoena may seek an order compelling production at any time, even if an objection has been raised. Any non-party or official of a party may be protected against substantial costs arising from the examination and copying mandated by such an order to compel production.

Subpoenas can be quashed or modified by the court that issued them if they do not allow for a reasonable time for compliance. They may also be quashed if they require a person to travel for a deposition outside of the county in which that person resides, works, or transacts business; require disclosure of privileged or other protected information and no exception or waiver applies; or subject a person’s testimony to cross-examination by another person. 

A person may be found in contempt of court if they refuse to comply with a subpoena placed on them without a good reason.

for assistance serving legal papers in WYOMING

Simply pick up the phone and call Toll-Free (800) 774-6922 or click the service you want to purchase. Our dedicated team of professionals is ready to assist you. We can handle all your process service needs; no job is too small or too large!  For a complete list of our Wyoming Process Sevice Coverage Areas, Click Here!

Contact us for more information about our process serving agency. We are ready to provide service of process to all our clients globally from our offices in New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives”– Foster, William A

Sources

1. In the case of an infant or incompetent under 14 years of age, by delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to the infant’s or incompetent’s guardian or conservator resident in the State; or, if there be no such guardian or conservator, then to either the infant’s or incompetent’s father or mother if they can be located; 

Service of summons and complaint must be served on a guardian ad litem designated under Rule 17 if there is no such guardian or conservator and the father or mother cannot be located. However, if any of the people indicated in this paragraph is a plaintiff, then service shall be performed upon the person who is not a plaintiff in the order listed in this paragraph.

Convicts. By delivering a copy of the summons and complaint to the person’s committee, guardian, or like a fiduciary resident in the State; or, if there be no such committee, guardian, or like fiduciary, or if the committee, guardian, or like fiduciary is a plaintiff, service of process shall be made upon a guardian appointed under Rule 17 (c).

2. Including, in the case of a railroad company, a depot or station agent in the company’s actual employment, but excluding, in the case of an insurance company

3. In accordance with Rule 5, each party must be supplied with notice of any required production of documents and items or examination of premises prior to trial. 

4. The court that issued the subpoena has the authority to enforce this responsibility and impose an appropriate consequence on the party or attorney in violation of this duty, which may include, but is not limited to, lost wages and a fair attorney’s fee.

Coverage Areas

Domestic
International

Office Locations

New York: (212) 203-8001 – 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10022

Brooklyn: (347) 983-5436 – 300 Cadman Plaza West, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11201

Queens: (646) 357-3005 – 118-35 Queens Blvd, Suite 400, Forest Hills, New York 11375

Long Island: (516) 208-4577 – 626 RXR Plaza, 6th Floor, Uniondale, New York 11556

Westchester: (914) 414-0877 – 50 Main Street, 10th Floor, White Plains, New York 10606

Connecticut: (203) 489-2940 – 500 West Putnam Avenue, Suite 400, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830

New Jersey: (201) 630-0114 - 101 Hudson Street, 21 Floor, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302

Washington DC: (202) 655-4450 - 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Suite 900, Washington DC 20004

For Assistance Serving Legal Papers

Simply pick up the phone and call Toll Free (800) 774-6922 or click the service you want to purchase. Our dedicated team of professionals is ready to assist you. We can handle all your process service needs; no job is too small or too large!

Contact us for more information about our process serving agency. We are ready to provide service of process to all of our clients globally from our offices in New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives”– Foster, William A