Specialized business court coming to Wyoming!

On March 15, 2019, Governor Gordon signed into law an act of the 2019 Wyoming legislature creating a Chancery Court, whose purpose is to provide a forum for streamlined resolution of commercial, business, and trust cases. The act establishes a court with jurisdiction to decide actions seeking declaratory or injunctive relief and actions seeking money recovery over $50,000 that arise from claims including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, derivative actions, the Uniform Commercial Code, and the Uniform Trust Code.

The Wyoming Supreme Court is charged with establishing the Chancery Court rules and regulations by January 1, 2020. Chancery Court judges must be “experienced and knowledgeable in the subject matter” of the Chancery Court. Initially, the position may be filled by retired supreme court justices, retired district court judges, or members of a panel of up to five active district court judges. Beginning March 1, 2022, the Chancery Court judge position is to be filled through Wyoming’s constitutional judicial selection process.

It remains to be determined where the court will be located, but it is intended to have advanced courtroom technology to allow for remote connection. Further, Chancery Court opinions will be published in a searchable electronic database. A select committee appointed by Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael K. Davis has begun work to identify and address these and many other matters to be resolved before the Chancery Court is available to litigants.