Wyoming Criminal Defense Laws

Wyoming sets felony penalties on a crime-by-crime basis. A felony is any crime punishable by more than one year in prison, up to life imprisonment or death. Examples: first-degree murder carries death or life without parole; first-degree sexual assault carries 5 to 50 years.

Misdemeanors carry up to 6 months or 12 months in jail depending on the offense, with fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Wyoming does not use a class-based misdemeanor system.

A person may petition to expunge a single misdemeanor conviction after 5 years (or 1 year for status offenses) from completion of the sentence and probation. The conviction must not have involved a firearm. Only one lifetime expungement is permitted. Filing fee is $100.

Wyoming's illegal BAC limit is 0.08%. First offense: up to 6 months in jail and $750 fine, plus 90-day license suspension. BAC of 0.15% or higher requires a 6-month ignition interlock device. Penalties escalate significantly for repeat offenses within 10 years.

A person charged with a crime punishable by incarceration has the right to be represented by a public defender if they cannot afford an attorney.