Chancery court judges-district and circuit court assistance.

25LSO-0285

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0054

ENROLLED ACT NO. 16,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session

AN ACT relating to courts; authorizing the assignment of cases and proceedings from circuit courts and district courts to chancery court judges; specifying requirements for transfers; authorizing retired chancery court judges to provide judicial service as specified; making conforming amendments; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 5
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1
‑
106(f), 5
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3
‑
112(a)(intro) and (iii), 5
‑
9
‑
131(a)(intro) and 5
‑
13
‑
116 by creating new subsections (b) and (c) are amended to read:

5
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1
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106.

Retirement of judges of the supreme court or district courts; pension; assignment of retired judges.

(f)

Any justice of the supreme court
, chancery court judge
or district court judge of this state, who has retired pursuant to the provisions of this section, and who is not practicing law, may, notwithstanding his retirement, be called upon, with his consent, at the request of a district court judge
or circuit court judge
, with the consent of the chief justice, or by the chief justice, and assigned to service on any court. A retired justice or judge shall receive as a salary during any period of assignment an amount equal to the current compensation of a judge of the court to which he is assigned.

The salary received by a retired justice or judge during any period of assignment shall not affect the receipt of any retirement allowance received by the retired justice or judge during the period of assignment.

Assignments of retired justices or judges under this section shall only be made in a manner that does not jeopardize the qualified status of state retirement plans established by the Wyoming legislature.

When called to serve, a retired judge or justice shall receive the same per diem and travel allowances as allowed active judges or justices. Per diem, allowances and compensation shall be paid from the contingent fund of the court to which the judge or justice is assigned.

5
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3
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112.

Assignment to circuit court judge or chancery court judge.

(a)

A judge of the district court may assign to a circuit court judge
or a chancery court judge
any case or proceeding within the jurisdiction of the district court subject only to the following restrictions:

(iii)

Consent of each plaintiff and each defendant in a civil action
;

wherein the amount in controversy is greater than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00);
and

5
‑
9
‑
131.

Assignment to district court judge or chancery court judge.

(a)

A circuit court judge may assign to a district court judge
or a chancery court judge
any case or proceeding within the jurisdiction of the circuit court subject only to the following restrictions:

5
‑
13
‑
116.

Powers generally; expenses of judges when acting in a circuit court or in a district court.

(b)

A judge of the chancery court may hear any case or proceeding assigned to the chancery court by a district court in accordance with W.S. 5
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3
‑
112(a) or a circuit court in accordance with W.S. 5
‑
9
‑
131.

(c)

The expenses of any chancery court judge holding court in any circuit court pursuant to assignment under W.S. 5
‑
9
‑
131 or in any district court pursuant to assignment under W.S. 5
‑
3
‑
112(a), including the judge's traveling expenses, and the judge's expenses while holding court, shall be charged to the fund of the court where the judge is holding court pursuant to assignment under W.S. 5
‑
3
‑
112(a) or 5
‑
9
‑
131.

Section 2
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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