Wyoming Statutes of Limitations
Welcome to FindLaw's section covering the criminal and civil statutes of limitations for Wyoming.
By Susan Buckner, J.D. | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff | Last reviewed April 28, 2025
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Under Wyoming law, plaintiffs have a limited period of time to file cases after an incident. The laws that set the time limits are the statutes of limitation. All states have statutes limiting the time to file cases. In Wyoming, only civil actions have limitation periods. Criminal cases do not.
If you're facing criminal charges, hire a criminal defense attorney right away. If you think you have a civil case, a litigation attorney can help.
Understanding Statutes of Limitation
Statutes of limitation ensure that parties file court cases on time. In the state of Wyoming, plaintiffs have between one and 10 years to file civil claims once a cause of action accrues.
A cause of action begins with the date of the injury or harm. For instance, in a car accident case, the statute runs from the date of the accident. In a professional malpractice case, the statute runs from the date the victim discovers the act or omission.
The discovery rule may extend the statute in some cases. In tort law, the discovery rule means that the statute of limitations does not begin until the plaintiff discovers or reasonably should have discovered an injury. For instance, in a medical malpractice claim, a patient might not learn of a doctor's error until months or even years after the incident. In that case, the statute of limitations would run from the date the patient learned of the injury.
Wyoming Civil Statutes of Limitation
Wyoming's civil statutes of limitation allow plaintiffs a reasonable time to file their claims. Statutes exist so that plaintiffs have time to gather information and other requirements. For instance, in a personal injury case, claimants must file an insurance claim before they can file a lawsuit. In general, the longer it takes to assemble evidence and file a claim, the longer the injured party has to file their claim.
- Two years: Defamation, wrongful death
- Four years: Personal property damage, fraud, trespass, personal injury, product liability claims
- Eight years: Oral contracts and rent collection
- 10 years: Real estate, breach of contract, debt collection
Tolling
If a plaintiff cannot file a claim for a legal issue unrelated to the claim itself, the statute of limitations gets paused or tolled. Tolling stops the clock until the plaintiff can file the claim. For instance, the statute of limitations for personal injury in Wyoming is four years. If the injured party is a minor, the deadline gets tolled until they reach 18. Then, they have four years to file their claim (W.Y. Stat. § 1-3-114).
Wyoming Criminal Statutes
Unlike most other states, Wyoming has no laws limiting criminal prosecutions. Prosecutors have unlimited time to file charges for any felonies and misdemeanors committed within the state.
In most states, criminal statutes of limitation place time limits on the prosecutor. Law enforcement must investigate and charge crimes within a certain time period. In criminal cases, limiting statutes aims to ensure defendants get speedy trials with fresh evidence.
Many types of crimes do not have statutory limits. Murder, rape, sexual crimes involving minors, and kidnapping usually do not have time limits. Violent crimes like robbery and trafficking have limits of 10 to 20 years.
Minor crimes and misdemeanors seldom have statutes longer than one or two years. In most cases, it is impractical to spend time and resources investigating and prosecuting a petty misdemeanor 10 years after the fact.
Get Legal Advice From a Wyoming Attorney
The statute of limitations is more than a deadline. Missing the statute can prevent you from filing your case. If you have a civil claim, you need legal information from a personal injury lawyer near you to give you advice on the civil statutes.