§ 9-1-603 — Duties generally; retention of qualified practicing attorneys; matters in which county or state is party or has interest; assistance to county and district attorneys in felony trials; coordination of county and school safety activities; bankruptcy proceedings

Wyoming § 9-1-603

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 09: Administration of the Government
• Ch. 1: STATE OFFICERS
• Art. 6: ATTORNEY GENERAL

Text

(a) The attorney general shall:
(i) Prosecute and defend all suits instituted by or
against the state of Wyoming, the prosecution and defense of
which is not otherwise provided for by law;
(ii) Represent the state in criminal cases in the
supreme court;
(iii) Defend suits brought against state officers in
their official relations, except suits brought against them by
the state;
(iv) Represent the state in suits, actions or claims
in which the state is interested in either the Wyoming supreme
court or any United States court;
(v) Be the legal adviser of all elective and
appointive state officers and of the county and district
attorneys of the state;
(vi) When requested, give written opinions upon
questions submitted to him by elective and appointive state
officers and by either branch of the legislature, when in
session;
(vii) Effective July 1, 2000, serve as the designated
agency to administer the Wyoming governor's council on
developmental disabilities. A memorandum of understanding shall
be executed by and between the designated agency and the
governor's council, which shall incorporate the provisions of
the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights
Act, 42 U.S.C. 6024;
(viii) Approve or disapprove any contract submitted
to him for review within thirty (30) days of submission;
(ix) Establish a call center to accept information
related to school and student safety issues and assist in the
delivery of that information as necessary to allow for the
coordination of local law enforcement, emergency response
personnel and school district officials. To the extent possible,
the identity of parties reporting information via the call
center shall remain unknown to all persons and entities. The
attorney general may enact rules as necessary to administer the
duties required under this paragraph;
(x) Supervise the Medicaid fraud control unit created
by W.S. 42-4-401 et seq.
(b) With the approval of the governor the attorney general
may retain qualified practicing attorneys to prosecute
fee-generating suits for the state if expertise in a particular
field is desirable.
(c) Upon the failure or refusal of any district or county
attorney to act in any criminal or civil case or matter in which
the county, state or any agency thereof is a party, or has an
interest, the attorney general may, at the request of the board
of county commissioners of the county involved or of the
district judge of the judicial district involved, act on behalf
of the county, state or any agency thereof, if after a thorough
investigation the action is deemed advisable by the attorney
general. The cost of investigation and the cost of any
prosecution arising therefrom shall be paid out of the general
fund of the county where the investigation and prosecution take
place. The attorney general shall also, upon direction of the
governor, investigate any matter in any county of the state in
which the county, state or any agency thereof may be interested.
After investigation, the attorney general shall submit a report
of the investigation to the governor and to the district or
county attorney of each county involved and may take such other
action as he deems appropriate.
(d) When requested by a county or district attorney, the
attorney general may assign a member of his staff who is
experienced in trial work and in the prosecution of criminal
cases to assist in the prosecution of a felony.
(e) All records or information related to the operation of
the call center required under paragraph (a)(ix) of this section
are confidential and shall not be deemed a public record under
W.S. 16-4-201 et seq. Except pursuant to a court order, the
attorney general shall not be compelled to produce any materials
obtained in relation to the operation of the call center.
(f) Notwithstanding W.S. 18-3-302(a)(i) or subsection (c)
of this section, at the request of the board of county
commissioners and if deemed advisable by the attorney general,
the attorney general may consult with or act jointly with the
county attorney or may act on behalf of the county in a
bankruptcy proceeding where the county has an interest in
collecting taxes from the entity seeking bankruptcy. The costs
of the bankruptcy proceeding shall be allocated pursuant to an
agreement between the state and the county.