§ 5-13-115 — Purpose and jurisdiction

Wyoming § 5-13-115

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 05: Courts
• Ch. 13: CHANCERY COURTS
• Art. 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS

Text

(a) The chancery court shall be a court of limited
jurisdiction established for the expeditious resolution of
disputes involving commercial, business, trust and similar
issues. The chancery court shall employ nonjury trials,
alternative dispute resolution methods and limited motions
practice and shall have broad authority to shape and expedite
discovery as provided in the rules adopted by the supreme court
to govern chancery courts.
(b) The chancery court shall have jurisdiction to hear and
decide actions for equitable or declaratory relief and for
actions where the prayer for money recovery is an amount
exceeding fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00), exclusive of
claims for punitive or exemplary damages, prejudgment or post
judgment interest, costs and attorney fees provided the cause of
action arises from at least one (1) of the following:
(i) Breach of contract;
(ii) Breach of fiduciary duty;
(iii) Fraud;
(iv) Misrepresentation;
(v) A statutory or common law violation involving:
(A) The sale of assets or securities;
(B) A corporate restructuring;
(C) A partnership, shareholder, joint venture or
other business agreement;
(D) Trade secrets; or
(E) Employment agreements not including claims
that principally involve alleged discriminatory practices.
(vi) Transactions governed by the Uniform Commercial
Code;
(vii) Shareholder derivative actions. The monetary
threshold set forth in this subsection shall not apply to
actions brought under this paragraph;
(viii) Commercial class actions;
(ix) Business transactions involving or arising out
of dealings with commercial banks and other financial
institutions;
(x) A dispute concerning the internal affairs of
business organizations;
(xi) A dispute concerning environmental insurance
coverage;
(xii) A dispute concerning commercial insurance
coverage;
(xiii) Dissolution of corporations, partnerships,
limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships,
joint ventures, banks and trust companies. The monetary
threshold set forth in this subsection shall not apply to
actions brought under this paragraph;
(xiv) Transactions governed by the Wyoming Uniform
Trust Code;
(xv) Applications to stay or compel arbitration and
affirm or disaffirm arbitration awards and related injunctive
relief or appeals pursuant to W.S. 1-21-801 through 1-21-804 or
1-36-101 through 1-36-119, involving any of the foregoing
enumerated issues. Where any applicable arbitration agreement
provides for an arbitration to be heard outside the United
States, the monetary threshold set forth in this subsection
shall not apply;
(xvi) A dispute concerning a trademark, trade name or
service mark. The monetary threshold set forth in this
subsection shall not apply to actions brought under this
paragraph;
(xvii) A dispute concerning a digital asset
registered under W.S. 34-29-201 through 34-29-209.
(c) The chancery court may exercise supplemental ancillary
jurisdiction over any cause of action not listed in subsection
(b) of this section at the discretion of the chancery court.
(d) All chancery court judges throughout the state shall
have concurrent jurisdiction with all district court judges
throughout the state only as to the causes of action enumerated
in subsection (b) of this section and to the causes of action
for which the chancery court exercises supplemental ancillary
jurisdiction under subsection (c) of this section.
(e) A chancery judge may submit to arbitration any matter
pending in chancery court, upon agreement of the parties as
provided by W.S. 1-21-801 through 1-21-804, or upon application
of either party showing an arbitration agreement and refusal of
the opposing party to arbitrate as provided by W.S. 1-36-101
through 1-36-119.
(f) A chancery judge may order mediation in any matter
pending in chancery court.