§ 5-2-122 — Indigent civil legal services program created; purposes

Wyoming § 5-2-122

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 05: Courts
• Ch. 2: SUPREME COURT
• Art. 1: IN GENERAL

Text

(a) An indigent civil legal services program is created to
be operated in accordance with the following:
(i) The supreme court shall develop a comprehensive
plan for funding a statewide program of civil legal services to
the indigent from the account. By November 1, 2010 and again by
May 1, 2011, the court shall submit to the joint appropriations
interim committee and the joint judiciary interim committee
reports on the plan of operation for the program;
(ii) The supreme court may operate the program
directly, or contract with a nonprofit organization to operate
the program;
(iii) The court shall adopt rules and regulations for
the program prior to implementation subject to the following:
(A) In adopting rules and regulations governing
the program the court shall set the following priorities, which
are not intended to be exclusive, but to provide direction on
the management and operation of the program:
(I) Cases in which an indigent individual
is a defendant in a lawsuit;
(II) Cases in which an indigent individual
is seeking to enforce a court order;
(III) Cases involving domestic relations
and family law;
(IV) Matters involving general legal advice
to indigent individuals.
(B) In adopting rules and regulations governing
the program, the court shall prohibit the program from providing
legal representation in the following areas:
(I) Cases seeking tort damages;
(II) Criminal defense;
(III) Cases against public agencies or
political subdivisions seeking to change or overturn existing
rules, regulations and policies. This prohibition shall not
limit the program's ability to represent indigent individuals
who are seeking benefits that may be owed them by public
entities.
(iv) The rules shall establish eligibility standards
for the receipt of services. The eligibility standards shall
require that civil legal services be funded from the account
only for individuals whose total household income does not
exceed two hundred percent (200%) of the federal poverty level;
(v) The program shall be operated in coordination
with other publicly or privately funded programs providing civil
legal services to the indigent with a goal of developing an
integrated system for the delivery of indigent civil legal
services on a statewide basis by July 1, 2011;
(vi) The program shall be coordinated with the
Wyoming state bar and other entities on private attorney
involvement, pro bono civil legal services and educational
programs;
(vii) For funding under the program, the program
shall establish a statewide single point of entry for indigent
civil legal services or establish other operations that allow
for simplified and easily available access to the program;
(viii) The program may grant funds to existing
eligible programs to assist in providing civil legal services
and may be used to enhance the civil legal services that the
existing programs are providing;
(ix) The program may receive grants and donations
which shall be deposited to the account;
(x) The program shall establish uniform standards for
the delivery of civil legal services and operate programmatic
and fiscal management programs to ensure accountability for all
funds.