Divorce in Wyoming — the plain-English overview

Wyoming has one of the cleaner, shorter divorce statutes in the country — a 60-day residency requirement, a 20-day floor before a decree can enter, and a pure no-fault basis ("irreconcilable differences"). The state routes divorces through the District Court and gives judges broad discretion in dividing property and allocating custody. None of this replaces talking to a Wyoming family-law attorney about your specifics, but knowing the basics helps you read your own paperwork.

Where you file

Wyoming divorces are filed in the District Court of the county where either spouse lives. At least one spouse must have been a Wyoming resident for 60 days before the complaint is filed (Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-107).

Wyoming has 23 counties grouped into 9 judicial districts. Laramie (Cheyenne), Natrona (Casper), Sweetwater, Albany (Laramie), and Campbell counties handle the largest family-law caseloads. The District Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction.

How long it takes

Wyoming imposes a 20-day floor: the court cannot enter a decree of divorce earlier than 20 days after the complaint is filed (Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-108).

Wyoming's only ground for divorce is irreconcilable differences in the marital relationship. There are no fault grounds in modern practice. If both spouses agree, the court accepts the irreconcilable-differences finding; if one denies it, the court can still find irreconcilable differences after considering the circumstances.

Property — what state law assumes

Wyoming is an equitable distribution state with broad judicial discretion. Under Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-114, the court divides the property of the parties in a manner the court deems just and equitable, considering the respective merits of the parties and the condition in which they would be left by the divorce, the party through whom the property was acquired, and the burdens imposed upon it for the benefit of either party and the children.

The Wyoming Supreme Court has emphasized that there is no fixed mathematical formula — equity is the touchstone, and a wide range of outcomes can be upheld on appeal.

Custody — the starting framework

Wyoming has no statutory presumption in favor of joint or sole custody. The court decides based on the best interest of the child under Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-201, weighing factors including the quality of the relationship each child has with each parent, the ability of each parent to provide adequate care for each child throughout each period of responsibility, the relative competency and fitness of each parent, each parent's willingness to accept all responsibilities of parenting, how the parents and each child can best maintain and strengthen a relationship with each other, how the parents and each child interact and communicate with each other and how such interaction and communication may be improved, the ability and willingness of each parent to allow the other to provide care without intrusion, the geographic distance between the parents' residences, the current physical and mental ability of each parent to care for each child, and any other factors the court deems necessary and relevant.

The statute uses legal custody (decision-making) and physical custody (where the child lives), each of which can be joint or sole. Wyoming courts also retain authority to fashion shared parenting orders when the parents' circumstances support it.

Filing fees and fee waivers

The District Court filing fee for a Wyoming divorce complaint is approximately $85 statewide. Service of process by the sheriff adds another $25–$40.

If you can't afford the fee, Wyoming lets you file an Application for Waiver of Filing Fee under Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-301 and related authority. You file an affidavit showing your income, household size, and inability to pay; if granted, the court waives the filing fee and certain other court-imposed costs.

What this page can't tell you

Wyoming's 9 judicial districts run divorce practice with some local variation:

• Whether your district requires mediation of contested matters before trial.
• Local rules on case-management scheduling for contested cases.
• The specific parent-education program your county approves for divorces involving children.
• Whether your court uses a court commissioner for certain pretrial matters.

The Wyoming Judicial Branch (courts.state.wy.us) hosts statewide forms, the self-help portal, and procedural information. Your county's Clerk of District Court is the authoritative source for local rules and fee schedules. For anything strategic — especially around equitable distribution, alimony, or contested custody — talk to a Wyoming family-law attorney.

Statutes referenced

• Residency — Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-107
• 20-day floor before decree — Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-108
• Equitable distribution — Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-114
• Custody — best-interest factors — Wyo. Stat. § 20-2-201
• Fee waiver — Wyo. Stat. § 1-21-301

These are the controlling statutes for the facts on this page. State law changes; the linked text always reflects current law.