State court clerks allowed more freedom in court activity reporting

April 30, 2011

Wyoming: On Tuesday, April 26, the Wyoming Supreme Court gave permission for state court clerks to release reports about court activities to the public without first seeking the approval of the high court. Since January 1, district and circuit court clerks were forbidden from publicly releasing any compiled reports about court activities without permission from the Supreme Court, a measure that was instated because court clerks don't have the time to create reports for outside entities, according to Supreme Court Administrator Joann Odendahl. The new rules state that court clerks "have no duty to provide compiled information" that they may release information on their own as they see fit. Media attorney Bruce Moats, from Cheyenne, said the decision, "returns the decision-making back to the local clerks who know their community."