LEGAL PROGRAM
Providing holistic legal representation statewide, emphasizing safety and self-empowerment for survivors and involved children of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking.
Who We Are
For over 20 years, the WCADVSA has been committed to promoting healthy communities across Wyoming. The Coalition has served as the leading voice on sexual and domestic violence in Wyoming in many areas such as public policy, prevention, and others. We expanded our reach in 1998 to provide direct service through our Legal Program. Providing legal services to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. We have served over 4,500 clients who could otherwise not afford legal services.
Program attorneys are specially trained in the dynamics of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. This means they understand the importance of recognizing and responding to the effects of all types of trauma. We look at the whole picture to problem solve with our clients.
Our Legal Program understands that trauma affects many areas of a person's life. We can help with legal issues related to education, family law, housing, privacy, safety, criminal justice advocacy, employment, and immigration related to violence. All cases are handled in a way that promotes safety and self-empowerment to move from violence toward healing.
Find our attorneys on our site here.
For More Information
Laramie/Main Office: 307-755-0992
Physical: 710 E Garfield St, Suite 218
Laramie, WY 82070
Mailing: P.O. Box 236
Laramie, WY 82073
Fax: 307-755-5482
Email: legalteam@wyomingdvsa.org​
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Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Call for directions if needed.
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Satellite Offices
Casper Office
Physical: 740 Luker Lane
Evansville, WY 82636
Mailing: P.O. Box 126
Evansville, WY 82636
Fort Washakie Office
Physical: 14567 HWY 287
Ft. Washakie, WY 82514
Mailing: P.O. Box 609
Ft. Washakie, WY 82514
Statewide Connecting
We work to improve the justice system through interaction with judges, the Wyoming State Bar, and advocacy organizations state and nationwide. We provide technical expertise to guide and train attorneys, law students, and other organizations.
Attorney Networking
We collaborate and coordinate to develop a network of trauma informed attorneys who are trained to be victim advocates while representing survivors.
What We Do
Legal Representation
We provide expert legal advice and direct representation to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. This advice includes legal needs such as housing, safety, family, and other issues intertwined with instances of violence.
Direct Services
Legal Needs We Represent
Justice looks different for each survivor. Here are some examples of legal matters we can help with:
Direct Services
Housing:
Negotiate with landlords for accommodations â–ª Help break leases â–ª Identify financial resources for housing needs
Education:
Represent survivors in student misconduct hearings and appeals â–ª Help survivors obtain accommodations from schools â–ª Assess whether schools are in compliance with state and federal laws, including Title IX
Family Law:
Assist survivors with obtaining child custody, visitation, child support, divorce, guardianship, termination of parental rights, and other family law matters.
Employment:
Negotiate leave from work or other employment accommodations â–ª Work with employers to accommodate safety needs â–ª Assess whether employers are in compliance with state and federal laws, including FMLA
Criminal Justice Advocacy:
Advise survivors on the criminal justice process
â–ª Advise survivors on their rights as a victim/witness in a criminal case against their perpetrator
Safety:
Represent survivors in proceedings to obtain protective orders for sexual assault, stalking, and domestic violence â–ª Work with employers, housing authorities, and schools to enforce safety measures
Privacy:
Represent survivors at privacy hearings following a request for the release of privileged or confidential records â–ª Work with schools and employers to protect victim privacy where possible
Immigration:
Resist abusers' attempts to use immigration status as a weapon against survivors â–ª Represent non-citizens with victim-based immigration remedies such as U Visas and VAWA petitions
What does getting help from us look like?
We offer a variety of options that puts control of the situation back in the hands of the survivors.
- Options Call- If you are unsure what legal remedies can help you in your situation as a survivor this gives you a chance to talk to our trained attorneys. Visit a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter near you here. There an advocate can connect you to our secure line. Hours of operation are from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday. No application is needed; however, call must be made at your local shelter in Wyoming and a conflict check must be completed prior to your call.
-Brief Services- The service of brief legal services on behalf of a client, such as making a phone call to a landlord or drafting a specific pleading. Application required.
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-Full Representation- Continuous representation of a client from the start of a case to its conclusion. It can include representation of a client in district court, an administrative adjudicative proceeding, an alternative dispute resolution proceeding, or extended negotiations with a third party. Application required.
Applications
Our application can be downloaded below, mailed, picked up at our offices, or filled our completely online. If you are not completing an online application, see instructions at the end of the application you are filling out to find out more information where to submit your application. We contact survivors to schedule a screening appointment after receiving applications. *Please follow up with us if you do not hear from us within 1 week.* There are many moving parts in our office and we appreciate your patience. Applications can be filled online found below or at your local Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault shelter.
Description
This cover page is required (except for online applications) for domestic violence & sexual assault cases in addition to the application.
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Application
To receive services everyone must fill out this application or the one below.
If you are a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking. In addition, if you are worried about your immigration status being used against you.
In Schools
College
Sexual violence against young adults is most likely perpetrated by someone the survivor is familiar with and often occurs within the context of alcohol or drugs. This never means the survivor is to blame. These instances can be traumatic and isolating, with safety concerns and fear of social backlash if disclosed.
Our healing attorneys work to protect the rights of survivors by: representing survivors in student misconduct hearings and appeals, helping survivors obtain accommodations from schools (changes in scheduling, classes, and housing related to dating and sexual violence), and working with schools to ensure they are in compliance with Title IX.
Laws related to sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence in academic institutions include Title IX and other policies.
Find out more about Title IX here at Know Your IX or through the Department of Education.
High School
You always have the right to tell someone what you want or don’t want. Harmful behaviors are abusive when someone doesn’t listen to you, and tries to gain control or power over you. Abuse can be physical or emotional, both of which can be harmful.
Resources
Our Paper Resources
Brochure for the general public about our Legal Program. Looks great on white letter size paper.
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Information about our Legal Program at the Fort Washakie location. Looks great on white letter size paper.
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Information and graphics geared toward college students.
Looks great on white or lightly colored letter size paper.
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Information and graphics geared toward teens and young adults. Looks great on white or lightly colored letter size paper.
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Bookmark that explains more about Title IX. Dimensions are 3.4 inches by 9 inches double sided, perfect to fit inside the High School, College Specific, and other brochures listed above. Looks great on white or lightly colored paper printed portrait orientation.
The Family and Child Legal Advocacy Clinic
At The Family and Child Legal Advocacy Clinic student attorneys under supervision handle civil, legal matters such as divorce; child custody; DV, stalking, and SA protection orders; adoption; and guardian ad litem appointments in juvenile. May also represent children or their parents in child abuse and neglect, termination of parental rights, children in need of supervision and delinquency actions.
Phone: 307-766-6416
Fax: 307-766-6417
Email: lawadmis@uwyo.edu
Equal Justice Wyoming
Their goal is to improve access to justice and providing civil legal advice to Wyoming’s low-income citizens. They do not represent clients directly. Great website resources.
Events: Volunteer Reference Attorney: on the first and third Thursday every month in Cheyenne, Laramie, Casper, Sheridan, Green River, and Rawlins
-Legal Advice Clinic
-Events are posted on their web page and Facebook
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Office: (307) 777-8383 Legal Help: 877-432-9955
wcla@courts.state.wy.us (Please do not send legal questions by email.) Located in Cheyenne
Legal Aid of Wyoming
They are a non-profit law firm providing legal assistance to low-income individuals living in Wyoming. Legal Aid provides representation in many, though not all, types of civil cases. Legal Aid of Wyoming cannot represent defendants in criminal cases.
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Hotline: (877) 423-9955
Offices in : Cheyenne, Casper, Lander, Rock Springs, Cody, Gillette
The Wyoming Guardian ad Litem Program
The Wyoming Guardian ad Litem Program is a state and county funded division of the Wyoming Office of the State Public Defender that provides attorney guardian ad Litem (GALs) for children in juvenile court. Attorney GAL's appointment is mandatory in all abuse/neglect juvenile court cases and discretionary in child in need of supervision and delinquency juvenile court cases. The GAL Program also provides representation to children in termination of parental rights and appeal cases that arise out of the three types of cases listed before.
Rogers Building
316 West 22nd St.
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307)777-7480
Teton County Access to Justice Center
(Residents of Jackson and Teton County Area) Access to: self-help legal resource center, reference assistance in legal resources 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday, free seminars in legal topics, free law clinics offered periodically, assistance in filling out do-it-yourself legal forms, intake to determine eligibility for further free legal services, free civil legal services to income eligible persons within the priorities set by statute (up to 10 hours), and referrals to pro bono or reduced-fee attorneys.
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185 South Willow St., Lower Level
P.O. Box 13338
Jackson, WY 83002
admin@tetonjustice.org
307-734-9023
Modest Means Program
The Modest Means Program (MMP) is a reduced fee referral program. The Wyoming State Bar recognizes the large unmet legal need in Wyoming communities. The MMP will help fill the gap by making legal services accessible to lower and moderate income people who are ineligible for legal aid. Participating attorneys would agree to charge the client no more than a $500 retainer and $75 per hour. Filing fees and other out-of-pocket costs would be paid by the client.
4124 Laramie Street
PO Box 109
Cheyenne, WY 82003
307-632-9061
National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments
The Safe Place to Learn resource package provides a range of materials to support school efforts to prevent and eliminate peer-to-peer sexual harassment and sexual violence. It is designed to help establish and maintain a safe, supportive learning environment and mitigate factors that interfere with learning. This resource package supports school district and school staff efforts to:
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comply with Title IX sex discrimination prohibitions and
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create a positive school climate.
Find your Title IX Coordinator
The Department's Office for Civil Rights collects the name, telephone number, and email address of school districts' Title IX coordinators (sex discrimination), Title VI coordinators (race, color, and national origin discrimination), and ADA/504 coordinators (disability discrimination) as part of its Civil Rights Data Collection, which is collected every two years.
Battered Women's Justice Project
In addition to our main office in Minneapolis, BWJP manages the National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith and Credit, and partners with the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, which provides assistance to IPV victims charged with crimes and their defense teams.
All three offices provide technical assistance and training to professionals engaged in these systems: advocates, civil attorneys, judges and related court personnel, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, probation officers, batterers intervention program staff, and defense attorneys; as well as to policymakers, the media, and victims, including incarcerated victims, and their families and friends. BWJP also assists tribal and military personnel who fulfill positions in their respective institutional responses to IPV.
Bringing Justice Home- Northern Colorado
The Bringing Justice Home Project (BJH) of Crossroads Safehouse assists low-income domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking survivors by providing no-cost bilingual legal representation in a wide range of legal matters including, but not limited to, civil protection orders, divorce, and custody cases. BJH serves Larimer and Weld counties and provides consultative assistance to Routt, Grand, Moffat, and Jackson counties. BJH has two main goals: 1) to increase the availability of legal representation for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual assault, and 2) enhance relationship violence awareness via a collaboration with 11 other partner agencies and comprehensive trainings.