Judgments – Foreign Judgments – Wyoming

Short title.
This act means W.S. 1-17-701 through 1-17-707 and may be cited as the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act.  Title 1, Chap. 17, §1-17-701.

“Foreign judgment” defined.
In this act, “foreign judgment” means any judgment, decree, or order of a court of the United States or of any other court which is entitled to full faith and credit in this state.  Title 1, Chap. 17, §1-17-702.

Filing of foreign judgment; effect of filing.
In order for a foreign judgment to have the same effect as a judgment of a district court of this state, a copy of any foreign judgment authenticated in accordance with an act of Congress or the statutes of this state shall be filed in the office of the clerk of any district court and any county clerk of this state. The clerk of court shall treat the foreign judgment as a judgment of the district court of this state notwithstanding the amount of the judgment or that the action giving rise to the judgment, if initiated in this state, would be within the jurisdiction of a minor court. A judgment so filed has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses and proceedings for reopening, vacating or staying as a judgment of a district court of this state and may be so enforced or satisfied.  Title 1, Chap. 17, §1-17-703.

Affidavit required; notice of filing; execution.
At the time of filing a foreign judgment, the judgment creditor or his attorney shall file with the clerk of court an affidavit setting forth the name and last known mailing address of the judgment debtor, and the judgment creditor. The clerk shall promptly mail notice of the filing of the foreign judgment to the judgment debtor at the address given and shall make a note of the mailing in the docket. The notice shall include the name and mailing address of the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor’s attorney, if any, in this state. The judgment creditor may mail a notice of the filing of the judgment to the judgment debtor and may file proof of mailing with the clerk. Lack of notice of filing by the clerk shall not affect the enforcement proceedings if proof of mailing by the judgment creditor has been filed. An execution or other process for enforcement of a foreign judgment shall not issue until five (5) days after the date the judgment is filed.  Title 1, Chap. 17, §1-17-704.

Stay of enforcement.
If the judgment debtor shows the court that an appeal from the foreign judgment is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, and upon proof that the judgment debtor has furnished the security for satisfaction of the judgment required by the law of the state where it was rendered, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires, or until the stay of execution expires or is vacated. If the judgment debtor shows the court any ground upon which enforcement of a judgment of the court of this state would be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment for an appropriate period, upon requiring the security for satisfaction of the judgment which is required in this state.  Title 1, Chap. 17, §1-17-705.

Fees.
Any person filing a foreign judgment shall pay to the clerk of court the fee for filing instruments in a civil action under W.S. 5-3-206(a)(i). Fees for docketing, transcription or other enforcement proceedings shall be the same as for judgments of the courts of this state.  Title 1, Chap. 17, §1-17-706.

Right of action unimpaired.
The right of a judgment creditor to bring an action to enforce his judgment in the appropriate court in this state instead of proceeding under this act remains unimpaired.  Title 1, Chap. 17, §1-17-707.