Washakie County Detention Center

A judge or magistrate. Under state law, a circuit judge or magistrate of the county can set bail, and so can district judges (W.S. 7-10-104(a)). For most new arrests, that's the Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial District. It's at 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-2702.

No later than four hours after booking, staff must let the person know they may ask for release in writing. Staff must provide something to write with (W.R.Cr.P. 46.1(a)(1)).

• A signed promise. The person agrees to come back for court and pays nothing.
• Rules for release. These might include no alcohol, staying away from someone, or not leaving the area.
• Cash bail. The full amount is paid up front.
• A bail bond. A licensed agent covers the bail in return for a fee.

Wyoming describes bail as "cash, appearance bond or other security" (W.S. 7-10-103).

Many misdemeanors have a fixed amount. All circuit courts use the state's Uniform Bail and Forfeiture Schedule, revised September 22, 2026. Its amounts go from $85 to $450 and include court costs. Offenses not on the list are marked "must appear," which means seeing a judge first.

The schedule doesn't cover felonies. A judge picks those amounts, along with bail for charges like DUI and assault. To learn the exact figure for your loved one, call the jail at 307-347-4581.

Call the Detention Center first at 307-347-4581. Here's what to ask:

1. The bond amount on each charge
2. Where the money should go: jail window or courthouse
3. Which forms of payment are taken, and at what hours
4. Whether there are other holds

You can also email the Detention Center at jail@so.washakiecountywy.gov. The Sheriff's Office main number is 307-347-2242.

Often, yes, during business hours. Call ahead to confirm and to ask what payment to bring. The County Courthouse is at 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401.

• Circuit Court: handles misdemeanors and brand-new felony cases, 307-347-2702. Letters go to PO Box 927.
• Clerk of District Court: Suite 211, felonies after bind-over, 307-347-4821. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

The courthouse closes on holidays, including Thanksgiving Day and the day after, plus December 24, 25 and 31. The state also has an online court payments page.

City cases belong to the Worland Municipal Court. It meets on the second Tuesday of every month at noon, in the Circuit Court room on the second floor of the County Courthouse. The court date is printed at the bottom of the pink ticket.

City fines can be paid online through the court's page, in person at City Hall, or by mail to PO Box 226. City Hall is at 829 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401, and is open 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. weekdays. The court's number is 307-347-2486, extension 102.

A bondsman can post the bail if you can't pay all of it. Things to understand first:

• The fee you pay is not returned.
• Collateral, like a car title, may be required.
• If you cosign and the person doesn't show up, you could owe the full amount.

Check with the jail that it will take the company's bond. An agent whose bonds are backed by an insurer must be licensed by the state. To verify, contact the Wyoming Insurance Department's Consumer Affairs unit, 106 E 6th Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-777-7402.

Every charge and every court needs its own release. Ask the jail if any of these are in place:

• A city charge as well as a county charge
• A warrant from Big Horn, Hot Springs, Fremont or another Wyoming county
• A warrant from another state
• A probation or parole hold
• A federal hold or an ICE detainer

Suppose a judge from somewhere else sets bond by video for someone held in Worland. In that case, the family gets 24 hours to post it before a transfer can happen (W.R.Cr.P. 46.1(g)).

Only in rare cases. The state constitution guarantees bail unless the charge is a capital offense with evident proof or a great presumption of guilt. Excessive bail is also banned (Wyo. Const. art. 1, sec. 14). For safety concerns, judges tend to add conditions.

The County Attorney prosecutes for the state, including at bail hearings. Its staff work at 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Suite 108, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-3115.

Use the written release request right away. Judges want to know the person will return to court. Strong points include:

• A job or farm work waiting for them
• Years living in Worland or Ten Sleep
• Children or others they take care of
• A relative who will bring them to every hearing

Later, a lawyer can ask the court for a reduction. If a felony moves up, the district judge can review bail there (W.S. 7-10-103).

Yes, if the person can't afford one. Bring it up at the first hearing. The judge decides by income (W.S. 7-6-106):

• Less than 125% of the poverty line: eligible.
• 125% to 218%: the judge chooses.
• More than 218%: usually not eligible.

To find the public defender covering Worland cases, call the State Public Defender's main office: 316 West 22nd Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-777-7519. It's open weekdays 8 to 5.

• Circuit Court, 5th Judicial District: 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401. Where misdemeanors are heard, bail is set and felonies begin.
• District Court, 5th Judicial District: 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Suite 211, Worland, WY 82401. Handles felony trials and juvenile court.
• Worland Municipal Court: meets at the County Courthouse. Its office is at City Hall, 829 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401.

The 5th District also covers Big Horn, Hot Springs and Park counties. For any question about the town of Ten Sleep, call its town hall at 307-366-2265.

Bail money comes back once the case is finished, if the person made every court date. Fines, fees and restitution may be subtracted first. Keep the clerk updated with your mailing address, and ask how long the refund will take.

Questions about a refund? Phone whichever court has the case: Circuit Court, 307-347-2702, or the District Court clerk, 307-347-4821. When someone skips court, a judge can order the bail forfeited. Forfeited bail goes toward Wyoming's public schools (W.S. 7-10-105).

The jail no longer takes cash or money orders during visits. Use one of these instead:

• The deposit kiosk in the Law Enforcement Center lobby, 100 North 10th Street, Worland, WY 82401
• Online, by registering with the jail's deposit service and choosing Wyoming, then Washakie County

Two outside companies handle commissary and inmate funds. For the right website, visiting times and mail rules, call 307-347-4581. See our money guide for more tips.

Federal crimes are filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming. Its central clerk's office is in the Joseph C. O'Mahoney Federal Center, 2120 Capitol Avenue, Room 2131, Cheyenne, WY 82001, 307-433-2120.

No bail schedule applies. A federal judge holds a detention hearing and either sets conditions for release or orders the person held (18 U.S.C. 3142). After sentencing, find the person with the federal Bureau of Prisons locator.

No, the two are separate. Here's what happens:

1. Immigration officers file an I-247A detainer with the jail in Worland.
2. Deputies may hold the person up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
3. ICE officers come for them.
4. The ICE Online Detainee Locator can find them with an A-number, or with their name and birth country.

Washakie County reports to the ICE office in Casper, 150 E. B Street, Room 1014, Casper, WY 82601, 307-261-6590.

Short sentences are served at the county jail. Prison sentences go to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. Its local probation and parole office is at 325 North 11th St., Suite C, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-4368.

Someone serving state time shows up in the WDOC locator. Also see our Wyoming prisons section. Headquarters: 1934 Wyott Drive, Suite 100, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-777-7208.

Wyoming tries to release children to a parent. A child can be detained only for safety or if they might run (W.S. 14-6-206). A parent should hear about it fast. Any child in custody must go before a judge within 48 hours, and only workdays count toward that limit (W.S. 14-6-209).

A 17-year-old charged as an adult with a felony can be held in the adult jail, if the County Attorney decides so. Younger teens go through juvenile court. First-time youth offenders may qualify for the county's Youth Alternatives diversion program, 307-347-2760. Parents who don't know where their child was taken should phone 307-347-2242. The Wyoming Boys' School near Worland is a state treatment school, not a jail.

The dividing line in Wyoming is a one-year sentence. Felonies can be punished by over a year in prison, while misdemeanors carry less (W.S. 6-10-101).

• Circuit Court: all misdemeanors, plus the first stage of every felony, such as bail and the preliminary hearing.
• District Court: felony cases once they're bound over, and all juvenile cases.
• Worland Municipal Court: violations of city ordinances.

Four counties make up the 5th Judicial District: Washakie, Big Horn, Hot Springs and Park.

• Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial District: 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-2702. Mail goes to PO Box 927. The courtroom is on the second floor.
• District Court, 5th Judicial District: Suite 211 of the same building. Reach the clerk at 307-347-4821 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Email clerkofcourt@washakiecountywy.gov.

A criminal record check from the District Court clerk costs $10 per name, by fax or email. The courthouse closes for state holidays. Clerks can explain paperwork, but they can't give legal advice.

The Worland Municipal Court holds sessions on the second Tuesday of each month at noon. It meets in the Circuit Court room on the courthouse's second floor. A city ticket shows the court date at the bottom of the pink copy.

Questions go to the court office at City Hall, 829 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-2486, extension 102. City Hall is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Fines can be paid online, at City Hall or by mail.

Young people with a city charge may get a six-month diversion program. If they complete it, the charges are dismissed. Ten Sleep has no court page of its own. For town questions, call its town hall at 307-366-2265.

After an arrest, the person's first trip to court is in front of the circuit judge or magistrate. During that hearing, the judge goes over:

• Every charge and its highest possible sentence
• The person's right not to talk and the right to a lawyer
• Bail and the conditions for release (W.R.Cr.P. 5)
• Whether a misdemeanor plea happens now, or when a felony preliminary hearing will be

An arrest with no warrant must be reviewed by a judge within 72 hours. Without a finding of probable cause, the person is let go. Family can usually attend. Call 307-347-2702 to find out when.

From first hearing to sentence, a misdemeanor stays in Circuit Court. The County Attorney may offer a deal. A case can also be dismissed, or go to trial before a judge or a jury. The defendant can plead guilty, not guilty, or not guilty by reason of mental illness. A no contest plea is allowed only with the judge's approval (W.R.Cr.P. 11).

• Ordinary misdemeanor: as long as six months, and a fine up to $750 (W.S. 6-10-103)
• Battery: it carries the same top penalty, $750 and six months (W.S. 6-2-501)
• Domestic battery: the limit is six months and $750 the first time around. A second conviction within five years can mean a full year and $1,000 (W.S. 6-2-511)
• Stealing less than $1,000 in value: one year and $1,500 at most (W.S. 6-3-402)

1. Initial appearance in Circuit Court. Charges are explained, and bail is decided.
2. Preliminary hearing in Circuit Court. The judge weighs whether there's enough proof to continue. Wyoming's deadline is 10 days for a defendant behind bars and 20 days for one who's out. The defense is allowed to waive it (W.R.Cr.P. 5.1).
3. Bind-over. The case heads to District Court, in Suite 211.
4. Arraignment. The defendant pleads in front of the district judge.
5. Trial. Twelve jurors must reach a unanimous verdict. The rules call for trial within 180 days of arraignment (W.R.Cr.P. 48(b)).
6. Sentencing. With the defendant in the courtroom, the judge gives the punishment.

• Aggravated assault and battery: up to a decade in prison; a few forms bring 5 to 25 years (W.S. 6-2-502).
• Burglary while armed, or one that leaves someone hurt (aggravated burglary): between 5 and 25 years, plus fines of up to $50,000 (W.S. 6-3-301(c)).
• Domestic battery when two earlier convictions came within the past decade: becomes a felony punished by as much as 10 years.

Defendants can still get bail, unless the case is capital and the evidence is strong. Prosecutors may file a violent felony against a teen aged 14 or up in adult court. Talk with a defense lawyer as soon as possible.

The Washakie County Attorney prosecutes criminal cases. Its office is at 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Suite 108, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-3115. The county has no separate district attorney.

If money is a problem, request appointed counsel when the person first sees the judge. Eligibility is based on income (W.S. 7-6-106). For the name of the local defender, call the state office at 316 West 22nd Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-777-7519. To find a private lawyer, the Wyoming State Bar answers at 307-632-9061.

Call the clerk. Have the defendant's legal name and birthday ready.

• Misdemeanors and felonies before bind-over: Circuit Court, 307-347-2702, or email ccwor@courts.state.wy.us.
• Youth cases and felonies that moved up: District Court clerk, 307-347-4821.
• City tickets: the date is on the ticket. You can also call City Hall at 307-347-2486.

Cases on appeal at the Wyoming Supreme Court are listed in its case search.

The Sheriff's Office and Worland police serve warrants from the same Law Enforcement Center on North 10th Street. Wondering whether someone is wanted? Call the Sheriff's Office at 307-347-2242. Because Wyoming offers no public warrant database, clerks will look up a name over the phone. When a warrant exists, the safest move is surrendering alongside a lawyer. Some people ask the clerk to set a fresh hearing instead. Reach the Circuit Court clerk at 1001 Big Horn Avenue, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-2702.

Federal crimes are handled by the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming. Its chief clerk works out of the Joseph C. O'Mahoney Federal Center, 2120 Capitol Avenue, Room 2131, Cheyenne, WY 82001, 307-433-2120.

Pretrial custody in federal court is settled at a detention hearing (18 U.S.C. 3142). For someone already sentenced, try the BOP inmate search.

An immigration detainer can hold a person even after the county case allows release:

• The jail receives an I-247A from immigration.
• Next, the jail is allowed to hold them up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
• Federal immigration officers then collect them.
• Track them using the ICE Online Detainee Locator.

Check-ins for this county are handled by ICE's Casper office, 150 E. B Street, Room 1014, Casper, WY 82601, 307-261-6590. Before pleading guilty, a non-citizen should get advice from an immigration lawyer.

Misdemeanor jail time is done at the Detention Center in Worland. Felony prison terms go to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. After release, the state's Worland probation and parole office supervises many people. It's at 325 North 11th St., Suite C, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-4368.

The WDOC locator shows where a state prisoner is housed. Each prison is described in our Wyoming prisons section. Write or visit the department at 1934 Wyott Drive, Suite 100, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-777-7208.

Youth 16 and younger are charged in juvenile court, which is part of District Court. Those records are private. The County Attorney can ask to move a case to adult court. If a 17-year-old is charged with a felony as an adult, the county may hold them at the adult jail.

State law sets these age rules (W.S. 14-6-203):

• Under 13 with a felony charge: always juvenile court.
• Ages 14, 15 and 16: a violent felony, or a third youth case, can be sent to adult court.
• Age 17: every felony is eligible for adult court.

Judges look at the offense, maturity and history before moving a case (W.S. 14-6-237). First-time young offenders may be offered the county's Youth Alternatives diversion program, at 801 Big Horn Avenue, Suite 218, Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-2760.

Wyoming law (W.S. 1-40-201 to 1-40-210) gives crime victims rights that include:

1. A heads-up when the defendant gets released ahead of trial or sentencing
2. Being present in court alongside the accused, unless the judge has a solid reason to exclude them
3. A turn to speak about the harm done, before the judge hands down a sentence

The County Attorney's Victim/Witness Program is in Suite 104 of the courthouse, 1001 Big Horn Ave., Worland, WY 82401, 307-347-2123. It helps with court orientation and victim compensation. For domestic violence or sexual assault, the Crisis Prevention and Response Center has a crisis line at 307-347-4991. Sign up for custody updates through VINE or 866-994-8463.