Wyoming Statutes
Article 4 - Child Protection Act
Section 14-3-402 - Definitions.

14-3-402. Definitions.
(a) As used in this act:
(i) "Adjudication" means a finding by the court or the jury, incorporated in a decree, as to the truth of the facts alleged in the petition;
(ii) "Adult" means an individual who has attained the age of majority;
(iii) "Child" means an individual who is under the age of majority;
(iv) "Clerk" means the clerk of a district court acting as the clerk of a juvenile court;
(v) "Commissioner" means a district court commissioner;
(vi) "Court" means the juvenile court established by W.S. 5-8-101;
(vii) "Custodian" means a person, institution or agency responsible for the child's welfare and having legal custody of a child by court order or having actual physical custody and control of a child and acting in loco parentis;
(viii) "Deprivation of custody" means transfer of legal custody by the court from a parent or previous legal custodian to another person, agency, organization or institution;
(ix) "Judge" means the judge of the juvenile court;
(x) "Legal custody" means a legal status created by court order which vests in a custodian the right to have physical custody of a minor, the right and duty to protect, train and discipline a minor, the duty to provide him with food, shelter, clothing, transportation, ordinary medical care, education and in an emergency, the right and duty to authorize surgery or other extraordinary medical care. The rights and duties of legal custody are subject to the rights and duties of the guardian of the person of the minor, and to residual parental rights and duties;
(xi) "Minor" means an individual who is under the age of majority;
(xii) "Neglected child" means a child:
(A) Who has been subjected to neglect as defined in W.S. 14-3-202(a)(vii);
(B) Who has been subjected to abuse as defined in W.S. 14-3-202(a)(ii).
(I) Repealed By Laws 2005, ch. 236, § 4.
(II) Repealed By Laws 2005, ch. 236, § 4.
(III) Repealed By Laws 2005, ch. 236, § 4.
(IV) Repealed By Laws 2005, ch. 236, § 4.
(xiii) "Parent" means either a natural or adoptive parent of the child, a person adjudged the parent of the child in judicial proceedings or a man presumed to be the father under W.S. 14-2-504;
(xiv) "Parties" include the child, his parents, guardian or custodian, the state of Wyoming and any other person made a party by an order to appear, or named by the juvenile court;
(xv) "Protective supervision" means a legal status created by court order following an adjudication of neglect, whereby the child is permitted to remain in his home subject to supervision by the department of family services, a county or state probation officer or other qualified agency or individual the court may designate;
(xvi) "Residual parental rights and duties" means those rights and duties remaining with the parents after legal custody, guardianship of the person or both have been vested in another person, agency or institution. Residual parental rights and duties include but are not limited to:
(A) The duty to support and provide necessities of life;
(B) The right to consent to adoption;
(C) The right to reasonable visitation unless restricted or prohibited by court order;
(D) The right to determine the minor's religious affiliation; and
(E) The right to petition on behalf of the minor.
(xvii) "Shelter care" means the temporary care of a child in physically unrestricting facilities pending court disposition or execution of a court order for placement or commitment;
(xviii) "Ordinary medical care" means medical, dental and vision examinations, routine medical, dental and vision treatment and emergency surgical procedures, but does not include nonemergency surgical procedures;
(xix) "Temporary protective custody" means a legal status created prior to a shelter care hearing when a court, law enforcement officer, physician, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner takes a child into protective custody pursuant to W.S. 14-3-405. Temporary protective custody vests in a custodian the duty to protect the child and arrange for the provision of food, shelter, clothing, transportation, ordinary medical care and education. Temporary protective custody shall be transferred from the law enforcement officer, physician, physician's assistant or nurse practitioner to the local child protection agency as soon as practicable to facilitate such care. Temporary protective custody divests the parent or custodian of his right to the custody and control of the child;
(xx) "Transportation" means as defined in W.S. 14-3-202(a)(xvii);
(xxi) "Initial hearing" means a hearing held in accordance with W.S. 14-3-426;
(xxii) "Shelter care hearing" means a hearing held in accordance with W.S. 14-3-409;
(xxiii) "Transfer hearing" means a hearing held in accordance with W.S. 14-6-237;
(xxiv) "Another planned permanent living arrangement" means a permanency plan for youth sixteen (16) years of age or older other than reunification, adoption, legal guardianship or placement with a fit and willing relative;
(xxv) "Qualified individual" means a person who meets the requirements of 42 U.S.C. § 675a(c)(1)(D);
(xxvi) "Qualified residential treatment program" means a program that meets the requirements of 42 U.S.C. § 672(k)(4);
(xxvii) "This act" means W.S. 14-3-401 through 14-3-441.