Remote Small Claims Hearing in Wyoming: Microsoft Teams and Virtual Attendance
Wyoming stretches across nearly 100,000 square miles, and many defendants live hours from the courthouse listed on their summons. Thermopolis is roughly 200 miles from the Platte County courthouse in Wheatland, so the round trip is about 400 miles. Winter storms across mountain passes can make the trip impossible.
Wyoming Circuit Courts increasingly offer remote hearings via Microsoft Teams, but it's not automatic, and the process has specific requirements.
How to Request a Remote Appearance
Remote attendance is not a default option. You need to request it in advance by filing a written motion with the Circuit Court Clerk. The motion should state:
- The case number and hearing date
- That you're requesting permission to appear remotely via Microsoft Teams
- The specific reason remote attendance is necessary (distance, medical condition, work obligation)
- Your email address and phone number so the court can send the Teams link
File the motion as early as possible — not the day before the hearing. The judge must approve the request and the clerk needs time to set up the virtual session. Serve a copy on the plaintiff as well.
Contact the Circuit Court Clerk's office to confirm whether that specific county's Circuit Court currently offers Teams hearings. Not every courthouse has fully implemented virtual access, and judges have discretion over whether to allow it.
Technical Setup
Once approved, the court sends a Microsoft Teams meeting link by email. On the hearing date:
- Join 10–15 minutes early. Technical problems are much easier to sort out before the hearing begins than after.
- Use a computer or tablet with a working camera and microphone. Phone audio-only is a last resort — judges prefer to see your face.
- Sit in a quiet room with good lighting. A cluttered background or noisy environment undermines your credibility. The court expects the same decorum standards as an in-person appearance.
- Test your internet connection. Rural Wyoming bandwidth can be unreliable. If your connection drops during the hearing, the court may proceed without you.
Presenting Evidence Remotely
Physical evidence is the biggest challenge in a remote hearing. In person, you'd hand three copies to the judge and the other party. Remotely, you have limited options:
Screen sharing. If the judge permits it, you can share your screen to show digital photographs, scanned documents, or text message screenshots. Have every file open and organized before the hearing starts.
Pre-filing. Ask the Circuit Court Clerk how the judge wants to receive evidence before a remote hearing. If the court accepts physical copies, confirm how to submit them by mail or in person and do not assume filing them replaces serving the plaintiff.
Email submission. Some clerks accept evidence by email before the hearing. Call the clerk's office to confirm whether this is an option in your county.
Whichever method you use, the plaintiff is entitled to see your evidence before or during the hearing. If you're screen-sharing, the plaintiff and judge see it simultaneously. Confirm with the clerk how to provide the plaintiff a copy; don't assume the court will distribute it.
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Courtroom Rules Still Apply
Remote doesn't mean casual. The hearing is a formal judicial proceeding conducted over video.
- Stay muted until the judge calls on you. Background noise is the most common problem in virtual hearings.
- Don't record the hearing. Court proceedings in Wyoming cannot be recorded by the parties without the judge's permission.
- Address the judge as "Your Honor" or "Judge." Standard courtroom respect applies.
- Don't eat, drink, or multitask on screen. The camera captures everything.
- If your connection fails, call the clerk immediately. Have the clerk's phone number written down before the hearing starts.
When Remote Isn't an Option
If the judge denies your remote appearance request, you must attend in person. Filing a motion for continuance (postponement) is a separate option if travel is genuinely impossible on the scheduled date — but you need to show good cause, and the hearing date holds until the judge signs a written order granting the continuance.
If you qualify for ADA accommodations or need a language interpreter, contact the Circuit Court Clerk well in advance. Interpreter services must be arranged through the court — family members and friends generally cannot serve as official courtroom interpreters.
Our Wyoming small claims response guide includes a hearing day checklist that covers both in-person and remote preparation, plus a remote hearing prep worksheet with the technical setup steps and evidence submission timeline.
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Download the Wyoming Small Claims Response Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.