Sheridan County Public Records /Sheridan County Court Records

Sheridan County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Sheridan County in 2026

SheridanRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to court records in Sheridan County, Wyoming. Members of the public seeking court records may find case-level data including docket entries, party names, hearing dates, filed documents, and case dispositions, subject to applicable access rules and restrictions under Wyoming law. The information available through public channels may include records from the following categories:

Civil court filings and judgments
Criminal case records and disposition entries
Family law matters, including divorce and custody proceedings
Probate and estate records
Traffic and infraction case records
Small claims filings and outcomes

Court records in Sheridan County may be searched through several established methods. Members of the public may submit requests directly to the clerk of court, use courthouse public access terminals, search through official court websites, utilize statewide judicial search tools maintained by the Wyoming Judicial Branch, or submit written or mail-based requests to the appropriate court office.

Method 1 – Clerk of Court or Court Records Office: The Clerk of the District Court and the Circuit Court Clerk maintain official case files for their respective courts. Requesters may appear in person during business hours and request access to case files by providing the case number, party name, or filing date. Staff are authorized to assist with locating records but are not permitted to provide legal advice.

Method 2 – Courthouse Public Access Terminals: Public access terminals are available at the Sheridan County Courthouse. As noted by the Wyoming Judicial Branch, "access to filed documents are available for free public viewing at designated access terminals located in courthouses across the state." These terminals allow members of the public to view electronically filed case documents without charge.

Method 3 – Online Court Search: The Wyoming Judicial Branch maintains an online portal through which members of the public may search case information. The eFiling portal and associated case search tools provide access to docket-level information for cases filed in participating courts.

Method 4 – State-Level Judicial Search Tools: The Wyoming Judicial Branch website provides statewide case search functionality. Users may search by party name, case number, or court location to locate records across multiple Wyoming courts.

Method 5 – Written or Mail Requests: Members of the public who are unable to appear in person may submit written requests to the clerk's office. Requests should include the full name of the party, approximate filing date, case number if known, and a description of the records sought. Fees for copies apply and vary by document type.

Are Court Records Public in Sheridan County

Court records in Sheridan County are subject to public access under Wyoming's open records framework. Wyoming Statute § 16-4-201 establishes the Public Records Act, which affirms that public records are open for inspection by any person. Court records maintained by the clerk of court are considered public records unless a specific statutory exemption, court order, or rule of court restricts access.

The following categories of records are at present open to public inspection:

Case dockets and docket entries
Party names and case captions
Scheduled hearing dates and continuances
Filed motions, complaints, petitions, and answers
Court orders and final judgments
Sentencing entries and probation terms in criminal matters
Probate inventories and orders

Certain categories of records are restricted, sealed, or confidential under current law and court rules:

Juvenile delinquency and child protection records, which are confidential under Wyoming Statute § 14-6-203
Adoption records and related proceedings
Mental health commitment records
Records sealed by court order
Expunged criminal records
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While physical inspection of public court records is available during business hours, not all records are accessible through online portals. Older records, paper files, and certain case types may require an in-person visit or written request to the clerk's office.

What Are Court Records in Sheridan County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with judicial proceedings. In Sheridan County, court records are maintained by the Clerk of the District Court and the Circuit Court Clerk, each responsible for the records of their respective court.

A docket entry is a chronological log of all actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and issued by the court. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document proceedings initiated by the state against an individual charged with a criminal offense. Filed pleadings are the initial documents submitted by parties, whereas final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of the matter.

Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under the Public Records Act, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public inspection pursuant to court order or statute. Trial court records originate in the District Court or Circuit Court, while appellate records are maintained by the Wyoming Supreme Court in Cheyenne.

Court records are created at the moment of initial filing and are updated continuously as the case progresses through hearings, motions, orders, and final disposition. Upon conclusion of a case, the record is closed and retained according to the applicable records retention schedule. The Wyoming State Archives maintains historical court records transferred from county courts, including records dating to the territorial period.

Clerk of the District Court – Sheridan County
224 South Main Street
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 674-2960
Clerk of District Court Contact – Sheridan County

Circuit Court of the 4th Judicial District – Sheridan
224 South Main Street, Suite B-4
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 674-2700
Circuit Court of the 4th Judicial District, Sheridan County

What's Included in a Sheridan County Court Record?

A court record in Sheridan County may contain a range of documents and data entries depending on the case type and applicable public access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:

Case identification: Case number, court name and division, and filing date
Party information: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and other named parties
Case classification: Case type, such as civil, criminal, family, probate, or traffic, and current case status
Docket entries: A chronological log of all filings, hearings, orders, and actions taken in the case
Hearing information: Scheduled and past hearing dates, continuances, and minute entries
Filed documents: Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, responses, briefs, notices, and stipulations
Court orders and judgments: Temporary orders, final judgments, decrees, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
Outcome information: Dismissals, verdicts, pleas, convictions, acquittals, and case dispositions
Financial and administrative data: Filing fees, assessed costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly shown

Records that are excluded or restricted from public access include sealed filings, expunged criminal matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers, and certain exhibits admitted under seal. The presence or absence of specific documents within a case file depends on the procedural history of the matter and any orders restricting access.

Types of Courts in Sheridan County

Sheridan County is served by two primary trial courts operating within the 4th Judicial District of Wyoming: the District Court and the Circuit Court. The Wyoming Judicial Branch governs both courts under the unified state judiciary system.

The District Court, 4th Judicial District, Sheridan County is a court of general jurisdiction. It hears felony criminal cases, civil matters exceeding the jurisdictional threshold of the Circuit Court, family law cases including divorce and child custody, juvenile proceedings, probate and estate matters, and appeals from the Circuit Court. The Clerk of the District Court maintains the official record for all District Court proceedings.

The Circuit Court of the 4th Judicial District is a court of limited jurisdiction. It handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $50,000, small claims cases, traffic infractions, and preliminary hearings in felony matters. The Circuit Court Clerk, currently Wendy Bloxom, maintains the official record for Circuit Court proceedings.

The City of Sheridan also operates a Municipal Court, which has jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances. Municipal court records are maintained separately from county court records.

Appeals from the District Court are heard by the Wyoming Supreme Court, which maintains its own records through the Supreme Court Clerk in Cheyenne.

District Court, 4th Judicial District – Sheridan County
224 South Main Street
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: (307) 674-2960
District Court, 4th Judicial District, Sheridan County

How to Search Sheridan County Court Records for Free?

Members of the public may inspect court records at no charge through in-person visits to the clerk's office or by using courthouse public access terminals. The Wyoming Judicial Branch confirms that filed documents are available for free public viewing at designated courthouse terminals. Online case search tools available through the Wyoming Judicial Branch website provide free access to docket-level information.

The following table summarizes current access methods and associated costs:

Access Method	Cost
In-person inspection at clerk's office	Free
Courthouse public access terminal	Free
Online docket search (Wyoming Judicial Branch)	Free
Photocopies of documents	Fee per page (varies by court)
Certified copies of documents	Fee per document
Research by clerk staff	May incur research fee
Electronic copies via formal request	Fee may apply

The City of Sheridan's Public Records Portal provides online access to certain municipal records at no charge. Copy fees for District Court and Circuit Court records are set by court rule and are payable at the time of the request. Certified copies carry an additional certification fee. Members of the public seeking copies should confirm current fee amounts directly with the clerk's office, as fee schedules are subject to revision by court order.

How Long Does Sheridan County Keep Court Records?

Retention periods for court records in Sheridan County vary by case type and are governed by judicial records retention schedules established under Wyoming court rules and state archival authority. The Wyoming State Archives maintains transferred court records and publishes retention guidance applicable to county-level judicial records.

Retention periods differ across case categories. Felony criminal records and civil judgment records are retained for extended periods, with many categories subject to permanent retention. Misdemeanor and traffic records may be retained for shorter periods before destruction or archival transfer. Probate records, which establish property rights and family relationships, are retained permanently in many jurisdictions. Docket books and minute records from the District Court are subject to permanent retention as foundational court records.

The Wyoming State Archives county records inventory documents historical criminal court records including criminal appearance dockets dating from 1869 through 1988, reflecting the long-term preservation of foundational judicial records at the state level.

Paper files may be destroyed after imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the retention schedule authorizes destruction. Destruction of a record differs from sealing or expungement: a sealed record continues to exist but is withheld from public access, while an expunged record is removed from public availability pursuant to court order under Wyoming Statute § 7-13-1401 and related provisions. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the Wyoming State Archives, and may require a written request or archival research to access.

How To Find a Court Docket in Sheridan County

A court docket is a chronological index of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from a full case file in that it records what occurred and when, rather than containing the actual text of filed documents. The docket serves as the official record of case activity from initial filing through final disposition.

Dockets for cases filed in Sheridan County courts may be accessed through the following channels:

Wyoming Judicial Branch online portal: The Wyoming Judicial Branch website provides case search functionality that returns docket-level information for cases in participating courts. Users may search by party name or case number to retrieve a list of docket entries.
Courthouse public access terminals: Terminals located at the Sheridan County Courthouse allow members of the public to view docket entries and, where available, filed document images for electronically filed cases.
Clerk's office in-person request: Members of the public may request a printed docket sheet from the Clerk of the District Court or the Circuit Court Clerk by providing the case number or party name.
Written request: Docket information may be requested by mail or written submission to the appropriate clerk's office.

A court docket at present contains hearing dates and times, continuances, motion filings, minute entries from hearings, orders entered by the court, and status updates reflecting the current posture of the case. A docket does not include the full text of filed documents, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or exhibits admitted under seal. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse.

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation maintains statewide criminal history records that are distinct from court dockets and are subject to separate access rules applicable to background check requests.