Question 1

What is a claim of exemption in Wyoming?

Accepted Answer

A Wyoming claim of exemption is how you protect wages or bank funds from a garnishment. You file an Objection to Garnishment and Request for Hearing with the clerk of the court that entered the judgment, telling the court that some or all of the money is exempt, meaning the law does not let a creditor take it. Filing it gets you a hearing to show the money is protected.

Question 2

What is the difference between a claim of exemption and an objection to a garnishment in Wyoming?

Accepted Answer

An objection challenges whether the garnishment is proper, such as a wrong amount or a defect in the paperwork. A claim of exemption accepts that the debt exists but says the specific wages or funds are legally protected. In Wyoming the Objection to Garnishment and Request for Hearing lets you do both at once, and you file it within 10 days of the seizure.

Question 3

How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Wyoming?

Accepted Answer

Under Wyo. Stat. section 1-15-511 a creditor can take the lesser of 25 percent of your disposable earnings for the week, or the amount by which those earnings exceed 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage, which is 217.50 dollars a week. Disposable earnings are what is left after legally required deductions. This matches the federal wage-garnishment limit.

Question 4

How long do I have to file a claim of exemption in Wyoming?

Accepted Answer

You have 10 days to file your Objection to Garnishment and Request for Hearing with the court after your wages, funds, or property are seized. Because the window is short and money is withheld in the meantime, file as soon as you learn of the garnishment. Missing the 10-day deadline can cost you wages the law would have protected.

Question 5

What income is exempt from garnishment in Wyoming?

Accepted Answer

Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, disability, veterans benefits, and many pensions and public benefits are exempt from garnishment for ordinary debts, no matter how much you owe. A baseline share of ordinary wages is also protected under the federal limit that Wyoming follows. If exempt benefits are frozen in a bank account, a claim of exemption is how you get them released.

Question 6

Can I protect my wages if I support my family in Wyoming?

Accepted Answer

Wyoming does not add a separate head-of-household exemption that raises the protected share of wages above the standard limit. Your pay is generally protected at the lesser of 25 percent of disposable earnings or the amount above 30 times the federal minimum wage. Exempt income such as Social Security and disability stays protected regardless, and you can explain hardship at your hearing.

Question 7

Where do I file a Wyoming claim of exemption?

Accepted Answer

You file the Objection to Garnishment and Request for Hearing with the clerk of the court that entered the judgment, using the case number on your garnishment papers. That is the same court handling the garnishment. File within 10 days of the seizure, and the court will set a hearing not more than 10 business days after your filing date.

Question 8

What happens after I file a claim of exemption in Wyoming?

Accepted Answer

After you file your objection, the court sets a hearing not more than 10 business days after the filing date. At the hearing you show that the money is exempt, and the creditor must justify the amount being taken. Until the objection is decided the garnished money is generally held, and if the court agrees the funds are protected it releases them and stops or reduces the garnishment.

Wyoming Claim of Exemption

Introduction

Key Things to Know

Key decisions before you file

Customize your Claim of Exemption Template with DocDraft

Wyoming Requirements for Claim of Exemption

Wyoming Filing Deadline and Office

Frequently Asked Questions