Rules of civil procedure in state and federal courts often provide limited circumstances under which the court may alter or amend its judgment before it becomes final and appealable. Motions (requests) to alter or amend a judgment may also be referred to as requests to modify, correct, or reform a judgment.

For example, in Federal Court, under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e), the court may alter or amend its judgment if a motion is filed within 28 days after the court enters its judgment. But the grounds upon which the court may alter or amend its judgment are generally limited to circumstances such as:

• an intervening and material change in the law that impacts the outcome of the case;

• newly discovered evidence; or

• a clear error or manifest injustice.

In Wyoming, the rules of civil procedure allow for a court to alter or amend its judgment under certain limited circumstances, similar to the federal rules. Under Wyoming Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e), a party may file a motion to alter or amend a judgment within a specified time frame after the judgment has been entered, typically 10 days. The grounds for such a motion are generally restricted to situations where there has been a mistake, newly discovered evidence that could not have been previously obtained with reasonable diligence, an intervening change in controlling law, or the need to prevent manifest injustice. These rules are designed to ensure that judgments are fair and just, while also maintaining the finality and efficiency of court proceedings. It's important to note that these motions are not granted lightly and the burden is on the moving party to demonstrate that one of the limited circumstances applies.