The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that a person accused of a crime has the right to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, and states that:

“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.”

In Wyoming, as in all states, the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the rights of criminal defendants, including the right to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against them. This means that anyone charged with a crime in Wyoming must be given a clear and detailed statement of the charges to prepare their defense. Additionally, the accused has the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury in the state and district where the crime was committed. The district must be established by law prior to the offense. The accused also has the right to confront witnesses against them, to subpoena witnesses in their favor, and to have the assistance of an attorney for their defense. Wyoming state statutes and court rules provide the procedures to ensure these rights are upheld, including rules around the selection of a fair jury, the timing of trials, and the conduct of criminal proceedings. If a defendant cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed by the court, as required by the Sixth Amendment and interpreted by the Supreme Court in Gideon v. Wainwright.