A living will—also known as an Advance Health Care Directive—is a document in which the declarant or principal (person making the living will) specifies what kind of medical treatment the declarant does and does not want if the declarant has a medical emergency and is unable to communicate those wishes. A living will may direct health care providers to administer, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining treatments if the declarant is in a terminal or irreversible condition.

Laws and terminology for documents related to living wills, Advance Health Care Directives, Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNRs), and other health care documents vary from state to state. These laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the probate code or estates code.

In Wyoming, a living will or Advance Health Care Directive is a legal document that allows an individual, known as the declarant, to outline their preferences for medical treatment in the event that they are unable to communicate their wishes due to a medical emergency. This document can specify whether the declarant wants to receive, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining treatments if they are in a terminal condition or in a state that is considered irreversible. Wyoming law provides the framework for creating a valid living will, which typically requires the document to be in writing, signed by the declarant, and witnessed by one or more individuals who meet certain criteria. The state's statutes will detail the specific requirements for executing a living will, the scope of medical decisions it can cover, and how it interacts with other health care directives, such as Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNRs). It is important for individuals to understand their state's specific regulations and to ensure that their living will is compliant with those laws to be effective.