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, refuse, or discontinue life-sustaining treatments if they are diagnosed with a terminal or irreversible condition. Wyoming law recognizes living wills under the Wyoming Health Care Decisions Act. The Act allows individuals to appoint a health care agent through a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care to make decisions on their behalf if they become incapacitated. Additionally, individuals can issue Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, which instruct medical personnel not to perform CPR if the patient's breathing or heartbeat stops. It is important for Wyoming residents to comply with the specific requirements set forth in state statutes to ensure that their Advance Health Care Directives are legally valid and enforceable.