Rule 12 – Pleadings and motions before trial; defenses and objections

May 14, 2021 | Criminal Procedure, Wyoming

(a) Pleadings and motions.

Pleadings in criminal proceedings shall be the indictment, the information or the citation, and the pleas entered pursuant to Rule 11. All other pleas, demurrers and motions to quash are abolished, and defenses and objections raised before trial which heretofore could have been raised by one or more of them shall be raised only by motion to dismiss or to grant appropriate relief, as provided in these rules.

(b) Pretrial motions.

Any defense, objection, or request which is capable of determination without the trial of the general issue may be raised before trial by motion. Motions may be written or oral at the discretion of the judge. The following must be raised prior to trial:

(1) Defenses and objections based on defects in the institution of the prosecution;
(2) Defenses and objections based on defects in the indictment or information (other than that it fails to show jurisdiction in the court or to charge an offense which objections shall be noticed by the court at any time during the pendency of the proceedings);
(3) Motions to suppress evidence;
(4) Requests for discovery under Rule 16; or
(5) Request for a severance of charges or defendants under Rule 14.
(c) Mental illness or deficiency.

If it appears at any stage of a criminal proceeding by motion or upon the court’s own motion, that there is reasonable cause to believe that the defendant has a mental illness or deficiency making the defendant unfit to proceed, all further proceedings shall be suspended and an examination ordered as required by W.S. 7-11-301 et seq.

(d) Motion date.

Unless otherwise provided by local rule, the court may, at the time of the arraignment or as soon thereafter as practicable, set a time for the making of pretrial motions or requests and, if required, a later date of hearing.

(e) Notice by state of intention to use evidence.

(1) At Discretion of State. – At the arraignment or as soon thereafter as is practicable, the state may give notice to the defendant of its intention to use specific evidence at trial in order to afford the defendant an opportunity to raise objections to such evidence prior to trial under subdivision (b)(3).
(2) At Request of Defendant. – At the arraignment or as soon thereafter as is practicable the defendant may, in order to afford an opportunity to move to suppress evidence under subdivision (b)(3), request notice of the state’s intention to use (in its evidence in chief at trial) any evidence which the defendant may be entitled to discover under Rule 16, subject to any relevant limitations prescribed in Rule 16.
(f) Ruling on motion.

A motion made before trial shall be determined before trial unless the court, for good cause, orders that it be deferred for determination at the trial of the general issue or until after verdict, but no such determination shall be deferred if a party’s right to appeal is adversely affected. Where factual issues are involved in determining a motion, the court shall state its essential findings on the record.

(g) Effect of failure to raise defenses or objections, or to make requests.

Failure by a party to raise defenses or objections or to make requests which must be made prior to trial, at the time set by the court pursuant to subdivision (d), or prior to any extension thereof made by the court, shall constitute waiver thereof, but the court for cause shown may grant relief from the waiver.

(h) Records.

A verbatim record shall be made of all proceedings at the hearing, including such findings of fact and conclusions of law as are made orally.

(i) Effect of determination.

If the court grants the motion based on a defect in the institution of the prosecution or in the indictment or information, it may also order that the defendant be continued in custody or that bail be continued for a specified time not to exceed 48 hours pending the filing of a new indictment or information.

(j) Production of statements at suppression hearing.

Except as herein provided, Rule 26.2 shall apply at a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence under subdivision (b)(3). For purposes of this subdivision, a law enforcement officer shall be deemed a witness called by the state, and upon a claim of privilege the court shall excise the portion of the statement containing privileged matter.

Rule 12.1 Notice of alibi.

(a) Notice by defendant.

Upon written demand of the attorney for the state stating the time, date, and place at which the alleged offense was committed, the defendant shall serve within 10 days, or at such different time as the court may direct, upon the attorney for the state a written notice of the defendant’s intention to offer a defense of alibi. Such notice by the defendant shall state the specific place or places at which the defendant claims to have been at the time of the alleged offense and the names and addresses of the witnesses upon whom the defendant intends to rely to establish such alibi.

(b) Disclosure of information by state.

Within 10 days thereafter, but in no event less than 10 days before trial, unless the court otherwise directs, the attorney for the state shall serve upon the defendant or the defendant’s attorney a written notice stating the names and addresses of the witnesses upon whom the state intends to rely to establish the defendant’s presence at the scene of the alleged offense and any other witnesses to be relied on to rebut testimony of any of the defendant’s alibi witnesses.

(c) Continuing duty to disclose.

If prior to or during trial, a party learns of an additional witness whose identity, if known, should have been included in the information furnished under subdivision (a) or (b), the party shall promptly notify the other party or the attorney for the other party of the existence and identity of such additional witness.

(d) Failure to comply.

Upon the failure of either party to comply with the requirements of this rule, the court may exclude the testimony of any undisclosed witness offered by such party as to the defendant’s absence from, or presence at, the scene of the alleged offense. This rule shall not limit the right of the defendant to testify in the defendant’s own behalf.

(e) Exceptions.

For good cause shown, the court may grant an exception to any of the requirements of subdivisions (a) through (d).

(f) Inadmissibility of withdrawn alibi.

Evidence of an intention to rely upon an alibi defense, later withdrawn, or of statements made in connection with such intention, is not admissible in any civil or criminal proceeding against the person who gave notice of the intention.

Rule 12.2 Defense of mental illness or deficiency.

(a) Plea.

If a defendant intends to rely upon the defense of mental illness or deficiency at the time of the alleged offense, the defendant shall enter a plea of not guilty by reason of mental illness or deficiency at arraignment. For good cause the court may permit the plea to be entered at a later time. If there is a failure to comply with the requirements of this subdivision, evidence of mental illness or deficiency may not be introduced.

(b) Expert testimony of defendant’s mental condition.

If a defendant intends to introduce expert testimony relating to a mental illness or deficiency or any other mental condition of the defendant bearing upon the issue of guilt, the defendant shall, within the time provided for the filing of pretrial motions or at such later time as the court may direct, notify the attorney for the state in writing of such intention and file a copy of such notice with the clerk. The requirement of this subdivision is in addition to the disclosures required by Rule 12.3. The court may for cause shown allow late filing of the notice or grant additional time to the parties to prepare for trial or make such other order as may be appropriate.

(c) Mental examination of defendant.

Upon the entry of a plea of not guilty by reason of mental illness or deficiency under W.S. 7-11-301 et seq., the court shall order an examination as required by statute. No statement made by the defendant in the course of any examination or treatment and no information received by any person in the course thereof is admissible in evidence in any criminal proceeding on any issue other than that of the mental condition of the defendant except that if the defendant testifies, any statement made by the defendant in the course of examination or treatment pursuant to W.S. 7-11-301 et seq., may be admitted:

(1) For impeachment purposes; or
(2) As evidence in a criminal prosecution for perjury.
(d) Failure to comply.

If there is a failure to give notice when required by subdivision (b) or to submit to an examination when ordered under subdivision (c), the court may exclude the testimony of any expert witness offered by the defendant on the issue of the defendant’s defense of mental illness or deficiency.

(e) Inadmissibility of withdrawn plea or notice.

Evidence of a plea or notice given under subdivision (b), later withdrawn, is not, in any civil or criminal proceeding, admissible against the defendant.

(f) Expansion of rights.

Nothing in this rule is intended to expand the circumstances where a claim of mental illness or deficiency or any other mental condition may be raised.

Rule 12.3 Notice of defense of unconsciousness, automatism, or traumatic automatism.

(a) Notice by defendant.

Upon written demand of the attorney for the state, stating the time, date, and place at which the alleged offense was committed, the defendant shall serve within 10 days, or at such different time as the court may direct, upon the attorney for the state, a written notice of the defendant’s intention to offer a defense of unconsciousness, automatism, or traumatic automatism. Such notice by the defendant shall state with particularity the facts upon which the defendant relies to justify the defense of unconsciousness, automatism, or traumatic automatism and the name and addresses of the witnesses upon whom the defendant intends to rely to establish such defense.

(b) Examination of defendant.

Upon the filing of such notice by the defendant, the court shall order an examination of the defendant by a designated examiner. A written report of such examination shall be filed with the clerk of court, and the report shall include detailed findings and an opinion of the examiner as to whether the defendant did suffer from unconsciousness, automatism, or traumatic automatism at the time of the alleged offense. The clerk of court shall furnish copies of the report to the attorney for the state and the defendant or the defendant’s counsel.

(c) Disclosure of information by state.

Within 10 days after the examiner’s report is served upon the attorney for the state, but in no event not less than 10 days before trial unless the court otherwise directs, the attorney for the state shall serve upon the defendant or the defendant’s attorney a written notice stating the names and addresses of the witnesses upon whom the state intends to rely to establish that the defendant did not, at the time of the alleged offense, suffer from unconsciousness, automatism, or traumatic automatism and any other witnesses, to be relied upon to rebut testimony of any of the defendant’s witnesses relating to such a defense.

(d) Continuing duty to disclose.

If prior to or during trial, a party learns of an additional witness whose identity, if known, should have been included in the information furnished under subdivision (a) or (b) the party shall promptly notify the other party or the attorney for the other party of the existence and identity of such additional witness.

(e) Failure to comply.

Upon the failure of either party to comply with the requirements of this rule, the court may exclude the testimony of any undisclosed witness offered by such party as to the defense of unconsciousness, automatism, or traumatic automatism. This rule shall not limit the right of the defendant to testify on the defendant’s own behalf.

(f) Exceptions.

For good cause shown, the court may grant an exception to any of the requirements of subdivisions (a) through (e).

(g) Inadmissibility of withdrawn defense.

Evidence of an intention to rely upon the defense of unconsciousness, automatism, or traumatic automatism later withdrawn, or of statements made in connection with such intention, is not, in any civil or criminal proceeding, admissible against the person who gave notice of the intention.

Wyo. R. Prac. & P. 12