Which rights are guaranteed to the accused in Wyoming's constitution?

• A. Right to counsel and to confront witnesses
• B. Right to counsel only
• C. Right to confront witnesses only
• D. No rights to counsel or confrontation

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is preserving the accused’s ability to challenge the evidence against them through confrontation. Wyoming’s constitution explicitly guarantees that, in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be allowed to confront the witnesses against him. This protection ensures the defense can cross-examine witnesses, test credibility, and expose inconsistencies, which helps ensure fair and reliable verdicts.

The option that recognizes only the right to confront witnesses matches this explicit constitutional protection. The right to counsel, while essential in practice and provided by federal law, is not described in Wyoming’s Constitution as a stand-alone guarantee within its text. Therefore, a choice that includes only the confrontation right best reflects what Wyoming’s constitution expressly guarantees.