When an order grants relief for a nonparty or may be enforced against a nonparty, the procedure for enforcing the order is the same as for a party.
Rule 71.Enforcing relief for or against a nonparty
Group VIII: Provisional and Final Remedies and Special Proceedings · Last amended March 1, 2017 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 71 makes the same enforcement procedures available when a court order grants relief to, or can be enforced against, someone who is not a party to the case.
Full Text of Rule 71
Amendment History
Added February 2, 2017, effective March 1, 2017.
Plain-English Summary
Not every order affects only the people already in a lawsuit. A court might grant relief that helps someone outside the case, or issue an order that binds a nonparty. Rule 71 closes what would otherwise be a gap: the nonparty can enforce that order, or be made to comply with it, through the same procedures that would apply to an actual party.
In practice, this means a stranger to the litigation does not need a separate lawsuit to make use of, or answer for, an order that names them. The court's ordinary enforcement tools reach that nonparty in the same way they would reach a party who lost the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone who is not a party to a lawsuit enforce a court order made in their favor?
Yes. Rule 71 allows a nonparty who benefits from an order to enforce it using the same procedure available to a party.
Can a court order be enforced against someone who was never a party?
Yes, if the order was written to apply to that nonparty; enforcement proceeds the same way it would against a party.
Does the nonparty have to file a new lawsuit to enforce or answer for the order?
No. The existing enforcement procedures apply directly, without starting a separate action.
What kinds of orders does Rule 71 cover?
Any order that grants relief for a nonparty or that may be enforced against a nonparty.
Does relying on Rule 71 make the nonparty a full party to the case?
No. The rule extends enforcement procedure to the nonparty; it does not itself convert that person into a party for every purpose.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Wyoming. Last verified July 14, 2026. ·
Official source
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