Wyoming Boys' School Abuse Trial Begins
A federal judge has allowed some claims by former residents of the Worland facility to proceed to trial.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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The first trial over alleged abuse at the Wyoming Boys' School is set to begin, concerning claims by former resident Blaise Chivers-King. U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl ruled in October that some, but not all, of his claims can go to trial.
Why it matters
The case tests whether staff at the state-run juvenile facility violated residents' constitutional rights through isolation and force. Its outcome could shape how Wyoming oversees the treatment of detained youth.
Judge Skavdahl ruled some claims can proceed while others were dismissed, and Tolar's trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 30. The defendants assert qualified immunity, and the outcome of their defense has not yet been determined.
The players
Scott Skavdahl
U.S. District Judge for the District of Wyoming, presiding over the Boys' School cases in federal court in Casper.
Wyoming Department of Family Services
The Wyoming state agency that oversees the Wyoming Boys' School and its residential programs for delinquent youth.
The details
Chivers-King, who served two stints of roughly 11 months each between ages 15 and 17, alleges staff violated his 14th Amendment rights through isolation, excessive force and denial of due process. Skavdahl also denied a defense request to bar the term "solitary confinement" at trial, and defendants plan to present items including a "spit mask" and mechanical restraints.
Timeline
2024: Six former residents lodged complaints against the facility.
October 2025: Skavdahl ruled some of Chivers-King's claims could go to trial.
Last month: Skavdahl denied the request to bar the term "solitary confinement."
Nov. 30: Tolar's trial is scheduled to start.
Legal Context
Federal courts have increasingly examined isolation and use-of-force practices in juvenile facilities under the 14th Amendment's due process protections. The Wyoming case tests whether qualified immunity shields staff who placed residents in extended isolation.
Families with children in Wyoming's juvenile system may want to understand how the state treats detained youth. The trials could influence oversight and conditions at the Worland facility that houses boys ages 12 to 21.
The takeaway
Court rulings in these cases may clarify when juvenile detention practices cross constitutional lines. Readers following Wyoming's juvenile justice system can watch the Nov. 30 trial for how judges and juries weigh those claims.
What happens next
Tolar's trial is scheduled to start Nov. 30, and the Chivers-King trial is set to begin at the end of the month.
Further reading
Explore more on Criminal Justice developments affecting Wyoming's juvenile detention system.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WyoFile.
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