Opinion ID: 1128230
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Befus' Theory for Relief

Text: The Befus estate says that the indemnity and hold-harmless aspects of § 1-39-104(b) (see n. 3) inure to its benefit for two reasons: first, the plain language of the statute dictates that a State employee in Befus' position will be indemnified and held harmless and, secondly, the Act contemplates that Befus was a member of the class of State employees which the legislature intended would be protected since the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act abrogates Befus' common-law immunity which it first reaffirms in § 1-39-104(a) (see n. 6) and then removes in § 1-39-105 (see n. 1). In short, it is the position of the Befus estate that, absent the Wyoming Governmental Claims Act, Hamlin would not have been possessed of standing to bring a negligence suit because Befus would have been protected by the common-law sovereign-immunity doctrine, but, since the Act has removed this immunity through § 1-39-105, Befus falls within the class of public employee that the legislature said and intended would be indemnified and held harmless according to the mandate of § 1-39-104(b).