The Casper Star-Tribune has filed a petition seeking the release of records in child endangerment cases that don't involve sex crimes.

The petition asks the Natrona County District Court to order the Natrona County Circuit Court to provide the public with access to documents in child endangerment cases. The circuit court does not release records of any case involving juvenile victims, although the proceedings themselves are open to the public.

An attorney for the Star-Tribune contends state law concerning child endangerment only blocks the release of records when they pertain to cases of a sexual nature.

"What we are really asking for is the court to be as open and accessible as possible to the public," said attorney Bruce Moats, who's also represented the Wyoming Press Association.

Circuit court judges maintain they are following Wyoming law by denying the release of criminal cases with juvenile victims.

The newspaper's petition was prompted after the circuit court declined to release documents related to criminal cases against two men charged in connection with the August boating death of an 11-year-old boy.

"Our inability to access court records has severely hampered our ability to cover this story for the people of Natrona County," said Star-Tribune Editor Chad Baldwin. "And it is an important story. People want to know, and need to know, the factors that led to criminal charges in the case."

The newspaper faced a similar issue accessing records last year after prosecutors charged a Natrona County woman with providing alcohol to two teenagers. After receiving the alcohol, one of the teenagers died and the other was critically injured in a car crash.

"The basic principle of an open court system is a fundamental piece of our system of government," Baldwin said. "I would argue that if the courtroom is open in a criminal proceeding, as it is in these cases, the court records, with few exceptions, should be open as well."

The petition does not challenge the circuit court's practice of blocking access to sexual cases. As a policy, the Star-Tribune does not publish the names of both adult and child victims of sex crimes.

In its court filing, the Star-Tribune also asks that a circuit court judge appear at hearing to explain why the records in question shouldn't be released. The paper further asks the circuit court be ordered to list all child endangerment cases on the public docket.

Reach crime reporter Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.