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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Wisconsin Court Cases

Court cases are often used as research tools to present or defend an argument on an issue. This can be done by lawyers in the courtroom or by law students for classroom research. Court cases filed in the state of Wisconsin are public records which give easy access to this resource for court case research.

It’s important to know about these court cases, how to research them, and how to access them. Here is where you will find the information that you need to know for researching court cases and court documents in Wisconsin.

About Wisconsin Court Cases

The first thing you should know about these types of court cases is that they are considered to be public records, therefore, the courts provide easy access to these cases. At the same time, if the cases involve the following, public access is restricted:

  • Adoption cases
  • Termination of parental rights
  • Custody cases
  • Sealed or expunged cases
  • Juvenile court cases
  • Cases involving minors

The cases mentioned above will allow access to parties or attorneys involved in the case. For more information about access to these cases, you will need to speak with the clerk of the court’s office.

Wisconsin Court Cases
Wisconsin Court Cases

Researching Wisconsin Court Cases

There are several ways to research court cases in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access allows individuals to access these court cases remotely. You can also research court cases by visiting a Wisconsin County courthouse or by visiting a public library.

The WCCA is a court program that has an interface installed that features an online search portal. This portal will allow you to research court records in Wisconsin from any device capable of accessing the internet. This can be through a remote access device or from a public terminal located in a Wisconsin County courthouse.

Researching these cases requires that the user have either the full name of a party involved in the case or the court case number of the case being researched.

Other Information About Wisconsin Court Cases

Accessing, viewing, obtaining copies, and researching court cases in Wisconsin is done by using the same procedure previously mentioned. If the information is unavailable on the search portal, the circuit court clerk’s office or the county clerk’s office can provide you with that information.

You will need to request copies of court case records and documents from the clerk of the court’s office. The clerk of the court’s office in the county where the case was filed is the record keeper for the case and should have the information on file.

Information and forms can be found on the Wisconsin court system website with full details on how to submit a records request. Requests can be submitted online, in person, by mail, by email, and over the phone. Fees are assessed for research on court case records requests that are submitted without the case number attached. Fees are also assessed for making copies of court case documents and certifying these documents.

You can find contact information for the courts by using the online directory that is available on the Wisconsin judicial system website.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Wisconsin Court Records Search

Public records such as court cases and arrest information are available through online search portals. Typically these portals are maintained by the county or state where the court case was filed and/or heard.

Some online search portals consolidate the different levels of the judicial system into one court program. This makes it easier to streamline court case information and to communicate with various government agencies and attorneys.

Using Wisconsin Court Records Search Portal

Wisconsin is an example of a consolidated online judicial search program. The Wisconsin Court Records Search portal electronically stores court case information and documents from all levels of the Wisconsin court system.

The Wisconsin Court Records Search portal is part of the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access and Consolidated Court Automation Programs in Wisconsin. The portal can be accessed by using the Wisconsin Judicial System website and clicking the “search for records” link found on the website.

This will direct users to the main page of the online search portal. Users are required to agree to the portal’s terms and conditions before they are granted access to the Wisconsin court records search section.

In this section, you can search for court records by using any combination of the following information:

  • Full name(first, last)
  • Name of the business
  • Attorney names
  • Court case number
Wisconsin Court Records Search
Wisconsin Court Records Search

When using the system you have the option to enter additional search criteria to refine or narrow down your search results. This information includes the date of birth, the date the court case was filed, and/or the citation or ticket number.

After you have entered all of the search information that you have, the search result will be processed. The system will display your search results and you will need to look for the court case that you need access to. To help you locate the court case, you can choose to filter the results in ascending or descending order.

Understanding Wisconsin Judicial System

In most cases, judicial systems are split up into different levels based on the severity of the charges or the type of court case it is. Wisconsin for example is split into municipalities, circuit courts, the court of appeals, and the Supreme court. This Wisconsin Supreme court is the highest level and the court is responsible for appeal cases, original action cases, and the court regulates how the law is practiced in the state.

More information about the Wisconsin Judicial System can be found through the Wisconsin State Library. The state library provides online access as well as in-person access to the tools and resources used in the Wisconsin Judicial System.

Contacting Wisconsin Courts

There are several ways that individuals can contact any Wisconsin court of law. You can reach the courts by phone, fax, email, or by going to the courthouse in person. Information about court locations and hours of operation is found on the Wisconsin Judicial System website under the Directory of Wisconsin Courts.

If you wish to quickly access the website, you can do so by clicking on this link https://www.wicourts.gov/casesearch.htm.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Wisconsin Circuit Courts

The Wisconsin Circuit Courts were established as trial-based courts to resolve disputes, criminal violations, and traffic matters in the state of Wisconsin. These courts are considered to be the originating court of jurisdiction.

Wisconsin Circuit Courts are divided into 9 judicial districts. There are a total of 249 Wisconsin circuit court judges assigned to cover the 72 counties in the state. A large number of these judges oversee the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Obtain Wisconsin Circuit Court Documents

The Wisconsin Circuit courts use a consolidated court access program to allow individuals to view and obtain court case records and documents. There is a web portal that provides remote access to the documents as long as you have an internet connection.

These documents can be viewed and printed directly from the portal without visiting a county courthouse. There are public terminals available in the courthouses for the general public to access the portal. This is reserved for individuals that lack internet access.

Wisconsin circuit courts web portal contains information for all court cases filed in the state of Wisconsin. The user-friendly interface allows you to research court cases by name, citation, and/or the court case number. You have the option to narrow down your search results if they are too broad.

Information that is displayed on the portal is the same information that you will find in the courthouse. The only exception is cases that exceed the display period, family court cases, juvenile cases, and cases that are sealed. More information regarding the types of cases that are found on the portal is available in the online tutorial guide. This guide discusses how to search for court records and how to read court documents.

Wisconsin Circuit Courts
Wisconsin Circuit Courts

Information Retrieved From Wisconsin Circuit Courts

As mentioned previously, you have the option to print the court records directly from the portal.

The information that you can obtain from the portal include the following:

  • Case information including the case number, charges, and disposition
  • The date the case was filed and the status of the case
  • The location where the case was filed along with the judicial officer overseeing the case
  • Case notes, documents, events, and hearings that are entered in the consolidated access program

Any information that is not found on the portal can be requested from the county clerk’s office. The instructions for requesting court records is located on the portal.

Contacting Wisconsin Circuit Courts

Every county in Wisconsin has elected officials known as the clerks of the court that are responsible for the daily administrative operations of the courts. Questions about specific cases are referred to the county clerk’s office where the case was filed. This information can be found on the County Clerk’s directory on the web portal. The directory is broken down by judicial districts and each county clerk’s office has a website containing information for that county.

The county clerk’s offices for the circuit courts are maintained and regulated by the Wisconsin Supreme court. The courts consider the record custodians for court documents and must adhere to the Wisconsin state statute.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

WI Court Access

Individuals that need to perform background checks or access court records in Wisconsin are able to do so using the WI court access program. This program allows you to access the court records online using the consolidated court’s unified case records system. You can access this program and website remotely from any location if you have internet access. Otherwise, you will need to visit a Wisconsin County circuit courthouse and use the public terminal.

About WI Court Access

This system is a unified court system program that allows access to case records filed in circuit court. The case records that are on file include every type of court case filed in a Wisconsin court with the exception of cases that are deemed not available to the public. Cases that are not available for public inspection using this system, include the following:

  • Adoption cases
  • Guardianship cases
  • Civil commitments
  • Juvenile delinquency
  • Termination of parental rights
  • Child protection

The head of the committee that oversees the circuit court system believes that the public should know about criminal records. Therefore, sealing or expunging a criminal record in the state of Wisconsin is not easy.

WI Court Access
WI Court Access

Using WI Court Access

This system is not used for just access case records. Individuals can use this system to file cases electronically or to research legal matters. There are legal resources and tools that are available on the website to answer questions regarding criminal issues, divorce, probate, and other legal matters.

This court system program is used throughout different agencies in Wisconsin to exchange information electronically. Information that is exchanged includes the following:

  • Information with the District Attorney’s office regarding criminal and juvenile circuit court cases.
  • Tax warrant issues
  • Traffic case information with the state patrol and Department of Transportation
  • Criminal and forfeiture cases with the Crime Information Bureau

This system is used for jury management and is linked to the Division of Motor Vehicles information database. This assists the circuit courts with processing juror information and selecting a panel of potential jurors for court cases filed in circuit courts.

Questions About WI Court Access

The system is maintained in Madison, Wisconsin by the director of the state courts and the director of state courts offices. They are responsible for updating the WI court access program and ensuring that the system runs smoothly. Therefore, any technical questions regarding the system should be addressed to the WI court access technical support group.

Questions regarding information found using this system should be directed to the circuit clerk of the court’s office. The circuit court clerk’s office in each Wisconsin county is the official recordkeeper of cases filed in their county. If you are unsure how to contact the circuit court clerk’s office, you can use the directory found on the website. The directory will include a list of the main departments for the court and information for the clerk of court for that county.

If you need copies of court case records you will need to call or visit the courthouse and speak with a court clerk for assistance.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

WI Circuit Court Access

In 1992, various agencies in Wisconsin were faced with an overwhelming number of requests for court records. This is what initiated the implementation of the WI circuit court access system that would take over 15 years to complete. County by county implemented this online system in their courthouses and by 2008, the last county joined.

WI Circuit Court Access Purpose

The purpose of the system is to provide a unified system where anyone can access court records including government and law enforcement agencies. There is an oversight and creation committee that is designated to oversee the system and maintain the website. The committee operates under the director of state courts.

This committee handles all issues that pertain to the policies of the circuit court access program.

Using WI Circuit Court Access Program

The circuit court access program is accessible through the following link https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. When using the website, it is important to read the complete terms and conditions of the search portal.

All information that is contained on the website is what is entered in the computer systems at the courthouse and filed in the records department. There is a subscription option that individuals can register for to retrieve information from the circuit court access interface. The subscription option allows users to use automated processes to download information and monitor the system. This option is designed for individuals that want a technical interface rather than a browser interface.

WI Circuit Court Access
WI Circuit Court Access

There is a handbook for using the program and understanding legal terms on the website. The handbook includes a glossary of commonly used legal terms and abbreviations to help users have a better understanding of the information that they are accessing through the portal.

This portal is not just for researching and accessing court records. If you have fees and fines to pay related to a court case, you can use the portal to pay these fees. You can also access calendars for law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and the courts.

You can use the portal to access the live stream court proceedings. The link is located under the calendar navigation toolbar that is on the search portal.

Information About WI Circuit Court Access

This system provides access to a number of court forms that are needed to file a court case. There are various types of court forms that are used when filing court cases. These forms make it possible for individuals to file court cases electronically.

The portal can be used as a resource for understanding the process of filing a court case and understanding what happens when a case is filed in court. The website is easy to explore and contains a plethora of resources for learning about the Wisconsin judicial system and understanding how the court system operates.

If you don’t understand or need clarification about the information on the portal, or if you have questions regarding court documents, you can use the directory on the portal to find contact information for the circuit courts in Wisconsin. You will need to contact the clerk of the court’s office for assistance.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

WI Circuit Court

The WI circuit court was established in 1977, when amendments were approved that allowed the judicial system to be restructured. Until this date, the trial courts in Wisconsin were divided into county and circuit court cases. The amendment allowed the courts to become a unified system creating one court to handle all of these cases.

How the WI Circuit Court Works

The circuit courts in Wisconsin receive funding from the state and the county. These funds are used to pay court officials their salaries and cover the cost of traveling and training for judges. State and county funds are also used to pay operating costs, court-appointed attorneys and witnesses, jurors, grants, and court interpreters.

There are 72 counties in the state of Wisconsin with 249 circuit court judges to hear cases in these counties. These counties are divided into 9 administrative districts with a chief judge in each district. The appointment of chief judge is determined by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and this elected official serves a 2-year term.

The duties and responsibilities of the chief judge include the following:

  • Maintain and oversee the administration in each district
  • Assign a deputy chief judge
  • Work with circuit court officials and staff
  • Meet monthly
  • Perform duties under direction from the Supreme Court
WI Circuit Court
WI Circuit Court

Cases that are filed in a WI circuit court include civil, traffic, criminal, probate, and juvenile court cases. In this trial court, cases are heard with arguments presented by both parties. The outcome of the case is determined by a judge or jury. The unfavorable party is able to appeal the court’s decision after the court proceedings.

About WI Circuit Court Records

Any case that is filed in a Wisconsin court is maintained by clerks of that courthouse. The courthouse is required to retain circuit court records for 20 years after the final entry of the court proceeding. These records are available to the public online and in the courthouse where the case was filed. The retention period for online records and documents differs from the retention period of paper court records.

Circuit court records contain information pertaining to a court case including the following:

  • Warrants, citations, indictments, complaints, and other types of documents used to file a case.
  • Information about the parties involved in the case including addresses, date of birth, and other personal information.
  • Evidence used in the court hearings
  • Transcripts of court events and hearings
  • Information about the status of a case, the disposition in a case, the date the case was filed, where the case was filed, and the judge assigned to the case.

Anyone who wishes to obtain copies of this information can print it directly from the website or by visiting the courthouse where the case originated.

Questions About WI Circuit Court Records

For questions about the proceedings in a circuit court case, individuals would need to contact the clerk’s office that filed the court case. This link https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/circuit/judges.htm can be used to access the directory for each courthouse in the state of Wisconsin.