Tag: wisconsin supreme court

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

WI Court

Wisconsin became a state in 1848 and this is when the WI court system based its model on the constitution of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin constitution divided the court system into 5 judicial divisions. It wasn’t until 1853 that the Wisconsin Supreme court was established.

About the WI Court System

The court system in Wisconsin is designed to uphold Wisconsin state laws while protecting the constitutional rights of the citizens of Wisconsin. The court is responsible for maintaining court records, filing court cases, conducting court proceedings, and deciding the outcome of the court cases that are filed.

The current unified design of the WI court system was not established until the late 20th century. Prior to the change, the court system was divided into county and circuit courts and each division was responsible for specific cases.

History of WI Court

Although the reorganization of the WI court system was not effective until the 1970s, several changes were implemented beginning in the late 1950s to abolish certain courts that were part of the original structure.

The Wisconsin Constitution established 5 judicial districts and power was divided among the following courts:

  • Justices of the Peace
  • Supreme Court
  • Circuit Courts
  • Probate Courts
  • Inferior courts and municipal courts determined by the jurisdiction

Each county had separate policies, procedures, and varying types of jurisdiction. In 1959, laws were enacted requiring a unified system for policies and procedures for every county in Wisconsin. This eliminated the uneven distribution of workloads and caseloads in each county. This led to the development of the Administrative Director of Courts which is known as the Director of State Courts today.

WI Court
WI Court

WI Court Administrative Division

The administrative division of the courts is maintained by the Director of State Courts. The Director of State Courts performs duties and responsibilities according to the direction of the chief justice and is located in Madison. The director is the lead nonjudicial officer of the court system.

The director of the state courts is responsible for the following:

  • Developing the court system’s budget
  • Planning and research of the WI court system
  • Judicial education
  • The court information system
  • Circuit level judicial assignments

Other duties are assigned to the director and outlined in Wisconsin SCR Chapter 70.

There are a total of nine Director of State Courts offices throughout the state of Wisconsin. These offices are staffed with district court administrators and district court administrative assistants. The district court administrative staff is responsible for managing the district that it is assigned to.

Division of Director of State Courts Offices

The director of state courts’ offices is divided into different divisions. Each division is responsible for specific functions and duties of the WI court.

The offices include the following:

  • Director of state courts
  • Consolidated court automation programs
  • Medical mediation panels
  • Director of court operations
  • Office of judicial education
  • Office of management services
  • Children’s court improvement program

The contact information for the director of state courts office is:

Honorable Randy R. Koschnick Director

16E Capitol Bldg

PO Box 1688

Madison, Wisconsin 53701

Phone: 608-266-6828

Fax: 608-267-0980

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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.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Wisconsin Simple Case Search

There are a number of ways that you can obtain court case records in the state of Wisconsin. One of the most common ways is by performing a Wisconsin simple case search. This type of search can be conducted online by visiting the consolidated court programs website.

Understanding Wisconsin Simple Case Search

When you conduct a simple case search, you are able to retrieve court documents that have been filed in a courthouse in Wisconsin. This is helpful if you are not sure where the case was filed or if you want to search for all counties in Wisconsin.

The website allows you to search for civil and criminal cases, produce reports, and search attorney’s calendars. The search can be conducted remotely from a device that can access the internet or by using a public terminal located in a Wisconsin courthouse.

Using Wisconsin Simple Case Search

To use the simple case search, you will need to access the following link https://www.wicourts.gov/. Once you have accessed the link you will need to click on the case search drop-down menu located on the navigation bar at the top of the web page. You will select circuit court and you will be directed to the terms and conditions of the website. You will need to click the button “I Agree” to proceed.

This will bring you to the case search page. You will need to click the “search” dropdown menu and select simple. This is also the default search type when you get to the search page.

Wisconsin Simple Case Search
Wisconsin Simple Case Search

When using the simple case search you can search by party name, business name, case number. For a party name search, you can enter a partial name as long as you enter at least 3 letters for both the first and last name followed by the asterisk symbol.

You will have the option to conduct a countywide simple case search or a statewide simple case search. If you want to refine your search results, you can add the date of birth or middle name. You also have the option to display results that include or exclude these search criteria.

Once you have entered all of your search criteria, you will click on the search button. Once the search is complete, your search results will be displayed. You will need to scroll through the search results to find the court record that you are looking for.

Click on the link for the case number and this will display the case summary screen. If the case is still open you will receive a message informing you that the case has not been concluded.

You will have access to the title of the case, the case number, case status, all parties involved in the case, all court events, notes and documents that have been entered in the case, and the charges for the case.

Questions About Wisconsin Simple Case Search

If you have questions about performing a simple case search, there is a link on the website that you can click on for technical support.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

About Wisconsin Court Access

The Wisconsin Court Access is an online circuit court system created in 1999, to access cases filed in Wisconsin Circuit Courts. The Wisconsin Court Access allows the general public, court officials, the media, attorneys, and law enforcement to access court records in a unified and consolidated system.

Case information is uploaded to the system regularly with the exception of scheduled periodic maintenance to the system. The information that is available in the system is a digital copy of the records found in the county courts. The county courts for each county are the recordkeepers for the cases filed in that county, yet the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Committee is responsible for maintaining the online search portal.

Using Wisconsin Court Access

If you wish to use the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access online search portal, you would need to go to the WCCA website. Once you have accessed the WCCA website, you will need to agree to the terms and conditions found on the website to proceed with a search.

When using the online search portal you can search for cases by name, case number, and/or citation number. You can also perform advanced searches to narrow down your search results. This allows you to enter the following additional information:

  • The date the court case was filed.
  • The case status
  • The case disposition date
  • Date of birth
  • Attorney name
  • Business name
  • Offense date
Wisconsin Court Access
Wisconsin Court Access

You also have the option to perform a statewide or countywide search. It is recommended to search statewide if you are unsure of what county the case was filed in. After 2 years, if certain types of cases were dismissed, the information is removed from the online search portal. However, the information would still be available in the county clerk’s office where the case was filed. To access dismissed court cases after 2 years, you would need to contact the county clerk’s office where the case was filed.

Questions About WCCA

If you have questions about court cases that you access on the Wisconsin Court Access online search portal, you would need to contact the county clerk’s office. If the question is a technical question regarding the WCCA website, you can send a message through the contact us link found on the WCCA website.

There is a set of FAQs found on the website that can answer general questions that you may have. This includes understanding the abbreviations used on the court documents, how to perform a search, what types of cases you have access to, and what information you will find on the Wisconsin Court Access online search portal.

In general, you can access criminal, traffic, civil, family, and probate cases in compliance with the Wisconsin open records law. This law states that circuit court records are made available for inspection by the general public.

If changes are made to the portal, the WCCA committee will inform the public of these changes by placing a notice on the website. The most recent changes made to the site were made in 2018. These are made to the site are to make the site more user-friendly for the public.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

CCAP Wisconsin Case Search

Simple Case Search Wisconsin

Are you looking for information on a specific case? Well, you need to know that you can find so much information about the case you are interested in by using the Wisconsin court system to find the information you want. The Wisconsin court system is an online site that provides access to various court records. Legal experts, lawyers, and anyone interested in a particular case can use these court records to learn more about an individual or a business. This complete guide will help you learn about simple case search Wisconsin.

What Does a CCAP Wisconsin Case Search Involve?

CCAP Wisconsin Case Search refers to the process of looking for information and details about a specific case. Wisconsin residents can conduct case searches online through the Wisconsin court system website. The Wisconsin court system website contains copies of documents and information about the court of appeals cases, Supreme Court opinions, federal district court records, and historical records.

Available Court Records in the Wisconsin Court System Website

The public can use the Wisconsin court system website to access the following court records:

  • Circuit Court Records

1994 to current circuit court records are available on the circuit court records database. You can request more information about your court record of interest from the clerk of court.

  • Court of Appeal and Supreme Court Records

The Wisconsin court system website provides the public with access to the court of appeal and Supreme Court opinions from 1995 to date. Wisconsin residents can also use Google scholar to find the court of appeal and Supreme Court opinions that are not available on the Wisconsin court system website. You can also use the Wisconsin court system website to access select briefs and opinions from 2009 to date and electronically filed brief from 2009 to current. Scanned briefs will continue to be added, while appendices, petitions for review, and briefs from confidential cases can be given to the public when requested. Westlaw’s opinions and opinions for unpublished and published court records are also found on the Wisconsin court system website.

  • Federal Court Records

The public can access federal court dockets, opinions, and fillings on PACER and Google scholar. Federal court records from 1990 to date are available. You will also find the seventh circuit court records, western district opinions, and the western district bankruptcy court opinion.

  • Municipal Court Records

Municipal court records are maintained by the individual municipal courts and not by the CCAP Wisconsin Case Search court system website.

  • Historical Records

Historical records are uploaded on the Wisconsin court system website once the Wisconsin Historical Society makes them available. The Wisconsin Historical Society can also remove records at will. Some of the public historical records include docket books, docket records, minute books, orders admitting attorneys to practice, and original actions.

Retention and Maintenance of Court Records

Court records of felony, misdemeanor, dismissed criminal cases, eviction cases, and small claim cases in the Wisconsin court system website are removed after two years from disposition if the individual was set free or the case was dismissed. These court records are removed for privacy reasons and ensure that the Wisconsin court system website functions efficiently.

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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

CCAP WIS

A Comprehensive Review of CCAP- Wisconsin Court System

What is CCAP WIS?

CCAP in full means Consolidated Court Automation Programs. CCAP is the information technology wing that feeds and supports the entire Wisconsin Court system. CCAP aims to keep reliable and credible court data and information uniformly.

The state-of-the-art technology aids the entire Wisconsin Courts to access, maintain, store and secure critical information. Through integration and optimization of the courts’ systems on CCAP, this has led to increased satisfaction and confidence of the Wisconsin Courts and Court systems. CCAP is managed and updated regularly by a circuit clerk.

How CCAP WIS Works

CCAP functions by creating a record for every case by capturing the following details: the names of all parties in a case, lawsuits fillings, court proceedings, orders issued by the judges and the final judgment on matters.

Moreover, the data stored and secured in the CCAP portal can be accessed by both the public domain and the court staff.

Court Records on CCAP WIS

Residents of Wisconsin can access court records by requesting copies of the documents from the Clerk of the court. However, records for the Court of Appeal and Supreme court can be obtained from the CCAP WIS portal. Notably, you can access documents from 1995 to date. Below is a guide on how to access courts records.

Recent Records and Opinions

Circuit Courts

The summary of events and fillings in every case for almost all counties are available from 1995 to date. They are available under the Circuit Court Records database section.

Library lacks information on county court records since copies can be obtained from the Clerk of the court.

Court of Appeal and Supreme Court

  • The website contains records for these two courts since 1995 to present.
  • Opinions for the Supreme Court date back to 195o while those of the Court of Appeal date back to 1978.
  • Selected briefs are also available on the website up to 2009. Moreover, eFiled and non-eFilled briefs are available from July 1, 2009.
  • Confidential cases’ appendices, petitions for review and briefs are not updated on the site but can be directly requested from the Clerk of the court.
  • Opinions and briefs for both published and unpublished cases are also available in paper from as early as 1839.
  • Federal Court Records
  • Dockets and filings can be researched in PACER, although the coverage varies with the courts. Records date back to the 1990s.
  • Western District opinions can be found online dating back to April 2004.

Municipal Courts

  • Records are not found in WICCAP. Individual municipal courts store them.

Historical Records

Older and appellate court records are provided to the Wisconsin Historical Society once their retention period has elapsed. The historical society is the officially authorized entity mandated to collect, maintain, and avail vital records of the Wisconsin court system. Moreover, they remove or preserve selected files from the documents.

Search Guide for a Catalog on the Website

For more straightforward navigation for a specific court case under the Basic Search page, search for a county name rather than the party’s name,

List of Records Found on the Website

  • Case files dated from 1839 for both Wisconsin Supreme and Appeal Courts.
  • Court Calendars in volumes.
  • Docket Books and Records
  • Minute and Motion dockets
  • Orders of admission to the bar for attorneys
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CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

Using The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Online Portal

CCAP Wisconsin Court RecordsWisconsin has an online portal that provides access to certain public records of the state’s courts. The records can be viewed by anyone, regardless of whether they are a Wisconsin resident or not. This article will show you how to use CCAP Wisconsin Court Records.

The website for the WCCA (Wisconsin Circuit Court Access) portal is at www.wccabeta.wicourts.gov.

How to Access CCAP Wisconsin Court Records

For those who want to search for public records and cases on the portal, just follow the steps below.

1. Copy the URL link of the WCCA portal above and paste it into the address bar of your web browser of choice. Alternatively, you can use the old version of the WCCA portal at www.wcca.wicourts.gov/index.xsl if the new one is down.

2. Read the WCCA page thoroughly and carefully so that you’ll know what to expect when using the portal. Once you’ve read through everything and approved of the terms, click on the blue “I agree” button.

3. Clicking on the button will take you to the search page itself. Take note that you would need to provide certain information before the portal can pull records for you. The information that you can provide include:

a. The person’s complete first name and last name. You can also provide a middle name if the person has one. There’s a checkbox that you can tick off if you want records from parties without middle names.

b. Business name. It’s best if you can provide the exact name of the business as it is written on its public registration records.

c. Case number. You can type in the exact case number or a shortened version of it (e.g. for case 2003cf000001, you can type in 03cf1- with the zeros omitted). To further narrow down the results, you can specify the exact county where you want the records to be pulled from. If you don’t know what county the record will be coming from, then just leave it at “Statewide.”

Notes to remember: You need to have at least one of the required information above to search for records on the portal. You can provide the birth date (if there’s any) and county if you want more accurate results.

4. The portal will then present you a list of results that match your search parameters. Depending on whether or not the person you’re looking for has a common name, this list can number into the hundreds. Thankfully, the search results page also has filter options. Aside from the search parameters mentioned above, you can also filter the results according to filing date and case status (Open, Closed, Filed Only). You also have the option to search the captions from the results pages.

5. If you find the case that you’re looking for, just click on the case number. Complete the captcha prompt that will pop up.

6. Upon answering the captcha, you’ll be taken to a condensed account of the results of the case (whether the defendant was found guilty or not, etcetera). You need to click on the “More Details” button if you want a full account of the case. This will take you to a page with more complete records, which may include the list of the full charges against the defendant, history of charges and sentences, citations, court receivables, and others.