In the state of Wisconsin, every citizen has the authority to view, inspect, and copy public records. This would include court records, arrest records, and civil records. Employers and landlords use this information to determine if a person is reliable to hire or rent to.
How do you locate Wisconsin arrest records?
There are several ways to locate information about an individual arrested or who has had a case filed against them. The Wisconsin State Police or Crime Information Bureau provides statewide information regarding citizens in Wisconsin. Another place to locate arrest records can be found with the county jails or the county Sheriff’s office.
Most sheriff’s offices provide an information line or website where the general public can inquire about an individual’s arrest. However, it should be mentioned that arrest records differ from conviction records. Individuals can have arrest records without having a conviction for that arrest.
If an arrest was made by a municipality, city, or locality, you would need to locate the records through the appropriate law enforcement agency. If a court case developed from the arrest records, you can check with the county, municipal, or state courts for further information.
The Criminal History Unit which is part of the Wisconsin Department of Justice can provide information related to criminal history records for individuals in Wisconsin. Not all information on record with the Criminal History Unit is available to the public.
Are arrest records public?
Arrest information that has not been expunged or sealed is deemed public records. Anyone with access to the internet can access these records by performing an online search for these records.
Do you need to pay for Wisconsin arrest records?
Wisconsin arrest records are free and available for the public to access and view. If you are looking for a complete background check you would need to contact the Wisconsin Crime Information Bureau and there are fees involved. These fees can be paid when requesting information from the Criminal History Unit that is located within the Department of Justice. This division of the Department of Justice handles requests received through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System. The fees for information accessed through this system can be found through the Crime Information Bureau website.
How do you perform a Wisconsin background check?
A Wisconsin background check is performed through the following link https://recordcheck.doj.wi.gov/. This system allows both authorized personnel and public users to submit and view requests online. A training document is located on the website that needs to be viewed before an individual can request Wisconsin criminal information. Results take time to process and you must have the order number given at the time of the request, to access the online results. All results that are received are given online.
If a request result is unable to be provided online, you would have to submit the appropriate forms to obtain the information. If you have any questions regarding the Wisconsin Online Record Check System, you would need to contact the Wisconsin Department of Justice.