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.
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.