Wisconsin Court Case Lookup

Wisconsin Court Case Lookup

A court case in Wisconsin refers to a dispute between aggrieved parties resolved by a Wisconsin Court. There are basically four types of courts in Wisconsin:

• Wisconsin Supreme Court

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over all other courts in the state and discretionary jurisdiction over which cases to review. The Supreme Court also has power over un-attended court cases in Wisconsin.

• Wisconsin Court of Appeals

The Wisconsin Court of Appeals is next to the Supreme Court. It is responsible for correcting errors that occur at the Circuit Court level. The Court of Appeal may review decisions of the Circuit Court by a petition from an aggrieved party.

• Wisconsin Circuit Courts

The Wisconsin Circuit Courts are also known as the state's trial courts. It has authority over criminal and civil cases in the state. Circuit Courts are divided into branches in every county in Wisconsin, excluding six counties paired to share judges.

• Wisconsin Municipal Courts

The Municipal Courts handle cases involving parking, traffic, juvenile, and ordinance matters. As of 2019, the Wisconsin Municipal Courts handle over 450,000 cases.

Interested parties may look up cases remotely via the Wisconsin Case Search portal. There are separate search tools for assessing Circuit Court and Appellate Court cases. Alternatively, a requester can conduct a court case lookup by visiting the courthouses where the case was filed. The requester must be able to provide basic information about the case, like name or case number, to conduct the search. Most Wisconsin courts have public access terminals that can be used to look up court cases.

Are Court Cases Public Record in Wisconsin?

Yes, court cases are public records per Wisconsin Open Records Law. Therefore, anyone can submit a request to view or obtain copies of court records except if they are exempted by law. Examples of records that are confidential are:

• Adoption
• Guardianship
• Paternity pre-adjudication records
• Juvenile proceedings
• Child abuse restraining orders and injunctions
• Wills deposited for safekeeping during the life of the testator

Can I Get Wisconsin Court Case Documents Online?

Yes. Individuals can use either the Circuit Court Search tool or the Appellate Court Search tool to get court case documents in Wisconsin. a search can be conducted by name or case number. Requesters can narrow their search via the Appellate Court Search tool by using the filing date, currennt status, and court type. Search results vary per search tool and case type.

How to Conduct a Wisconsin Court Search by Name

The process of conducting a Wisconsin court search by name varies depending on the court with jurisdiction over the case. For instance, here is how to conduct a court search by name if the Circuit Court handled the case:

• Go to the Wisconsin Court System website
• Click on the “Case Search” menu at the top bar
• Select “Circuit Court” from the dropdown
• Read the information on the page and click on “I Agree”.
• Then conduct a search by party name or business name

After inputting a name in the appropriate search box, the search result will reveal information about every case party bearing that name. The requester can scroll through the names to search for the particular case they want. The case number, filing date, county name, case status, name, date of birth, and caption of the case will be available. A click on the case number will reveal specific information about each case.

What is a Court Case Number?

A court case number is a unique number assigned to a court case. This number allows easy reference to specific civil and criminal cases. It is used to identify the year the case was lodged, the office it was filed, and the judicial officer(s) to whom it was assigned. Using case numbers allows uniform access to case information within the court system. Every document filed with the court must reference the actual case number. This will assist in the proper location of documents within the court.

How to Conduct a Case Number Search in Wisconsin

Wisconsin case numbers can be conducted using the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) and the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Case Access (WSCCA) portals. By using other search alternatives to the case number option, such as case party name, attorney number, or business name, case numbers can be gotten from the resulting search lists.

Case numbers can also be carried out by contacting the courthouses where the cases were filed. Note that such record requests may require regular fee payment from custodians in those courthouses while conducting the search.

How to Remove Court Cases From Public Record in Wisconsin

inndividuals can remove court cases from public records in Wisconsin by askig the court to seal or expunge their cases. per Wis. Stat. § 801.21, case parties can restrict public access to their court cases by filing motions to seal part or all of the document.

How to Check a Court Case Status in Wisconsin

A record seeker can check a court case status online or in person in Wisconsin. Online requests can be made via the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) and the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Case Access (WSCCA) portals. A search can be conducted by party name, birth date, business name, case number, or county. Immediately a search is conducted, the search result will reveal basic case information, including case status. alternatively, a court case status can be done in person at the courthouse. Speak to the staff in charge about your request and provide basic information about the case. The staff will let you know if the case is closed or active.

How to Find Supreme Court Decisions in Wisconsin

Individuals can find Supreme Court opinions from September 1995 till date on the Wisconsin Court System website. The Supreme Court releases opinions by the end of the September-June session. Individuals should expect opinions to be available at approximately 8:30 a.m. CDT on the release date. To find Supreme Court opinions, click the Search for opinions and dispositional orders link on the Wisconsin Court System website. A search can be conducted by case number, date range, and case party's last name. Individuals can also find opinions scheduled for release on the Wisconsin Court System website.

What Percentage of Court Cases Go to Trial in Wisconsin?

Only 3.15% of court cases went to trial in Wisconsin in 2022. Most of the remaining 96.85% of court cases were either dismissed or a plea bargain was organized between the case parties and their attorneys. For instance, 55.33% of the court cases were pled before trial, while 19.05% were dismissed before trial.

How Long Does a Court Case Last in Wisconsin?

Generally, the processing time of a court case differs based on the case type, the court, and the judge in charge of the case. However, Wisconsin civil cases pending for 1 year should be ready for trial within 14 months of filing. A criminal case can take months or years, depending on the case's complexity.

How to File a Case in Court in Wisconsin

An individual can file a case in a Wisconsin Court electronically or manually. This is how to file a case manually:

• Go to the courthouse and request to file a case
• The court clerk will provide the filer with the necessary forms to start the process
• The filer must fill out the form accurately and pay the necessary filing fees.
• After paying the fees, the form should be filed with the clerk of court.

Alternatively, an individual can use the eFiling tools available on the Wisconsin Court System website. The eFiling tool to use depends on the court where the individual wants to file the case. for instance, here is how to file a case in a Circuit Court:

• Go to the eFiling tool for Circuit Courts.
• Filers who do not have an account should click on “Register”.
• Fliers with accounts should click on “Log in to eFile”.
• After logging in to the website, Select the “new filing” link from the main navigation or the “File a new case” link from the bottom-left menu.
• The filer must select the county they are filing in and the applicable class code from the County ad Class code dropdown menus. Then, select the Continue button.
• Add parties to the case by selecting the Add party button.
• Complete the New party window by selecting a Party type and the Add attorney button to add an attorney.
• Select the Save, and Add next party buttons to add additional parties to the case.
• Select the Continue button.
• Upload the necessary case documents by selecting the Upload documents button.
• Select the correct document type, and enter a descriptive title in the Document title text entry field from the Document type dropdown menu,
• Select the Continue button.
• Select the Continue button to proceed.
• Filers should select the checkbox next to the filing(s) they wish to submit or the checkbox next to a county name to submit all filings in that county on the Ready to file page.
• Choose a Payment type, and select the File or File and Pay button.
• On the Filings submitted page, select the Make payment with US Bank button to proceed to the US Bank ePayment website and pay the necessary filing fees.
• Once payment is received, the circuit court processes the new case.
• An email confirmation will be sent to the filer, and the file-stamped document(s) will be visible on the My cases page of the eFiling website.

What Does It Mean if a Court Case Was Resolved Before the Trial Date?

This means that the case parties agree to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods to handle the case rather than going to court. Examples of ADR methods are:

• Plea bargain: This is commonly used in a criminal case. A plea bargain means that the parties have agreed to plead to a lighter charge than the original charge, a particular sentence in exchange for a plea, or a combination of the two.
• Binding arbitration: This is when the case parties consent to a neutral third party making a legally binding decision about the case.
• Direct negotiation: This is when parties exchange offers and counteroffers or discuss the strengths and weaknesses or the merits of their positions without the involvement of a third party.
• Early neutral evaluation: This allows a neutral third party to evaluate the case early in the litigation and provide appraisal and suggestions that will help resolve it efficiently.
• Focus group: This is when a panel of citizens is selected to deliberate on the case and provide an advisory opinion about resolving the dispute. They will also discuss the opinion with the case parties.
• Mediation: This is when a neutral person helps the case parties reach an agreement about the dispute.
• Nonbinding arbitration: This is when the case parties consent to a neutral third party to decide on their behalf. However, they don't need to agree to the decision.