Wisconsin Court Records
How Wisconsin's courts are organized, where their records are kept and how to search them.
Wisconsin's Circuit Court Access site, known as WCCA or CCAP, is one of the most widely used court record searches in the country. It covers circuit court cases in all 72 counties for free.
Wisconsin law removes some cases from WCCA, such as dismissed criminal cases after a period of time.
WCCA shows the court record summary, including charges, hearings and outcomes, but not the documents themselves. To get copies, contact the clerk of circuit court in the county where the case was filed.
How Wisconsin's courts are organized
Wisconsin has three levels of state courts, plus municipal courts.
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Seven justices hear appeals they choose to review.
Wisconsin Court of Appeals
Four districts hear most appeals from the circuit courts.
Circuit courts
The single trial court in each county, hearing civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, traffic and small claims cases.
Municipal courts
Local courts that hear ordinance and traffic violations.
Searching Wisconsin court records online
WCCA is the starting point for Wisconsin circuit court cases.
- Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA)Free statewide search of Wisconsin circuit court cases.
- Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals AccessFree search of appellate cases.
- Wisconsin Court SystemOpinions, court directories, forms and self-help.
Getting records from the clerk's office
The clerk of circuit court in each county keeps the files. Probate records are kept by the register in probate. Copies and certified copies are available for set fees.
Deeds are kept by the county register of deeds.
Clerks of circuit court in Wisconsin are elected county officials. Many accept records requests online or by email and provide copies and certified copies for set fees.
- Wisconsin circuit court directoryContact information for every clerk of circuit court.
What is public, and what is not
Most Wisconsin court records are public, but juvenile, adoption, mental health and some family records are confidential.
Wisconsin allows expungement only in limited cases, usually when the judge orders it at sentencing for young offenders.
Wisconsin court records are generally public, but juvenile, adoption, mental health and some family records are confidential. Wisconsin has one of the narrowest expungement laws in the country: expungement is mostly limited to young offenders when a judge orders it at sentencing.
- Wisconsin State Law Library: ExpungementLegal research help, including on expungement.
Older and archived records
Historical court records are held by the Wisconsin Historical Society and its Area Research Centers around the state.
The Wisconsin Historical Society's Area Research Centers, located at university campuses around the state, hold historical circuit court records from many counties.
- Wisconsin Historical SocietyHistorical state and county records.
Criminal history and background records
A court file tells you what happened in one case in one court. A criminal history record (often called a rap sheet) pulls together arrests, charges and outcomes reported from across the state, so it is a different product kept by a different agency.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice keeps the state's criminal history records and sells public name-based searches through WORCS.
- WORCSWisconsin Online Record Check System: public, name-based record checks for a fee.
- Wisconsin sex offender registryPublic search of registered sex offenders.
- Wisconsin Department of CorrectionsInformation about people in Wisconsin state custody.
Federal court records in Wisconsin
Federal cases, including federal crimes, bankruptcies, and lawsuits over federal law or between citizens of different states, are not filed in Wisconsin's state courts. Wisconsin is divided into 2 federal judicial districts, and each has its own clerk's office:
Federal case files are searched through PACER, the federal judiciary's records system. PACER charges a small fee per page, but you pay nothing if your charges stay under the quarterly fee-waiver threshold, court opinions are free, and every federal courthouse has public terminals you can use at no cost. Many PACER documents have also been copied into the free RECAP Archive on CourtListener. Appeals from Wisconsin's federal courts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Tips for a faster search
- WCCA case numbers include the year, a case type such as CF (felony) or CV (civil), and a sequence number.
- Some dismissed cases are removed from WCCA after a period of time.
- Probate records are kept by the register in probate.
- Dismissed criminal cases are removed from WCCA after two years; ask the clerk if you need the record.
- Have the full names of the parties, the county and a rough date range ready. A case number is the fastest way in if you have one.
- Online indexes are not the official record. If a decision depends on it, get a copy (or a certified copy) from the clerk's office that holds the file.
Legal help and law libraries
Clerks and law librarians can explain how to find a record, but they cannot give legal advice. These organizations can point you in the right direction:
- Wisconsin State Law LibraryPublic law library in Madison.
- Legal Action of WisconsinFree civil legal help for eligible residents.
This guide is general information about public records, not legal advice. Court websites, fees and rules change, so confirm details with the court before you rely on them. Civics-Online.org is not affiliated with any court or government agency.