Wisconsin Courts

The U.S. State of Wisconsin has a clearly defined legal system in which you will find various courts. There are federal courts in the state as well as state courts. The various state Wisconsin courts are:

•    The Supreme Court
•    The Appeals Court (these are present in 4 districts)
•    The Circuit Court (you will find them in the ten judicial districts)
•    The Municipal Courts

In order to file any court case in Wisconsin correctly, you will need to know the legal structure and which court has jurisdiction over your type of case. It is always good to arm yourself with as much information as possible.

The Supreme Court

This is the highest legal body in Wisconsin. Being an appellate court, it reviews the cases and their judgments as passed by lower courts in the state. The court also decides about law administration or regulation issues.

In the Supreme Court, there are 7 justices and they each serve terms for 10 years. If there is a vacancy for some reason, then the position is filled by the state Governor. This person will then have to be elected during the 1st year. The person who has served continually for the longest duration is selected as the Chief Justice.

The Appeals Court

This is also an appellate court in the state but is one level lower than the Supreme Court. This court came into existence in 1977 when it was felt that there were far too many appeals cases in the state.

If you are not satisfied with the judgment of the Circuit Court, you can appeal your case to this court. The opinions that this court publishes are considered precedents unless they are overturned by the state Supreme Court.

In most instances, the cases are decided by a panel of 3 judges. There are some cases such as those related to violations of municipal ordinances, issues of small claims and misdemeanors that are decided by just 1 judge.

How to Contact the WI Court Authorities

There may be many reasons why you might have to contact the authorities in the WI courts. Perhaps you want some information or to have a better understanding of the court regulations. Maybe you want Wisconsin Court access to the records.

For everything related to the courts in Wisconsin, you can visit the state legal website at http://www.wicourts.gov. You can also visit the Wisconsin State Law Library Reference Desk for help.

Legal Directives for the Courts of Wisconsin

In keeping with the directives issued by the state authorities, the courts arrange for a number of court programs. Separate organizations and judicial committees can also be set up, as and when required.

Of course, in exchange of the service that the courts of Wisconsin provide, a certain fee needs to be paid. The court fee schedule is also prepared by the legal institutions of the state.