Chippewa County Court Records

Chippewa County court records are the official accounts of legal actions or proceedings held within county limits. These records include motions, complaints, dockets, calendars, affidavits, judgments, responses, summons, opinions, and other similar case documents or materials on file at a court clerk's office.

One of the more significant reasons underscoring the preservation of court records in Chippewa County is to foster accountability and transparency within the justice system. By enabling the public review of court records, courts ensure that legal proceedings remain open to the public, who can question the actions and decisions of the court. Moreover, this recordkeeping approach allows for the permanent preservation of past court judgments, thus establishing judicial precedents that can help guide future decisions. Finally, court records offer context into Chippewa's past, facilitating research into factors that have shaped the legal landscape.

Are Court Records Public in Chippewa County?

Yes, they are. Wisconsin's Public Records Law (indexed in Wisconsin Stat. § 19.31 to 19.39) makes it possible for any member of the public to examine or copy Chippewa court records, regardless of their nationality or use requirements. However, certain records have restricted access to protect people's identities and prevent the justice process from being compromised. Examples include:

• Juvenile court records
• Protected information, such as Social Security numbers, bank account digits, passport numbers, employer and tax ID numbers, and driver's license numbers
• Sealed court records
• Presentence investigation reports
• Physician or psychologist reports in guardianship cases
• Income and expense statements
• Confidential name change petitions
• Mental Health Act proceedings
• Unexecuted search warrants

Chippewa County Court Records Search

To find Chippewa County court records, a person may leverage the following resources:

• Stop by the courthouse where a legal matter was adjudicated
• Write to or contact the court clerk's office.
• Access online case management tools maintained by courts.
• Access public records search services offered by private vendors.

Chippewa County Courts

Chippewa County, located in Wisconsin's 10th Judicial District, has one circuit court, a single-level trial court that hears all types of criminal and civil cases, and two municipal courts that handle traffic, parking, and ordinance matters within their respective city/village. Below are the courts' contact details:

Chippewa County Circuit Court
711 North Bridge Street
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729-1876
Phone: (715) 726-7758
Fax: (715) 726-7786

Municipal Courts in Chippewa County

City of Cornell Municipal Court
222 Main Street
Cornell, WI 54732
Phone: (715) 202-3621
Fax: (715) 239-3721

Village of New Auburn Municipal Court
130 East Main Street
New Auburn, WI 54757
Phone: (715) 237-2423
Fax: (715) 237-2334

Chippewa County Criminal Records

When seeking Chippewa County criminal records preserved by law enforcement agencies, members of the public generally have two options: they can query the police agency responsible for an arrest or approach the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Crime Information Bureau (CIB) for a statewide criminal record search.

The exact procedure for requesting Chippewa criminal records from a local police department varies by agency, with some departments accepting walk-ins and others favoring a phone call or email submission. Usually, the requester is advised to be specific with their inquiry, providing adequate information that can assist staff in processing a request, such as the name of the subject of a record and the incident date/location. However, records maintained by the local police divisions often only comprise the Chippewa County arrest records and do not include any court disposition or sentence—this is where a statewide criminal records query comes in handy.

The Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS), maintained by the CIB's Criminal History Unit, provides information about arrests, arrest charges, prosecutions, court dispositions, sentences, and state correctional system admissions/releases. The information in this database comes from Wisconsin courts, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and the State Department of Corrections.

Anyone can access adult criminal history information on WORCS, including related Chippewa arrest records, provided they pay the prescribed fee. Juvenile criminal history information is confidential to the general public and only offered online for daycare background checks.

Generally, each online background check costs $7, and the primary search criteria are a person's first and last name, date of birth, gender, and race. The DOJ's Background Check & Criminal History Information, CIB FAQs, or WORCS FAQs web pages provide more information about performing Wisconsin background checks, including using the Single Name Record Request Form (DJ-LE-250) to obtain certified or fingerprint-based checks.

Get Chippewa County Civil Court Records

A civil court record is produced when a court adjudicates a legal matter that involves determining civil rights or compensating parties for injuries, damages, or money lost rather than prosecuting a person for violating the law. In Chippewa County, such cases are heard exclusively in the circuit court. As a result, parties who wish to review or copy civil court records can visit or contact the Chippewa Clerk of Courts Office using the following details:

Civil Clerk
Clerk of Courts Office
711 North Bridge Street
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Phone: (715) 726-7758 ext. 5
Fax: (715) 726-7786

Any request for a civil court record should be accompanied by a case party's name or the case number, and an individual will need to pay the assessed fees for their request.

Another way to see a Chippewa County civil court record is to access the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal. Searches can be performed with a case party's last or business name or a case number. However, while users can download or print the results from the system, they cannot access actual case documents from the portal. For such requests, one must go through the Clerk of Courts Office. It costs $1.25 per copy for plain copies and $5 per document for certification.

Chippewa County Marriage Records

Under Wis. Stat. § 69.21, the Registers of Deeds Office in Chippewa (local registrar) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) (state registrar) are the primary issuers of Chippewa County vital records, including marriage certificates. These laws permit the provision of copies of Chippewa County marriage records to members of the public.

However, certified marriage certificate copies are only issued to parties with a "direct and tangible interest," as defined in Wis. Stat. § 69.20 (1). These authorized parties include:

• The registrant (in this case, the spouses)
• The registrant's immediate family
• The registrant's legal custodian or guardian
• A legal representative of any party mentioned above, including an attorney
• A person who can demonstrate the marriage record is necessary to determine/protect a personal or property right

Anyone can request uncertified copies (i.e., copies that do not bear the registrar's office seal and cannot be used for an identity or legal purpose).

The Chippewa County Register of Deeds disseminates statewide marriage certificates from October 1, 1907, to the present, as well as certificates before that date for Chippewa-only marriage events. Individuals can visit this office during normal working hours at the address below to submit record requests.

711 North Bridge Street
Room 111
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Phone: (715) 726-7994

A valid photo ID is required, and it is recommended that visitors complete the Marriage Certificate Application Form prior to their visit to speed up the process. Orders are processed as the requester waits. A certified copy of a Chippewa County marriage certificate costs $20; each additional copy ordered simultaneously costs $3.

Individuals can also complete the application form and mail it with the relevant payment and a copy of their photo ID to the address below. The processing time is within one to five business days.

Chippewa County Register of Deeds
711 North Bridge Street
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

The Register of Deeds also recommends certain private vendors to those who prefer to order their Chippewa County marriage records online.

Chippewa County Divorce Records

Members of the public who wish to obtain a Chippewa County divorce record can begin their inquiries at the Chippewa Clerk of Courts Office, as divorce cases are primarily heard in the local circuit court. An in-person or mail request can be made to the Clerk's Office, but it should include information that allows staff to promptly identify the record in question (for example, a party name or case number). Note that fees apply to obtain copies from the Clerk's Office, typically $1.25 for a photocopy and $5 for certification.

Divorce records are considered part of the Chippewa County vital records. As such, a person can request the records from the Chippewa Register of Deeds Office. However, these records (certificates) are not the actual divorce decrees maintained within the court system, and the office only has records from 2016 to the present day. Such certificates can be ordered by completing the Divorce Certificate Application Form and submitting it in person or by mail to the Register. Online ordering options are also available through the "private vendor" link in the previous header.

Each divorce certificate ordered through the Register of Deeds costs $20 plus $3 per additional copy ordered simultaneously.

Chippewa County Birth and Death Records

To order a birth or death record in Chippewa County, an individual may complete the Birth Certificate Application or Death Certificate Application form and submit it by mail or in person to the local Register of Deeds office. Certified and uncertified copies of birth or death records can be requested using this form. Each Chippewa County birth certificate costs $20 for the first copy and $3 for each extra copy applied for at the same time. The same fees apply to obtain copies of death records.

Individuals can also order Chippewa County birth and death records online through vendors approved by the Register's Office. Additional processing fees will apply outside of the certificate fees when using a vendor.

Requesters should note that Wis. Stat. §§ 69.20 and 69.21 only allow a party with a "direct and tangible interest," as explained earlier, to obtain certified copies of Chippewa County birth records and death certificates.

Birth and death records provide critical insights into the demographic composition, trends, and dynamics within a particular region, such as adolescent birth rates, mortality rates, vaginal delivery rates, life expectancy, and main causes of death. When certified, these records are also useful for establishing a person's identity for Social Security, driver's license, school registration, and collecting life insurance or pension.

Chippewa County Probate Court Records

Probate court actions in Chippewa County pertain to the administration of a decedent's estate under the court's supervision. Chippewa's probate court (circuit court) also presides over adult adoptions, guardianships/conservatorships, trusts, civil mental health commitments, and will contests. Records from these cases are accessible through the Chippewa Register in Probate's Office.

Inquirers can visit the Register in Probate's Office at the address below to inspect or copy probate court records. The office advises to call beforehand or make an appointment to ensure optimal assistance.

711 North Bridge Street
Room 203
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Phone: (715) 726-7737
Fax: (715) 738-2626

Members of the public can also look up Chippewa County probate cases via the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal. There is no fee assessed for seeing or printing information from the portal. However, copies of probate documents are only available through the Register in Probate. The per-page fee for a regular copy of a probate record is $1, and the certification fee (for one copy) is $4. Other fee requirements are listed in the Register in Probate's fee schedule.

Chippewa County Property Records

Real estate (property) records in Chippewa County are available through a few different offices, one of which is the Register of Deeds Office. Parties can go to the Register's physical location during regular business hours to inspect or copy property records, including deeds, mortgages, surveys, liens, and plats. A request can also be submitted by mail.

Copies cost $2 for the first page and $1 for every page after. Requesters who need certified copies are charged an additional $1, and those who wish to receive their copies by fax are liable for an extra $1 per page fee. Other charges may apply depending on the sought-after record format and applicable postage fees.

In addition, the Register provides remote access for those who cannot make a direct request. Website visitors are offered an online portal to view indexed real estate information for free and two other platforms for ordering copies of records without coming to the office.

Members of the public can also access various property search tools available on the Land Records/County Surveyor's website to find Chippewa County property records. For instance, the Property Tax Information tool can retrieve property ownership, assessment, tax information, and recorded documents maintained by county offices. The GIS Mapping tool may also be used to view comprehensive property information, offering users different search parameters like a search by owner name, parcel ID, street address (including neighboring county addresses), survey, or section.

Chippewa County Court Records Online

Third-party aggregator websites, like Wisconsincourtrecords.us, are handy alternatives for individuals looking into the court records created or maintained in Chippewa County. These websites offer searches without geographical restrictions, making them useful when researching records in Chippewa County and other US jurisdictions. An additional benefit of a third-party website is that users can find different Chippewa County public records related to their query from the comfort of their homes or offices. Notwithstanding, there may be limits to data accuracy and completeness, thereby necessitating verification with official government sources.