Manitowoc County Court Records

When civil and criminal cases are brought to the municipal and Circuit courts in Manitowoc County, official documents are created to track these legal processes. These documents create legal accounts of everything happening during each trial and lawsuit. They contain complaints, motions, testimonies, evidence, and final rulings.

The Clerk of circuit courts maintains Manitowoc County court records, which are considered part of Wisconsin court records. These documents are relevant to lawyers, case parties, and courts because they help research legal precedent, court administration, and case updates.

Are Court Records Public in Manitowoc County?

Yes. Manitowoc court records are categorized as public information under Wis. Stat. § 19.31-19.39. Wis. Stat. § 59.20(3) also mandates clerks of courts and other county bodies to keep their offices open and their records accessible to members of the public.

Be that as it may, authorized parties can only view specific records. These records generally include juvenile and parental court records, sealed court proceedings, personal information like social security and passport numbers, sensitive financial details like bank account and credit card numbers, and specific vital records.

Manitowoc County Court Records Search

Finding court records in Manitowoc County involves knowing the type of record and identifying its custodian. Most cases pass through the Circuit Court and can be obtained using resources provided by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. However, one may need to use methods for searching Municipal Court records if they seek information related to traffic first-time DUI, parking, traffic, and city ordinance offenses.

Wisconsin law allows members of the public to request court records orally and in writing. Depending on a person's preference, they can call the Clerk of Circuit Court's office to submit their request or fill out and submit the Open Records Request form to:

Manitowoc County Clerk of Court
ATTN: Records Clerk
1010 South 8th Street
Room 105
Manitowoc, WI 54220
Phone: (920) 683-4306
Fax: (920) 683-2733

Court records obtained through the office of the Clerk of Circuit Court attract the following fees:

• Paper copies: $1.25 per page
• Certification: $5 per document
• Name search: $5 per name (different variants or spellings count as separate names)

Requesters will be expected to cover shipping and mailing costs. Fees for duplicating files and data recorded on other media (CDs, flash drives, etc.) will reflect the actual cost of reproduction.

Those who only want to view case records can do so through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal without cost. The online database holds information about cases adjudicated in circuit courts across the country. Users looking for data from the Manitowoc County Circuit Court can select Manitowoc under the County menu before entering the names of the case parties. The system shows the following case details:

• Filing date
• Case type
• Parties (plaintiffs and defendants)
• Case status
• Defendant's date of birth (criminal cases)
• Charges (criminal cases)
• Court case events

To find Municipal Court records, interested parties can call or visit the court in charge of the case. For example, if a traffic violation occurred within the City of Two Rivers or Village of Mishicot, the person can contact the Two Rivers/Mishicot Municipal Court for information.

Manitowoc County Courts

The Manitowoc County court system comprises the Municipal and Circuit Courts. The Municipal Courts within the county handle matters related to traffic, underage alcohol, building code violations, parking, disorderly conduct, truancy, health code violations, first offense drunk driving, and animal control violations. The Circuit is the county's court of general jurisdiction where most criminal and civil cases not handled by Municipal Courts are settled.

The following are their addresses and contact information:

Circuit Court
Manitowoc County Courthouse
1010 South 8th Street
Manitowoc, WI 54220
Phone: (920) 683-4030
Fax: (920) 683-2733

Family Court
Manitowoc County Courthouse
1010 S 8th Street
3rd Floor, Room 309
Manitowoc, WI 54220
Phone: (920) 683-4493

City of Manitowoc Municipal Court
900 Quay Street
Manitowoc, WI 54220
Phone: (920) 686-6920
Fax: (920) 686-6929

Two Rivers/Mishicot Municipal Court
1717 East Park Street
P.O. Box 87
Two Rivers, WI 54241
Phone: (920) 793-5507

Manitowoc County Criminal Records

Manitowoc County criminal records are data and documents compiled by criminal justice agencies to create comprehensive accounts of each person's arrest, court trials, and rehabilitation (incarceration and post-conviction activities). People can obtain them through local law enforcement, courts, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Local law enforcement

In cases where a person has been recently arrested, individuals can approach the local arresting agency, such as the Manitowoc Sheriff's Office or the nearest city police department, to obtain arrest information.

The Sheriff's Department releases updated lists of county jail inmates on its website. Individuals can go through the list to check if their loved ones are currently detained. Members of the public can also contact the Sheriff's jail division to find details about persons held in its custody.

The Office of Victim Services and Programs (OVSP) under the Wisconsin Department of Corrections provides an online service that allows members of the public to view details about county jail inmates. Individuals can access the service through the website of the OVSP and Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office.

Further, individuals who may have had encounters with Manitowoc law enforcement agencies can complete the Release of Information Request form and upload it to the Sheriff's website to order their Manitowoc County arrest records.

Manitowoc County Courts

Court records provide criminal information about individuals prosecuted for state and local violations. Interested parties can use circuit and municipal court resources to find Manitowoc criminal records, as explained earlier.

Wisconsin Department of Justice

The WisDOJ's Division of Law Enforcement Services (DLES) offers background check services through its Criminal Information Bureau. The bureau allows members of the public to search for anyone's criminal history through its Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS). Information provided through background checks includes Manitowoc arrest records, charges, court documents, and incarceration activities.

Get Manitowoc County Civil Court Records

Civil court records are paperwork and data created during disputes between two or more parties. These parties can be private individuals, government officials or institutions, businesses, and non-profit organizations. Most of these cases are handled through the Manitowoc County Circuit Court, and interested parties can view or obtain such records using methods provided by the Clerk of Circuit Court.

Manitowoc County Marriage Records

Manitowoc County marriage records are generated when people file for divorce, parental, child support, child custody, and other domestic cases with the county's Family Court. Those who want to view or obtain these records can go through the circuit court clerk. However, records may only be accessible to case parties, their attorneys, and people with valid court orders.

Marriage records also include marriage certificates and licenses, which fall under Manitowoc County vital records. A person can order a copy of their Manitowoc County marriage certificate through the office of the Register of Deeds. The office provides mail-in, in-person, and online options. The mail-in process involves filling out the Marriage Certificate Application form and submitting it to the office, while in-person requests can be processed at the courthouse:

Manitowoc County Courthouse
1010 South 8th Street
1st Floor, Room 107
Manitowoc, WI 54220

Online requests are only handled by the office's third-party provider.

According to Wis. Stat. § 69.20(1), only the following parties can obtain certified copies of marriage certificates:

• People named on the certificates
• Immediately family member of either spouse (parent, child, sibling, grandparent)
• Guardians of legal custodians
• Legal representatives
• Individuals with valid legal purposes, such as verifying or protecting property and personal rights

Entities not listed above can only obtain uncertified copies per Wis. Stat. § 69.21(2)(a).

Each copy of the marriage certificate costs $20 for the first copy and $3 per additional copy under the same order.

The Wisconsin Vital Records Office, a Department of Health division, also issues certified copies of marriage certificates. The office provides mail-in, online, and in-person options. Requesting by mail involves completing the application form and sending it to:

Wisconsin Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 309
Madison, WI 53701

Online and phone requesters may use the office's third-party vendor, which is accessible through its website.

Manitowoc County Divorce Records

Divorce records are part of marriage records and are created in the county's Family Court. As explained above, individuals can obtain divorce certificates through the Wisconsin Vital Records Office the same way they can obtain marriage certificates. However, individuals requesting divorce certificates by mail should fill out and submit the Divorce Certificate Application form.

It is important to note that the same rules about who can access marriage certificates also apply to divorce records. Requesters must prove their eligibility by providing valid identification or supporting documents.

Manitowoc County Birth and Death Records

Manitowoc County birth records and death documents are important paperwork used for various identification and legal purposes. Individuals require a death certificate to prove that a person is deceased and process things like insurance claims, inheritance, pension, and estate settlement. A Manitowoc County birth certificate can be presented when applying for social security, passports, driver's licenses, and school enrollment.

Just like marriage records, birth and death documents also fall under Manitowoc County vital records. As listed earlier, certified copies can only be accessed by individuals permitted by law. People who want to obtain these documents can approach the county's Register of Deeds or the Wisconsin Department of Health's Office of Vital Records.

Manitowoc County Probate Court Records

Probate court matters are initiated to settle the estates of deceased Manitowoc County residents. These issues are generally handled in the circuit court, and individuals can obtain such records by using options provided for circuit court cases, such as the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) web portal. However, they can also contact the Manitowoc County Register in Probate, which maintains the county's probate records.

Manitowoc County Property Records

The Manitowoc County Register of Deeds is also the county's property records custodian. The office operates the Manitowoc Internet Land Records Search System, which allows members of the public to find and purchase different types of real estate documents. Interested parties can also visit the office in person to request these records.

The first copy costs $2, and additional copies cost $1 per page. Individuals who want to certify their copies must pay an extra $1.

Manitowoc County Court Records Online

Using third-party online platforms like Wisconsincourtrecords.us may be a more convenient way to obtain Manitowoc County public records. These platforms compile these records from public agencies and allow users to search by entering dates, party names, and case numbers. Site customers may also download documents directly or view pertinent public information through such websites. However, individuals using these sites must note that they are not affiliated with government agencies and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data they provide.