Polk County Court Records

In Polk County, court records refer to documents generated by the Polk County Circuit and Municipal Courts. Polk County court records encompass Polk County arrest records, criminal trial case files, and documents relating to civil proceedings within the county’s courts.

Generally, court records are crucial for maintaining law and order and upholding the judiciary to accountability, fairness, and equity.

A typical Polk County court record may contain the following:

• Case number
• Complaint/Petition
• Names of the involved parties
• Attorneys names
• Docket entries
• Evidence/Exhibits
• Summons
• Pleadings
• Judgment
• Orders
• Trial transcript
• Appeal information (if applicable).

Are Court Records Public in Polk County?

Yes, Polk County court records are public. Section 19.31 - 19.39 of the Wisconsin Statutes guarantees public access to Polk County court records. However, there is no blanket access to Polk County court records. Members of the public may not access:

• Sealed Polk County court records
• Case files whose public access is restricted by law
• Court documents that violate federal or Wisconsin privacy or confidentiality laws.

Polk County Court Records Search

The public may search for Polk County court records through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal. The government online resources provide access to Polk County Circuit and Municipal Courts Case files. Alternatively, interested individuals may search for Polk County court records through third-party websites; these private resources are alternative options for accessing Polk County public records.

Also, the public may search for Polk County court records through the Polk County Clerk of Circuit Court at:

Polk County Justice Center
1005 West Main St,
Suite 300,
Balsam Lake,
WI 54810
Phone: (715) 485-9299
Fax: (715) 500-6525

Polk County Courts

The Polk County Circuit and Municipal Courts make up the Polk County judicial structure. Under the Wisconsin unified trial system, the Circuit Courts have general authority over civil and criminal cases. However, the Polk County Circuit Court handles cases beyond the jurisdiction of the Polk County Municipal Courts. The Municipal Courts have exclusive authority over ordinance cases and also oversee some juvenile cases. For court-related information through the Polk County Circuit or Municipal Courts, inquirers should use the contacts below.

Polk County Circuit Court
Polk County Justice Center
1005 West Main Street, Suite 300,
Balsam Lake,
WI 54810
Phone: (715) 485-9299
Fax: (715) 485-9262

City of Amery Municipal Court
104 Maple Street West, Suite A,
Amery,
WI 54001
Phone: (715) 268-6567
Fax: (715) 268-4870

City of St. Croix Falls Municipal Court
710 Highway 35 South,
St. Croix Falls,
WI 54024
Phone: (715) 298-3215
Fax: (715) 359-7218

Village of Osceola Municipal Court
310 Chieftain Street,
Osceola,
P.O. Box 217,
WI 54020
Phone: (715) 294-2090
Fax: (715) 294-2210
Email: court@vil.osceola.wi.us.

Polk County Criminal and Civil Records

Polk County criminal and civil court records refer to case files on criminal and non-criminal trials within the Polk County Circuit and Municipal Courts. In Polk County, criminal records include Polk County arrest records and documents relating to the prosecution, conviction, and incarceration of criminal offenders under the county's criminal justice system. Unlike criminal records, Polk County civil court records refer to case files on civil prosecutions relating to:

• Small Claims
• Business Litigation
• Personal Injury Cases
• Customer Complaints
• Contract Disagreements
• Intellectual Property Disputes
• Landlord-tenant Disagreements
• Property-related Lawsuits.

Polk County criminal and civil records are accessible through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal. Alternatively, record seekers should request access to Polk County criminal or civil court records through calls, mail, or in-person to the Polk County Clerk of Circuit Court Office.

Polk County Marriage Records

In Polk County, marriage records and other Polk County Vital records are not fully public. Although the public may access verification copies of Polk County marriage records, only the subjects of the records, immediate family members, legal representatives, and individuals with direct and tangible legal interests may access certified copies of Polk County marriage certificates.

For copies of Polk County marriage certificates, visit the Polk County, WI Official Records Online Ordering Page. Alternatively, download a Wisconsin Marriage Certificate Application Form:

• Complete the request form
• Attach a copy of a current valid U.S. or state-issued photo I.D. or any of the identification documents stated on the application form
• Enclose a check/money order to cover copy fees ($20.00 per certified copy and an extra $3.00 per additional copy)
• Mail or submit the application form to the Polk County Register of Deeds or the Wisconsin Vital Records Office at the following addresses:

Polk County Register of Deeds
100 Polk County Plaza, Suite 110,
Balsam Lake,
WI 54810

Wisconsin Vital Records Office
1 West Wilson Street, Room 159,
Madison,
WI 53703

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 309,
Madison,
WI 53701-0309.

Polk County Divorce Records

In Polk County, divorce records are publicly accessible. However, there are some restrictions to protect privacy and confidentiality rights. For instance, the public cannot access sealed divorce records or information relating to minor children, financial accounts, and Social Security Numbers are not open to public scrutiny. Also, the public cannot access certified copies of Polk County divorce records.

For copies of Polk County divorce records, eligible record seekers should call, visit, or mail the Polk County Clerk of Circuit Court Office. Alternatively, search for Polk County divorce records through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal. Also, third-party websites like Wisconsincourtrecords.us may provide access to Polk County divorce records.

Polk Birth Records

Polk County birth records are official details of births within Polk County, Wisconsin; these indispensable documents are proof of identity and citizenship. Also, Polk County birth records are pivotal documents for government benefits such as school enrollment, Social Security, and medical care.

Per Wisconsin laws, Polk County birth records are confidential documents; only the owners of the records (if they are adults), immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons with tangible and direct legal interests may access Polk County birth certificates. However, a Polk County birth certificate will become public 125 years after the birth of the person named in the record.

Individuals seeking access to Polk County birth records should download a Birth Certificate Application Form, fill it out, and submit or mail it along with necessary Identifications and payments to the Polk County Register of Deeds Office. Also, record seekers may visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vital Records Page and order Polk County birth certificates.

Polk Death Records

In Polk County, there is a restriction on public access to death that is less than 50 years old; these documents are accessible to the immediate families of the deceased, legal representatives, and authorized entities. Polk County death records in:

• Ancestry tracing
• Inheritance and estate settlement
• Claiming Social Security and life insurance benefits
• Disease research
• Health poly formation.

To obtain certified copies of Polk County death records, visit the Polk County Register of Deeds Office. The interested public may also order Polk County death certificates through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vital Records Page. Information seekers should note that access to Polk County death may require identification and fee payments.

Polk County Probate Court Records

Polk County probate court records are case files on the administration and distribution of deceased person estates within Polk County, Wisconsin; these documents comprise but are not limited to case files on

• Will Probates
• Trust Administration
• Guardianship
• Escheat Partition
• Intestate Successions
• Conservatorships.

Polk County probate court records are accessible through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal. Also, record seekers may obtain certified copies of Polk County probate court records through the Polk County Clerk of Circuit Court Office.

Polk County Property Records

Polk County property records are details of real estate ownership and transactions within Polk County, WI. These documents contain property-related information such as:

• Deeds
• Parcel Numbers
• Building Permits
• Property Sales History
• Plat Maps
• Property Tax Records
• Liens and Encumbrances
• Zoning Information.

Individuals seeking access to Polk County property records should log into the Polk County Land Records Online Page:

• Scroll down, and depending on the type of property records, click the property-related links to access specific Polk County property records.

The interested public may also request copies of Polk County property records through the Polk County Register of Deeds Office.

Polk County Court Records Online

Members of the public may search for Polk County court records through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Portal. Alternatively, records seekers may opt to use third-party online resources to access Polk County court records. Third-party websites like wisconsincourtrecords.us aggregate public records from various sources and make them available to interested. These non-government online repositories provide fast alternative access to Polk County public recreation. However, third-party online databases are independent platforms, and information seekers should be cautious when using them to source official documents to avoid errors and incomplete information.