Shawano County Court Records

Shawano County court records refer to information and documents created or received during court proceedings in Shawano County, Wisconsin. These records help guarantee transparency in the county's legal system and ensure that legal proceedings are conducted impartially. With court records, members of the public can understand courtroom events and hold the judicial system accountable.

Furthermore, Shawano County court records are necessary for:

• Legal education
• Judicial precedents
• Policymaking
• Journalism and investigative reporting
• Background checks

Individuals can expect to find diverse information in a Shawano County court record, including:

• Case dockets
• Party summaries (party names, addresses)
• Attorney details
• Case summaries (filing dates, hearing locations, case types, case numbers, case status, etc.)
• Charges
• Citations

Are Court Records Public in Shawano County?

Yes. Wis. Stat. § 19.35 (Wisconsin's Public Records Law) categorizes Shawano County court records as public documents. Consequently, custodians of court records are mandated to provide them to the public upon a request for inspection or copying.

Nevertheless, members of the public may be denied access to specific records deemed confidential by law. For example, personally identifiable information is removed from public access. Other exceptions to the Wisconsin Public Records Law include:

• Trade secrets
• Information that can identify a confidential informant
• Information that can endanger an individual's life or safety
• Juvenile court records

Further, certain limits are imposed on access by incarcerated requesters or persons committed in a treatment facility.

Shawano County Court Records Search

Individuals can perform a general search for court records in Shawano County through the following means:

• A physical visit to the Shawano County Clerk of Circuit Court's Office during regular business hours
• An online case search on the Wisconsin Court System's website
• Third-party repositories

Shawano County Courts

Shawano County's court system comprises the Shawano County Circuit Court and the Shawano-Bonduel Municipal Court. While the circuit court is the trial court with original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil matters, the municipal court maintains limited jurisdiction over municipal infractions, including traffic, parking, and curfew violations. The locations of these courts are highlighted below:

Shawano County Circuit Court
Shawano County Courthouse
311 North Main Street
Shawano, WI 54166
Phone: (715) 525-9347
Fax: (715) 526-4915

Shawano-Bonduel Municipal Court
127 South Sawyer Street
Shawano, WI 54166
Phone/Fax: (715) 524-6173

Shawano County Criminal and Civil Records

Criminal court case records refer to documents relating to legal proceedings in criminal cases such as murder, rape, assault, and burglary. On the other hand, civil court case records document legal proceedings in civil cases such as personal injury matters, property disputes, and family law cases. Members of the public can access these records by contacting the legal custodian of Shawano County court records (the Shawano County Clerk of Circuit Court) in person during regular business hours on the 2nd floor, Room 206, at the Shawano County courthouse.

Per the state's Open Records Law, the legal custodian is mandated to provide in-person requesters with similar facilities to inspect and copy requested records as the office's employees. The circuit court clerk's office may also provide the requester with a copy of their sought records.

Meanwhile, individuals who prefer to access Shawano County criminal and civil records remotely can opt for the Wisconsin Court System online case search option. To use this option, interested parties should navigate to the case search page on the state's court system's official website and follow these steps:

• Select "Circuit Court".
• Agree to the stated terms and conditions.
• Input a case party's first, middle, or last name or business name in the appropriate boxes. Alternatively, input an accurate case number in the "Case number" box.
• Choose "Shawano" from the "County" drop-down menu.
• Select "Search".

Members of the public should note the Shawano municipal court is not a court of record under Section 755.01 of the Wisconsin Statutes. As such, the legal proceedings of this court are not formally documented. However, individuals can access any publicly accessible documentation of this court by filling out a public records request form and submitting it to the municipal court clerk's office.

Shawano County Marriage Records

While uncertified copies of Shawano County marriage records are available to members of the public, only persons with a direct and tangible interest in a marriage certificate can obtain certified copies of these records. These include:

• A person named on a marriage certificate
• A member of the immediate family of a subject of the record, such as a parent, current spouse, grandparent, child, or sibling
• A legal custodian or guardian of the person named on a birth certificate
• A legal representative authorized by a few select persons, including an attorney
• Anyone who can sufficiently demonstrate that the marriage certificate is essential for the determination or protection of a personal or property right

To access copies of Shawano County marriage certificates, requesters should fill out a Wisconsin marriage certificate application form and submit it in person or via mail to the Shawano County Register of Deeds' office. Individuals must include a valid means of identification in their application and pay the requisite $20 fee for the first copy and $3 for additional copies to obtain a marriage certificate.

Shawano County Divorce Records

Shawano County divorce records are public documents accessible to any interested member of the public. These records, especially divorce petitions, are available online through the Wisconsin court system case search platform mentioned above. Individuals can also access Shawano County divorce from January 1st, 2016, by querying the Shawano County Register of Deeds. Court records before January 1st, 2016, are accessible through the clerk of courts.

Individuals should note, however, that certified copies of divorce records are only given to a few authorized parties, including the divorce subjects and their immediate family members. Also, specific information in divorce court records, such as minor children's names and names of domestic violence victims, is exempt from public disclosure.

Shawano County Birth Records

Uncertified copies of Shawano County birth records are public documents readily accessible to any applicant. However, access to certified copies is restricted to a few individuals, including:

• A person named on the record
• The spouse of the subject of the record
• Other immediate family members of the person named on the record, such as children, siblings, and parents

Shawano County birth records from October 1st, 1907, to the present are accessible through the Shawano County Register of Deeds. Individuals are expected to fill out a Birth Certificate Application and submit it to the register of deeds in person or via mail. It costs $20 to obtain a copy of a Shawano County birth record and $3 per additional copy.

Individuals search birth records for numerous reasons, including:

• Genealogy searches
• Identity confirmation
• Passport application

Shawano County Death Records

While Shawano County death records are public documents, only select persons, such as members of the decedent's immediate family, can obtain certified copies. Interested applicants may fill out and submit a Death Certificate Application via mail or in person at the Shawano Register of Deeds Office. Death certificates are available from September 1st, 2013, to the present. Applicants must submit a valid identification card to obtain these records, and standard copy fees apply.

Shawano County death records are useful for:

• Facilitating death benefits
• Establishing cause and manner of death
• Research
• Tracing family history

Shawano County Probate Court Records

Shawano County probate court records highlight legal proceedings regarding probate matters such as adoptions, civil commitments, guardianships, protective placements, estates, and trusts. The Shawano County Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over probate matters and is maintained by the county's Register in Probate.

Interested individuals may obtain Shawano County probate court records from 1994 to the present online through the state's circuit court case search page as described in previous sections. Members of the public may also access the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association page to obtain information on adoption and guardianship proceedings. The Register in Probate accepts in-person requests during regular administrative hours.

Shawano County Property Records

Access to Shawano County property records is obtainable from the Shawano County Land Information Department in person during regular work hours. The Department also provides online search links to various property records on its Maps and Land Records page. For example, while online access to property/tax information can be obtained through the Shawano County Ascent Land Records Suite, the RecordEASE Web Access provides online real estate land records to registered users.

Interested parties may also query the Register of Deeds for uncertified copies of deeds, mortgages, land contracts, satisfactions, etc.

Shawano County Court Records Online

Members of the public can obtain Shawano County court records online using third-party resources such as Wisconsincourtrecords.us. These private platforms provide a more convenient way to access different court records in one place. However, they typically require a fee to obtain records.