Winnebago County Court Records

According to Wisconsin State Legislation 889.07, a Winnebago court record is any document or file created by a court's legal custodian that describes a court action or proceeding in any Winnebago County court. In general, court records comprise any information, document, exhibit, or other item that the Court maintains about a legal procedure and any data that the Court creates and maintains in a case management system relevant to a legal proceeding. A courtroom proceeding's index, calendar, warrant affidavit, docket, order, decree, judgment, and court transcripts are a few examples of court documents.

Are Court Records Public in Winnebago County?

Yes. Court records are regarded as public records in Wisconsin and, by extension, Winnebago County. Wisconsin's Public Records Act allows members of the public to access court records from any court in the state. Additionally, the statute mandates that county court clerks and other record keepers reply to requests for court records or risk facing penalties. However, there are also exceptions to this rule. Some of these exceptions include:

• Court documents for cases that fall within the statute's definition of confidentiality, including guardianships, adoptions, juvenile delinquent cases, terminations of parental rights, and mental health commitments;
• Specific records in an otherwise open case type, like a divorce action's financial disclosure statement;
• Any court record that has been sealed or redacted in compliance with a court order.

Additionally, some information may be fully redacted, protected, or removed from court records to prevent public access. Under Wisconsin Statute Section 801.19, "protected information" typically includes:

• Social Security addresses
• Tax ID and employer numbers
• Account numbers for financial institutions (banks and credit cards)
• License plate numbers
• Numbers on passports

Winnebago County Court Records Search

There are several ways to perform a county court record search in Winnebago County, including:

• Visiting the county clerk's office
• Using the public access workstations located at the Winnebago County Courthouse
• By utilizing the Wisconsin Circuit Court access portal
• Using third-party aggregators

Winnebago County Court Records Search by Name

In Winnebago County, inquirers can search county records by name online, in person, or by mail.

In-person search

Requesters may visit the county clerk's office to do a name-based search. Staff members will need the individual's full name and will provide inquirers with a form to provide this information. Subsequently, the requestor can either wait for the search results or request to have the results delivered by mail.

Remote/online searches

Remote searches can be done at the Winnebago County courthouse. The Courthouse WCCA program on the public access workstations in the courthouse gives the public access to court cases and records. To search court records on this terminal, a person can provide a name or, ideally, a case number. Three public terminals are available for use at the Clerk of Courts Office of the Court. The record can only be reviewed by one person at a time. Searches can also be done online through the Wisconsin court case management database. This database allows users to search for court records using a person's first name, last name, middle name, or business name. According to WI Statute 814.61(11), a $5.00 search fee is charged to access court records. Under WI Statute 814.61(10), copies cost $1.25 per page.

Winnebago County Courts

The Winnebago County court system consists of three main courts: one circuit court and two municipal courts. The circuit court serves as the general jurisdiction trial court. It has initial authority in civil and criminal cases unless another court is granted exclusive jurisdiction. The circuit court has several divisions, including a probate design, family court, and civil and criminal Court. In addition, the circuit court considers appeals from municipal courts and evaluates decisions made by governmental agencies.

Circuit Court Location
415 Jackson Dr.
P.O. Box 2808
Oshkosh, WI 54903-2808

Municipal courts
Jon Bellows, District Court Administrator
415 Jackson Street
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903
Phone: (920) 424-0028
Fax: (920) 424-7780

Hon.Barbara Hart Key, ChiefJudge
415 Jackson Street
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903
Phone: (920) 236-4835
Fax: (920) 424-7780

Winnebago County Superior Court Case Search

The superior county court in Winnebago is the county's circuit court. The circuit court allows interested persons to search for case records through its in-house database. Searches can be performed using a case number or a person's name on the court record.

Requests for circuit court records can also be made through email or mail by downloading and completing the record request form. The record request form can be used to request a case search for multiple cases simultaneously. Requestors will need to provide the following information on the request form:

• The Case number
• The date on the document
• The documents title
• Name of the person on the court record
• Personal information of the document requestor(name, address, phone number)

Any additional names that are known, the type of offense, the date of the offense, the period within which the record was issued, and other specifics about the search can be helpful.

Winnebago County District Court Records

There are no district courts in Winnebago County. The Wisconsin court system consists of four main types of courts: the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, circuit courts, and municipal courts. The Court of Appeals is distributed within the four districts in Wisconsin and is sometimes referred to as the state district court. In Wisconsin, the Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate Court, subordinate only to the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals' primary duty is to rectify mistakes in trials that happened at the circuit court level. The Court typically convenes in panels of three judges to determine the merits of appeals, including instances such as

• Infringement of municipal ordinances in small claims court
• Infractions of traffic laws
• Situations involving mental health and misdemeanors
• Civil cases
• Criminal cases

Individuals can find appeal court records online by using the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals access portal. This portal can be searched by case number, trial court case number, and litigant or attorney names.

Winnebago County Criminal Records

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Information Bureau (CIB) maintains Winnebago County criminal records and oversees Wisconsin's central fingerprint-based criminal history repository. The centralized criminal history (CCH) database provides comprehensive data on Winnebago County arrests, charges, prosecution, verdicts, prison terms, and admittance and release from the state penal system.

Wisconsin statutes allow those interested in these records to request criminal records by mail and in person through the CIB office, any law enforcement office in Winnebago County, or online through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System. These records are available to interested persons in the form of a name-based check format or a fingerprint check. Name-based background checks are the most common since they are more accessible. Name-based checks are the only checks available for many employers, landlords, and other people needing a background check. Requestors must complete the records request form (DJ-LE-250) and submit it at the office. Fingerprint searches cost $15.00, while name-based searches cost $7.00.

Winnebago County Criminal Court Case Lookup

There are several options to lookup Winnebago County criminal records; they are as follows:

• In person at the county clerk's office—The county clerk's office is the primary custodian of criminal court case records. Anyone can visit the office and request a criminal records lookup. To look for a criminal court record, inquirers must submit their name, birth date, and other identifying information in the search request. The county clerk's office has self-service terminals for people who want to check up records independently.
• Online using the Wisconsin Circuit Court access portal.

Get Winnebago County Civil Court Records

The Winnebago County civil court handles matters such as foreclosure mediation, bankruptcy judgment, issuing restraining orders, traffic offenses, and other civil disputes. The civil court structure is located within the Winnebago circuit court. An individual can physically examine any complete civil case file containing all non-confidential documents at the Winnebago Clerk of Court's office where the case was heard. If the case file is kept in an electronic format, visitors can access its contents at a public access terminal in the clerk of courts' office. A public case file can be viewed in person for the duration that the court clerk keeps it on file; even cases that are no longer visible on the WCCA website can still be viewed in person for as long as the file is kept.

Anyone can also use the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal to look up civil cases in Winnebago County. The WCCA portal provides information on case dismissal, judgment entry against any party, and judgment repayment. The Civil Case Calendar is an additional online tool for accessing court records; it provides information on forthcoming civil proceedings.

Winnebago County Family Court Records

Winnebago Family Court Division handles cases involving families in the areas of divorce, annulment, legal separation, child custody and visitation, property division, and paternity. Most family court records can only be accessed by the subject of these records or close family members.

Requests for Winnebago County family court records can be forwarded through the mail or in-person to the county court clerk. Upon receiving a request from an eligible applicant, the county court clerk will forward the documents to the family court records section, which will, in turn, provide the records to the requestor. Requesters can send mail or come in person to receive Winnebago Family Court documents. Individuals can also contact the Family Court Service office by telephone to inquire about the availability of a record.

Family Court Services
Winnebago County Courthouse
415 Jackson St, Rm 220
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Main Line:(920) 236-4762
Fax No.:(920) 303-3189

Winnebago Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage records are also known as legal separation or divorce records. Like in other states, obtaining dissolution of marriage records in Winnebago County is the same as securing divorce records.

Winnebago County Marriage and Divorce Records

Winnebago County Marriage and divorce are vital records maintained at the Register of Deeds office and the Winnebago County court clerk's office. Every marriage and divorce that takes place in the county is recorded at the register of deeds, and it is uncommon for these records not to be found at one of the aforementioned offices. These offices are in charge of filing, maintaining, safeguarding, updating, and providing copies.

To obtain a Winnebago County marriage and divorce record, individuals can visit the Register of Deeds office to request a record. The staff at the office will require the name of an individual on the record, search for the record, and provide it in a few minutes. To obtain certified copies, requesters must present proof of identity and show a clear and compelling interest in the records. The county court where the marriage registration took place is another location where marriage records are available.

The Register of Deeds office only maintains divorce records from Wisconsin that occurred on or after January 1, 2016. For divorce records before January 1, 2016, requesters can contact the Winnebago County Clerk of Courts. Suppose someone is unable to visit one of the offices in Wisconsin. In that case, they can search online for certified and uncertified copies of marriage and divorce records at the State of Wisconsin Vital Records office.

The fee per order is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy.

Winnebago County
Register of Deeds
112 Otter Ave., Room #108,
Oshkosh, WI 54901
(920) 232-3390

Winnebago County Birth and Death Records

The Winnebago County Clerk's Office offers access to authorized and informational certified copies of Winnebago County birth and death records by mail, in-person, and online. Similar to other vital records, requesting birth and death records can be done at the county clerk's office by completing the records request form or by mailing the completed request form to the county clerk's office.

Individuals can also find much older birth and death records that have been achieved from UW Oshkosh Archives and Area Research Center. Additionally, documents can be obtained in person, via mail, or over the phone by contacting the Wisconsin Vital Records Office at (877) 885-2981.

Winnebago County Probate Court Records

A probate is a court-supervised procedure that is used to distribute the assets of a deceased person to their rightful heirs in an orderly manner. The procedure guarantees that all notices are served correctly, that all bills, taxes, and other costs are covered, and that the assets are divided to the heirs in line with the last Will and testament or as specified by law. According to Wisconsin statutes, the standard period for closing probate estates, as established by the Wisconsin Chief Judges, is fourteen (14) months. The Winnebago County Probate Court complies with this order.

Winnebago County probate court records are available and can be requested from the probate/juvenile division of the Winnebago County Circuit Court. A formal request for these records can be made in person at the office or through the mail by completing the request form and sending it along with the appropriate fee. Individuals can also use the Wisconsin Circuit Courts Access site to see whether a Will has been filed or whether an estate action has been initiated. The name of the deceased individual can be used to do a search on this portal.

Winnebago probate/juvenile court
415 Jackson Street
Room 242
Oshkosh, WI 54903
Phone: (920) 236-4833
Fax: (920) 424-7536

Winnebago County Property Records

In Winnebago County, the property lister's office creates and keeps up-to-date records of property ownership, parcel descriptions, property assessment, and tax data.

Eligible individuals can get these property records via mail, in person, by contacting the office of the property lister, or online via the Winnebago Property Information Lookup portal. To request property records, the requestors must provide information to identify the property of interest. Such information includes:

• Parcel ID
• Street Number
• Street Name
• Mailing Address

Winnebago County Court Records Online

There are various third-party sites where people can find county court records. An example is wisconsincourtrecords.us. Private entities own these sites and are typically easy to use and access. They are convenient because they enable remote access to desired records.

Most of these third-party websites provide this service for either a one-time or monthly subscription fee. However, information on a third-party website might not be accurate or complete. Because of this, every user needs to confirm information obtained from a third-party provider with official sources.