| Clerk of Circuit Court | Kenosha County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Kenosha County Courthouse, 912 56th St., Kenosha, WI 53140 (Clerk of Courts; Register in Probate in the lower level) |
| Phone | Clerk of Courts / Records (262) 653-2664; Family Division (262) 653-2454; Jury Service (262) 653-2667; Probate clerk (262) 653-2675; Guardianships (262) 653-2880; Juvenile (262) 653-2677 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed on county holidays (including Good Friday, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $1.25 per page (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(10)(a)) |
| Certified copy fee | $1.25 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per document (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(10)(a) and § 814.61(5)(am)) |
Kenosha County's circuit court operates from the Kenosha County Courthouse at 912 56th Street, a block from the Administration Building on the same street. The Clerk of Courts keeps the felony, civil, family, small-claims, and traffic files and handles records management, fee collection, and jury service for the county. Unusually for Wisconsin, the courthouse and the clerk's counter stay open until 5:00 p.m., a half hour later than most county clerks in the state.
The clerk's office publishes its record fees in its Court FAQs: $1.25 per page for copies and an additional $5.00 for a certified copy, with a $5.00 search fee if you cannot provide a case number. The Records Department asks for 24 hours' notice to pull a file for inspection, and divorce decrees are handled by the Family Division rather than the general records line.
Probate, guardianship, and juvenile matters run through a combined Probate and Juvenile Office, the Register in Probate, with separate clerks for probate, guardianships, and juvenile cases. As everywhere in Wisconsin, online case lookup is through the free statewide Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) system; the county does not run its own portal.
Search Kenosha County court records online
Clerk of Circuit Court
Kenosha County Clerk of Courts
- Cost
- Free case search on WCCA; $1.25 per page for copies, $5.00 additional for certified copies, $5.00 search fee without a case number
- Coverage
- Circuit-court felony, civil, family, small-claims, and traffic case files for Kenosha County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Traffic
Records Department (262) 653-2664 asks for 24 hours' notice to locate a file for inspection. Divorce decrees come from the Family Division, (262) 653-2454.
Other courts
Kenosha County Register in Probate (Probate and Juvenile Office)
- Cost
- Free case search on WCCA; per-page fee for copies
- Coverage
- Probate estates and trusts, guardianships, civil commitments, adoptions, and juvenile cases
- Records
- Probate
The county's staff directory lists separate lines for the probate clerk (262-653-2675), guardianships clerk (262-653-2880), and juvenile clerk (262-653-2677). The county's Probate FAQ, which our tools could not open, places the office in Room LL04 of the courthouse at 912 56th St. and lists (262) 653-2678; confirm the room and line when you call.
What is available online
Kenosha County circuit-court case summaries, party names, and docket entries are searchable on the statewide WCCA system at no cost, and the clerk's page links to it under "Circuit Court Records." The county also offers online payment of court fees through its own Pay Court Fees page. Filed documents are not generally viewable online; the Records Department provides copies for the statutory per-page fee, and the office asks for a day's notice to retrieve a paper file for in-person review.
Which clerk has your record
In Wisconsin, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Wisconsin page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits and small claims | Clerk of Circuit Court of the county (probate and related matters held by the Register in Probate) |
| Municipal Courts | Municipal ordinance violations; Non-moving and moving traffic citations issued within city or village limits; Local forfeiture actions | Municipal court clerk for that city or village |
Request records in person or by mail
Kenosha County clerk offices
Kenosha County Courthouse, 912 56th St., Kenosha, WI 53140 (Clerk of Courts; Register in Probate in the lower level)
Phone: Clerk of Courts / Records (262) 653-2664; Family Division (262) 653-2454; Jury Service (262) 653-2667; Probate clerk (262) 653-2675; Guardianships (262) 653-2880; Juvenile (262) 653-2677
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., closed on county holidays (including Good Friday, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve)
Online. Look up the case on WCCA at wcca.wicourts.gov to get the case number and confirm which division handled it. Having the number avoids the $5.00 search fee.
In person. Visit the Clerk of Courts at the Kenosha County Courthouse, 912 56th St., Kenosha, WI 53140, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. To inspect a file rather than order copies, call the Records Department at (262) 653-2664 a day ahead so staff can locate it.
By mail. Write to the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse address with the case number (or names and approximate year), the documents you need, and whether you need certification. Copies are $1.25 per page and certified copies add $5.00; call to confirm the total before sending payment.
Divorce decrees. Contact the Family Division directly at (262) 653-2454 with your case number.
Probate, guardianship, and juvenile records. Call the Probate and Juvenile Office: probate (262) 653-2675, guardianships (262) 653-2880, juvenile (262) 653-2677. Juvenile and guardianship files are confidential under state law; estate files are generally public.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $1.25 per page (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(10)(a)) |
| Certified copy | $1.25 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per document (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(10)(a) and § 814.61(5)(am)) |
Wis. Stat. § 814.61(10)(a) sets $1.25 per page for "copies, certified or otherwise" of any court document without its own specific fee. The $5.00 certificate fee comes from § 814.61(5)(am), and county clerks (Dane, Winnebago, Kenosha, and Marathon among them) publish it as a $5.00-per-document charge on top of the per-page copy fee. A records or file search when you cannot supply a case number is $5.00 under § 814.61(11), rising to $14.00 on November 1, 2026 under 2025 Wis. Act 179. Exemplified (triple-seal) copies are commonly $15.00 plus the per-page fee. Register in Probate offices follow a separate fee section, so confirm probate copy fees with that office.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Wisconsin court records are public under the state's open-records law, Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31–19.39, but several categories are removed from public view:
The Wisconsin guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a copy of a Kenosha County court record cost?
$1.25 per page, with an additional $5.00 for a certified copy, according to the Clerk of Courts' FAQs. If you do not have the case number, a $5.00 search fee applies.
Can I walk in and look at a Kenosha County court file?
Yes, but the Records Department asks for 24 hours' notice so staff can locate the file. Call (262) 653-2664 first. The courthouse is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
How do I get a copy of my divorce decree in Kenosha County?
Contact the Family Division of the Circuit Court at (262) 653-2454 with your case number. Copies are $1.25 per page plus $5.00 if you need the decree certified.
Where are Kenosha County probate and guardianship records kept?
With the Register in Probate's Probate and Juvenile Office at the courthouse, 912 56th St. Separate clerks handle probate, guardianship, and juvenile matters; see the phone numbers above. Case entries for estates also appear on WCCA.
Sources
- Kenosha County Clerk of Courts — https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/118/Clerk-of-Courts
- Kenosha County Court FAQs — https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/121/FAQs
- Kenosha County Staff Directory — Probate and Juvenile Office — https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/Directory.aspx?did=59
- Kenosha County Courthouse (facility page) — https://www.kenoshacountywi.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/28
- Wisconsin Court System — Circuit court clerk contact information — https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/circuit/clerkcontact.htm
- Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) — https://wcca.wicourts.gov/
- Wisconsin Court System — Court system overview — https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/overview/overview.htm
- Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Access (WSCCA) — https://wscca.wicourts.gov/
- Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS) — https://recordcheck.doj.wi.gov/
- Wisconsin Department of Justice — Criminal Background Checks — https://www.wisdoj.gov/Pages/CriminalJusticeServices/criminal-background-check.aspx
- Wisconsin Statutes § 814.61 — Fees of the clerk of circuit court — https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/814/ii/61/1
- Wisconsin Statutes § 814.61(10) — Copies — https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/814/ii/61/10
- Wisconsin Statutes § 814.61(5) — Certificates, judgments, and other filings — https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/814/ii/61/5
- Wisconsin Statutes § 973.015 — Special disposition (expungement) — https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/973/015
- Wisconsin Statutes ch. 19, subch. II — Public Records — https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/19/ii
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin — https://www.wied.uscourts.gov/
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin — https://www.wiwd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Wisconsin counties.