| Clerk of Circuit Court | Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Civil/Family: Milwaukee County Courthouse, 901 N. 9th St., Room 104, Milwaukee, WI 53233. Probate: 901 N. 9th St., Room 207. Criminal: Safety Building, 821 W. State St., Room 117, Milwaukee, WI 53233 |
| Phone | Clerk of Circuit Court (414) 278-4190; Civil Division (414) 278-5362; Criminal Division (414) 278-4538; Register in Probate (414) 278-4444 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| 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)) |
Milwaukee County is Wisconsin's largest circuit court, with dozens of judges spread across civil, criminal, family, children's, and probate divisions. The Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court keeps felony, civil, and family case files. Civil and family matters are handled out of the courthouse at 901 N. 9th Street, while the criminal division's records and filings are handled out of the Safety Building at 821 W. State Street, a few blocks away — a split that trips up people who show up at the wrong building expecting to find a criminal case file.
Probate, guardianship, mental commitment, and adult protective matters are kept by the separate Register in Probate, also based at 901 N. 9th Street. As in most Wisconsin counties, both offices' case activity is searchable statewide through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) at wcca.wicourts.gov, which is the fastest way to check whether a case exists before contacting either office directly.
Children's Court, which hears juvenile delinquency and CHIPS (child in need of protection) cases, sits at a separate facility and its records are confidential, so they are not part of the public WCCA index.
Search Milwaukee County court records online
Clerk of Circuit Court
Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court
- Cost
- Free case search on WCCA; per-page fee for copies at the counter
- Coverage
- Circuit-court felony, civil, and family case files for Milwaukee County
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Civil and family filings are processed at 901 N. 9th St.; criminal filings and records are handled through the Safety Building location at 821 W. State St.
Other courts
Milwaukee County Register in Probate
- Cost
- Free case search on WCCA; per-page fee for copies
- Coverage
- Probate, guardianship, mental commitment, and adult protective placement case files
- Records
- Probate
Located at 901 N. 9th St., Room 207. Handles estates, trusts, guardianships, civil commitments, and adoptions.
What is available online
WCCA carries Milwaukee County circuit-court case summaries and docket entries back to when the county joined the statewide CCAP system, but it does not display every filed document — many older or non-electronic filings must be requested from the clerk in paper form. Children's Court (juvenile) cases and most probate case details are not shown on WCCA at all; those require a direct request to the Register in Probate or Children's Court.
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
Milwaukee County clerk offices
Civil/Family: Milwaukee County Courthouse, 901 N. 9th St., Room 104, Milwaukee, WI 53233. Probate: 901 N. 9th St., Room 207. Criminal: Safety Building, 821 W. State St., Room 117, Milwaukee, WI 53233
Phone: Clerk of Circuit Court (414) 278-4190; Civil Division (414) 278-5362; Criminal Division (414) 278-4538; Register in Probate (414) 278-4444
Hours: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Civil and family records. Request in person or by mail at 901 N. 9th St., Room 104, Milwaukee, WI 53233. Include the case number if you have it, the party names and approximate filing year if you do not, which document you need, and whether it must be certified.
Criminal records. Request through the Criminal Division at the Safety Building, 821 W. State St., Room 117, Milwaukee, WI 53233.
Probate, guardianship, and mental-commitment records. Contact the Register in Probate at 901 N. 9th St., Room 207. Ask for the specific document, such as letters testamentary or an order admitting a will to probate.
Call ahead to confirm current per-page and certification fees before mailing payment.
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
Are Milwaukee County court records searchable online?
Yes, through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) at wcca.wicourts.gov, which covers civil, criminal, family, and probate case summaries statewide, including Milwaukee County. It shows case activity, not every filed document.
Why are Milwaukee County criminal records in a different building than civil records?
The Clerk of Circuit Court's Criminal Division operates out of the Safety Building at 821 W. State St., while civil, family, and probate matters are handled at the main courthouse at 901 N. 9th St. Go to the right building for in-person requests.
Who keeps Milwaukee County probate records?
The Register in Probate, a separate division from the Clerk of Circuit Court, located at 901 N. 9th St., Room 207. It handles estates, guardianships, and mental-commitment cases.
Are Milwaukee Children's Court (juvenile) records public?
No. Juvenile delinquency and CHIPS cases heard in Children's Court are confidential under state law and are not published on WCCA or available to the general public.
Can I get a certified copy of a Milwaukee County court record by mail?
Yes. Mail the clerk or Register in Probate the case number, the document you need, and payment for the per-page and certification fee. Call first to confirm the current amount.
Sources
- Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Courts — https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Courts/Clerk-of-Court
- Milwaukee County Register in Probate / Probate Court — https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Courts/Court-Divisions/Probate-Court
- Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) — https://wcca.wicourts.gov/
- Milwaukee County Courts contact page — https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Courts/Contact
- 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 Court System — Circuit court clerk contact information — https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/circuit/clerkcontact.htm
- 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.