OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS

Because You Need to Know
How to use this page: Pick the record type you need below. Each section names the agency that holds those records and links to the official source — no aggregators, no third-party services. For criminal history, note that the Wisconsin Department of Justice (not the State Patrol) is the records agency.

What You Can Find Here

⚖️ Court case records through WCCA statewide
🔍 Arrest records from county sheriffs and municipal police
📋 Criminal history checks through Wisconsin DOJ
🏛️ Vital records, property records, and open-records requests
Have this ready before you start:
  • Full name of the person or business
  • Case number, if you have one
  • The county where the record was created

How Records Work in Wisconsin

Wisconsin's court and arrest records run across state, county, and arresting-agency levels, with one structural quirk: law enforcement is split. The state judiciary under the Wisconsin Supreme Court maintains court records through the excellent WCCA system. The Wisconsin DOJ Crime Information Bureau holds statewide criminal history (not the State Patrol, which handles traffic enforcement only). Most local records live at the county level.

Wisconsin has 72 counties. Each has its own Circuit Court clerk, sheriff, register of deeds, and clerk of courts. Because Circuit Courts handle all trial-level matters (no separate courts for felonies vs. misdemeanors), a single county's Circuit Court is where most of what you'd search for ends up. WCCA aggregates data from all 72 counties, making Wisconsin unusually searchable statewide.

Counties in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has 72 counties. Select one below to find local court, arrest, and court and arrest records.

What this page does not show: Not every record is online. While WCCA provides excellent statewide case access, some older records and specialized filings require a clerk's office visit. Arrest records are held by the arresting agency, not centralized. When in doubt, call the agency directly.

This page is a guide to help you find official records — it is not the official database. All information comes from government sources. Verify details directly with the agency that holds the records.

Last updated: April 24, 2026