Dane County, named after Nathan Dane, a Massachusetts delegate to the Congress of the Confederation, was established in 1836. Its county seat in Madison is named after President James Madison. The County, located in South-central Wisconsin, has a population of over 560,000 residents and covers an area of approximately 3,123 square kilometers. Dane County is known for its vibrant education scene and is home to the University of Wisconsin, a major research university.

Courts in Dane County

The Dane County judiciary system comprises Circuit and Municipal Courts.  The Dane County Circuit Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction, having original jurisdiction over civil lawsuits and exclusive jurisdiction over all criminal cases. The Circuit Court is divided into divisions: Juvenile, Probate, and Family Divisions. The court also presides over small claims.

The Municipal Court in Dane County handles cases involving local ordinance violations, including traffic tickets, municipal code violations, and some non-criminal offenses. Municipal Courts also handle some juvenile cases, including alcohol violations, drug offenses, truancy, and curfew violations.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Dane County

Public court records are the documents and papers from legal proceedings in the Dane County courts that are publicly available to residents. Access to public court records is available through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access. The Dane County Clerk of Courts is the county’s record custodian and accepts requests for public court records in person at the courthouse or by mail, fax, or email. The Municipal Court records are open to the public. Interested persons may view court records at the courthouse or request copies of the document by email, fax, phone, or mail.

Types of Public Court Records in Dane County

Public court records provide insights into the judicial proceedings in the county and can be used as a reference or precedence for future lawsuits. Public court records accessible in Dane County include:

• Civil Court Records: Such as business dissolution disputes, contract breaches, injunctions, foreclosures, zoning appeals, and boundary disputes
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies, including armed robberies and aggravated assaults cases, and misdemeanors, such as vandalism and simple assault
• Probate Records: Administration of wills, guardianships, trust, name change, and conservatorship
• Family Court Records: Marriage annulment, divorce, child custody, and alimony
• Traffic Records: Traffic citations, including speeding tickets. Illegal parking, building code violations, and driving under the influence

Confidential Court Records in Dane County

Confidential court records are documents in the custody of Dane County courts that are excluded from public access. Confidential court records may be sealed by court order or by federal or state laws. Confidential court records in Dane County contain private or sensitive information, where disclosure may compromise the individual's safety and security. Confidential court records include:

• Juvenile court records
• Medical and mental health records
• Adoption records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Intellectual property and trade secrets
• Alcohol and drug treatment records

Furthermore, personal identifiers on public court records are confidential information exempted from public access. Personal identifying information such as tax identification numbers, Social Security numbers, insurance policy numbers, financial account numbers, and driver's license numbers on a court record are private information restricted from public access.

Juvenile Delinquency in Dane, WI

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Dane County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Wisconsin often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 684 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Dane County. Of that total, 65% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 445 court cases. Another 32% were dependency cases that accounted for 218 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Dane County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Dane County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Dane County, WI

https://www.wisconsin.gov/

County Seat:	Madison
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1836
Total Square Miles:	1,238
2019 Population:	536,416
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	210 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd County Courthouse Madison , WI 53703-3340 https://www.countyofdane.com/

Dane County, WI Courts