Marinette County is the third-largest county by land area in Wisconsin. Its 1,399 square miles are home to 41,872 people, according to the 2020 census. The county was created in 1879 and named after Marie “Queen Marinette” Chevalier. The City of Marinette is its largest city and county seat.

Courts in Marinette County

Marinette County has seven municipal courts and a circuit court. The Marinette County Circuit Court is the highest court in the county, and it has general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. As the only court with jury trials in the county, it typically hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of municipal courts. It hears misdemeanors, felonies, some juvenile matters, and civil cases with or without financial claims. It also hears domestic matters, including separations, divorces, domestic violence, annulments, and maintenance. Probate matters such as admission of wills, appointment of guardianships, and administration of estates and trusts are also handled by the court. In cities/towns without municipal courts, the Marinette County Circuit Court handles their traffic offenses and municipal ordinance violations.

The municipal courts in Marinette County hear municipal ordinance infractions and traffic offenses within their jurisdiction. They can also hear certain juvenile matters, such as curfew violations, alcohol violations, drug offenses, and truancy. However, they must transfer cases with proper requests to the Marinette County Circuit Court. The Marinette County Nothern Joint Municipal Court serves the towns of Pembine, Beecher, Dunbar, Athelstane, and Niagara. The remaining six municipal courts are for the village of Crivitz, Stephenson Town, the Town of Pound-Village of Coleman, Peshtigo, the City of Niagara, and the City of Marinette.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Marinette County

The Marinette County Clerk of Circuit Court maintains all public records from the Circuit Court, while the clerks of each municipal court maintain public records from those courts. These records are accessible to the public and consist of court filings, court orders, writs, transcripts, legal proceedings, and rulings of the county's courts. The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal allows the public to access nonconfidential court records from Marinette County Circuit Court. Furthermore, members of the public can visit any of the courts to view or request copies of public court records in those courts.

Types of Public Court Records in Marinette County

Access to public court records in Marinette County promotes confidence in the county’s judicial system. The following types of court records are available to the public in the county unless sealed by court orders:

• Criminal Court Records: including court proceedings and court judgments for felonies and misdemeanors
• Family Court Records: including custody judgments, divorce decrees, and maintenance orders
• Probate Court Records: including documentation of wills, estates, and trusts
• Civil Court Records: including employment disputes, personal injury cases, libel, professional malpractices, product liabilities, breaches of contracts, and trade secrets

Confidential Court Records in Marinette County

Certain court records in Marinette County are sealed under Wisconsin law or by court orders to preserve privacy and protect sensitive information and the interest of justice. Unlike public court documents, which are accessible to the public, confidential court records are not and can only be examined by authorized persons or by court orders. While most court records are available to the public in Wisconsin, parts or all of the following are usually excluded from public access:

• Most juvenile delinquency records
• Adoption records
• Social Security number
• Driver’s license number
• Termination of parental rights
• Bank account details
• Substance abuse treatment records
• Guardianships
• Child protection
• Medical and mental health records
• Records of confidential informants
• Tax returns.

Juvenile Delinquency in Marinette, WI

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

In 2017, a total of 94 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Marinette County. Of that total, 22% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 21 court cases. Another 52% were dependency cases that accounted for 49 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Marinette County, WI

https://www.wisconsin.gov/

County Seat:	Marinette
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1879
Total Square Miles:	1,550
2019 Population:	40,310
Persons/Square Mile:	0.04
County Contact:	1926 Hall Ave County Courthouse Marinette , WI 54143-1717 http://www.marinettecounty.com/

Marinette County, WI Courts