Milwaukee County, located in the southeastern part of Wisconsin, is one of the state’s most populous counties, with over 945,000 residents. Founded in 1834, Milwaukee County has its county seat in Milwaukee. Historically, Milwaukee County is known for its brewing sector, such as the MillerCoors Brewery, one of the largest breweries in the world to date.

Courts in Milwaukee County

The judicial system in Milwaukee County comprises the Circuit and Municipal Courts, which have different scopes and jurisdictions. The Milwaukee County Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. The Circuit Court comprises the Civil and Family, Criminal, Children's Court, Traffic, and Probate Divisions. The Civil and Family Court Division presides over civil and family matters, such as large claims, small claims for monetary values less than $10,000, paternity, and divorce proceedings. The Criminal Division administers criminal offenses, including felonies and misdemeanors. The Children's Court Division presides over cases involving juvenile delinquencies and guardianship of minors. The Traffic Court adjudicates felonies and misdemeanor offenses related to traffic cases from violating state laws or county ordinances. The Probate Division presides over the administration of a deceased estate and handles cases such as protective placement and guardianships.

The Milwaukee County Municipal Court has limited authority over ordinance violations and criminal cases within the county. The court presides over cases such as traffic violations, disorderly conduct, and municipal code violations.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Milwaukee County

Public court records are court documents accessible to the public in Milwaukee. Record seekers may utilize the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access to view public court records from Milwaukee County. The Clerk of Court grants walk-in requesters access to view and obtain copies of public court records at the courthouse during business hours. Additionally, record seekers may purchase public court records by mail. Public court records from the Municipal Courts are available at the various courthouses.

Types of Public Court Records in Milwaukee County

Public court records ensure transparency and impartiality in the legal process in Milwaukee County. Public court records accessible by the general public in Milwaukee County include:

• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors such as robberies, aggravated assault, drug trafficking, and disorderly conduct
• Civil Court Records: Contract disputes, intellectual property disputes, employment disputes, restraining orders
• Family Court Records: Divorce records, child support records, spousal support documents
• Probate Court Records: Administration of estates, wills, name change, guardianships
• Traffic Court Records: Judgment and fines on traffic violations and traffic citations

Confidential Court Records in Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County confidential court records refer to court papers and documents restricted from public view. Confidential court records are sealed by a court order or restricted from public view by a federal or state statute. Usually, confidential court records contain sensitive or personal information where disclosure may threaten the privacy and security of the individual named on the court document. The following court documents are not accessible to the public in Milwaukee.

• Juvenile court records
• Adoption records
• Medical and mental health records
• Trade secrets
• Grand jury proceedings

In addition, personal identifying information such as tax identification numbers, phone numbers, passport numbers, Social Security numbers, and driver's license numbers on a court record is not accessible by the public.

Juvenile Delinquency in Milwaukee, WI

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Milwaukee 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 22 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Milwaukee County. Of that total, 5% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1 court cases. Another 5% were dependency cases that accounted for 1 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Milwaukee County, WI

https://www.wisconsin.gov/

County Seat:	Milwaukee
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1835
Total Square Miles:	1,190
2019 Population:	952,085
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Milwaukee County, WI Courts