Columbia County court records, as defined by Wisconsin Statutes § 19.32 (2), encompass all information created or kept by a government authority, whether in written, drawn, printed, visual, or electronic form. These documents are significant because they provide detailed information about every legal case processed within Columbia County. The records offer valuable insights into case history, court decisions, and related legal data, making them an invaluable resource for those with legal interests, both individuals and organizations.
Columbia County court records contain a wide variety of information, such as case details, court orders, legal filings, criminal and civil records, probate records, domestic relations records, juvenile records, and mental health records. The data within these documents provides individuals and organizations with an overview of Wisconsin court records and the state’s legal system.
Generally, court records in Columbia County, Wisconsin are open to the public. This means that Wisconsin residents have a statutory right to access court records within the state. According to Wisconsin Statute § 59.20(3), county officials, including the clerk of circuit courts, must open their offices to the public during regular business hours. This statute allows individuals to inspect and copy court records, ensuring transparency and integrity within the judicial system.
However, access to some court records is restricted. For instance, the statute stipulates that documents that could be used to identify an informant may be kept confidential. Other state laws have additional restrictions or exclusions, such as for juvenile records, sealed records, or documents containing sensitive personal information.
There are various ways to search for court records in Columbia County.
The judicial system in Columbia County comprises both the Circuit Court and the Municipal Court. The Circuit Court handles a more diverse range of cases, including serious criminal charges, civil disagreements, and escalated juvenile cases. The Municipal Court primarily addresses minor ordinance violations and petty crimes. However, cases requiring equitable remedies or trial by jury are transferred to the Circuit Court and cannot be resolved by the Municipal Court.
Contact information for these courts is listed below:
Columbia County Circuit Court P.O. Box 587 Portage, WI 53901 Phone: (608) 742-2191 Fax: (608) 742-9601
City of Wisconsin Dells Municipal Court 300 La Crosse Street Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 Phone: (608) 254-2442 Fax: (608) 254-7329
Eastern Columbia County Joint Municipal Court 641 South Main Street P.O. Box 96 Fall River, WI 53932 Phone: (920) 484-6320 Fax: (920) 484-6321
Portage Municipal Court 115 West Pleasant Street Portage, WI 53901 Phone: (608) 742-2258 Fax: (608) 742-8623
Interested individuals can search for their criminal records in Columbia County at the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The DOJ’s Criminal History Unit (CHU) oversees and manages criminal records in Wisconsin. The CHU collects criminal records of Wisconsin residents from police departments.
Therefore, anyone can request their Columbia County arrest records or criminal history by completing the Wisconsin Criminal History Request Form DJ-LE–250. Requesters must submit all necessary information in the correct format, including the subject’s full name, sex, race, and date of birth. While not mandatory, providing additional identifying information, including maiden names, social security number, or other names, may help ensure a more accurate search.
For name-based record requests, requesters should select “General Information” under the request purpose and “Non-Profit” under the requester type. Requesters must mail the completed form, a $12 payment, and a self-addressed, stamped return envelope to: W.I. Division of Law Enforcement Services Crime Information Bureau Record Check Unit P.O. Box 2688 Madison WI 53701–2688 Phone: (608) 266–5764.
Requesters may have to wait seven to ten days for the request to be processed. For those seeking criminal history records based on fingerprints, submit a set of fingerprints along with form DJ-LE–250. Fingerprints may be obtained from the local sheriff’s office or police department within the County. Fingerprint-based criminal history records cost $20.
Wisconsin also allows requesters to look up criminal records via the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS) portal. Criminal record checks on the WORCS portal cost $7 per search.
Civil court records are created in Columbia County when the court adjudicates cases, such as small claims, civil equity, complex commercial, asset forfeiture and liens, real property and boundaries, landlord/tenant, ordinance violations, guardianships, no contact, restraining orders, and administrative agency appeals. The Columbia County Clerk of Courts office is the official custodian of court case records in the County. This office oversees civil court records from the initial filing of the case until the destruction of case files when retention schedules expire. To access civil court records in Columbia County, requesters need to contact this office using their contact information below: 400 DeWitt Street Portage, WI 53901 Phone: (608) 742-2191 Fax: (608) 742-9601 Mailing Address: Columbia County Clerk of Circuit Court P.O. Box 587 Portage, WI 53901.
Interested individuals can also obtain Columbia County civil court records from the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA). WCCA provides easy case search options, advanced case search, recorded civil judgment search, and lien search. Users must agree to the terms and conditions before they can proceed to the search page. They are expected to provide the party name and case number.
Columbia County marriage registration records are not considered public records, meaning they are not available to the general public. However, these records may be available to eligible requesters as documented in Wisconsin General Statutes § 69.20(1). This rule states that only legally authorized individuals, such as the couple, immediate family members, legal representatives, or individuals with a court order, may access information from marriage registration records. Eligible individuals may contact the Columbia County Register of Deeds office (ROD) and the Wisconsin Vital Records Office to access these records.
To obtain marriage registration records from the Columbia County Recorder of Deeds, eligible requesters need to complete the Application Form. They can then submit the request in person or by mail along with proper identification and the associated fee of $20 ($3 surcharge for each additional copy of the same record). Columbia County Recorder of Deeds 112 East Edgewater Street Portage, WI 53901 Phone: (608) 742-9677 Fax: (608) 742-9875
Eligible individuals may also obtain marriage registration records from the State Vital Records Office. Requesters must download and complete the Wisconsin marriage record application form and submit it by mail or in person, along with identification and a $20 fee. The contact information for the State Vital Records Office is provided below: Office Location 1 West Wilson Street Room 16 Madison, WI 53701 Phone: (608) 266-1373 Email: [email protected]. Mailing Address: Vital Records P.O. Box 309 Madison, WI 53701-0309.
Columbia County divorce records are also not open to the public. However, they may be available to eligible requesters as per Wisconsin General Statutes § 69.20(1). This rule states that only legally authorized individuals, such as the couple, immediate family members, legal representatives, or individuals with a court order, may access information from divorce records. Eligible individuals can contact the Columbia County Register of Deeds office (ROD) and the Wisconsin Vital Records Office to access these records.
