Jackson County Court Records Search
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Jackson County, Wisconsin, is a largely rural county in the west-central part of the state with its county seat in Black River Falls. A single Circuit Court handles all judicial matters in the county — felonies, misdemeanors, civil disputes, family law, small claims, traffic matters, and probate proceedings. All court records from these cases are maintained at the Jackson County Courthouse, with certain specialized records held by the Register in Probate and vital records kept by the Register of Deeds.
Both in-person and online options are available for Wisconsin residents and others who need court case information. Official court resources, clerk offices, public access terminals at the courthouse, and online search tools all offer ways to get started. WisconsinCourts.us can help you identify publicly available court case information and locate the appropriate clerk offices across the state.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Jackson County?
All circuit court cases in Jackson County are filed and managed through a single courthouse in Black River Falls. The Clerk of Court keeps the official record of all proceedings and manages filings across civil, criminal, family, appeals, small claims, traffic, and forfeiture matters.
Jackson County Circuit Court — Clerk of Court
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 307 Main Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615 |
| Phone | (715) 284-0208 |
| Fax | (715) 284-0270 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
Note: The Clerk of Court office does not accept filing documents by email, and staff cannot provide legal advice. For legal questions, contact an attorney or call the Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 362-9082.
Circuit Court Judges
Branch I: Honorable Judge Megan Meyer
Branch II: (See the Wisconsin Court System's circuit court judges directory for current assignments)
Online Case Search
The Wisconsin Court System Case Search provides free public access to Jackson County circuit court records. You can search by party name, date of birth, case number, or county. Case dockets for most counties are available from 1994 to the present. For direct access to the circuit court case lookup, use the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal, which returns case history, hearing dates, charges, and dispositions.
In-Person and Mail Access
For certified document copies or records not available online, submit a written request to the Clerk of Court's office either in person or by mail. Include the case number or filing date, the parties' names, and a description of the documents needed. Copy fees and certification charges apply and are set by the Wisconsin Circuit Court Fee, Forfeiture, Fine and Surcharge Table.
Local Court Rules for Jackson County are available through the Clerk of Court's office page on the county website.
Are Court Records Public in Jackson County?
The Wisconsin Open Records Law (Wis. Stat. § 19.31 et seq.) establishes a strong presumption that government records — including court records — are open for public inspection and copying. Exemptions are to be narrowly construed, meaning any restriction on access must be grounded in a specific statutory provision or established legal principle.
Despite that general openness, the following categories of records in Jackson County are restricted or exempt from public disclosure:
- Juvenile records — completely confidential by statute under Wisconsin Statutes Chapters 48 and 938; files are closed
- Adoption records — sealed from general public access
- Mental health, alcohol, and drug abuse commitment records — not accessible to the general public
- Attorney-client privileged communications — protected from disclosure
- Trade secrets — exempt under privacy protections
- Active law enforcement investigative records — withheld when disclosure could jeopardize an ongoing investigation
- Records involving pending litigation — may be restricted depending on their nature
- Records sealed by court order — unavailable unless a court authorizes disclosure
- Personal privacy information — subject to redaction or withholding when disclosure would be an unwarranted invasion of privacy
- Security information — withheld when release could endanger persons or facilities
Access requests that are partially exempt may result in redacted copies rather than full withholding of a document. The Clerk of Court can advise on whether a specific record is publicly available before you submit a formal request.
Jackson County Criminal Court Records
The Jackson County Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over all felony and misdemeanor criminal cases in the county, including those involving violent crimes, drug offenses, property crimes, and DUI/OWI matters. The Clerk of Court maintains all criminal case filings, including charging documents, motions, verdicts, plea agreements, and sentencing orders.
Searching Criminal Records Online
Criminal case records from the Jackson County Circuit Court can be searched through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal. The system returns full case histories including charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. Searches can be run by name, case number, or date of birth.
Arrest Records — Jackson County Sheriff's Office
Arrest records, booking information, and warrant-related inquiries are handled by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, which is the county's chief law enforcement agency. The Sheriff's Office maintains a register of all persons committed to the county jail.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 30 N 3rd Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615 |
| Non-Emergency Phone | (715) 284-5357 |
| Administration | (715) 284-9009 |
| Jail Fax | (715) 284-8184 |
| Records Request Email | recordrequests@Jacksoncountywi.gov |
| Sheriff's Office Email | sheriff@jacksoncountywi.gov |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
Public records requests to the Sheriff's Office — including requests for incident reports, arrest records, and jail records — can be submitted in writing by email to recordrequests@Jacksoncountywi.gov or by fax to (715) 284-0252. Include the subject's full name and the approximate date of the incident when submitting a request.
Jackson County Civil Court Records
The Jackson County Circuit Court handles all civil matters in the county, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, real estate disagreements, landlord-tenant cases, and small claims. The Clerk of Court maintains all civil case records.
Civil Case Search
Civil case dockets and party information are searchable through the WCCA case search tool by party name or case number. For copies of specific filings, contact the Clerk of Court at (715) 284-0208. All official Wisconsin Circuit Court forms are available through the Wisconsin Court System forms portal.
Small Claims
Jackson County Circuit Court handles small claims cases. If the defendant resides in Jackson County, the small claims filing fee is $94.50 (not including a $2.00 per-page fee for each summons copy). Appearance by both parties on the return date is mandatory. The Circuit Court's Small Claims page provides procedural guidance for self-represented filers.
Property and Land Records
Deeds, mortgages, land contracts, easements, certified survey maps, and other recorded instruments are maintained by the Jackson County Register of Deeds, whose land records date to 1854. Copies of land records cost $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page. Recording fees are $30.00 per document.
Jackson County Register of Deeds
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Register | Rebecca Franks |
| Address | 307 Main Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
For online access to recorded land documents, the Register of Deeds offers two platforms — Tapestry for occasional users and Laredo for frequent professional users. The county's Land Information portal provides access to mapping, aerial photography, property information, and online tax records. The county also maintains a Survey Records Search platform for locating survey-related property information.
Jackson County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Jackson County are adjudicated by the Circuit Court and include divorce proceedings, child custody and visitation, child support, paternity actions, domestic violence protective orders, and adoptions. Case filings are maintained by the Clerk of Court; adoption records are maintained by the Register in Probate and are sealed.
Divorce Records
Divorce cases are filed in the Circuit Court. Decrees and final orders are held by the Clerk of Court and can be searched through the WCCA portal. Certified copies of divorce decrees are available from the Clerk of Court; certified copies of divorce certificates are available from the Register of Deeds or the Wisconsin Vital Records Office.
As of January 2016, divorce certificates can be obtained statewide from any county Register of Deeds. For divorces finalized before January 2016, requests must go to the Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was filed. The fee for a divorce certificate is $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses are issued by the Jackson County Clerk. Marriage records are maintained by the Register of Deeds, whose marriage records date back to 1854. As of January 2017, birth and marriage certificates can be obtained from any county seat in Wisconsin. Marriage certificates cost $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy.
Marriage certificates are also available through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Vital Records office by mail, online through VitalChek, or by phone through VitalChek at (877) 885-2981.
Birth and Death Records
Birth records held by the Jackson County Register of Deeds date from 1876; some early marriage records go back to 1854. The office notes that if a person was born or died in one county but was a resident of Jackson County (or vice versa), the record may be filed in both counties.
Both birth and death certificates cost $20.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy. Requests can be made in person at the Register of Deeds or by submitting a completed application by mail to 307 Main Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615. Applications are available on the county website, including the Birth Certificate Application form. Statewide death certificates can be obtained from any county in Wisconsin from September 2013 to the present; prior to that date, requests must go to the county seat of death or the decedent's resident county at the time of death.
Jackson County Probate Court Records
Probate proceedings in Jackson County are administered through the Circuit Court, with the Register in Probate handling all formal and informal estate proceedings, guardianships, conservatorships, protective placements, wills filed for safekeeping, mental health and substance abuse commitments, and adoptions.
Register in Probate
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Register in Probate / Probate Registrar | Elizabeth E. Storlie |
| Phone | (715) 284-0286 |
| Secondary Phone | (715) 670-0524 |
| Elizabeth.Storlie@wicourts.gov | |
| Juvenile Clerk | Trisha Rondorf |
| Address | 307 Main Street, Black River Falls, WI 54615 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
Mail all correspondence and documents related to probate matters directly to the Register in Probate at the address above.
Probate Fee Schedule
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Inventory Fee — estates ≤ $10,000; guardianships/conservatorships with assets < $50,000 | $20.00 |
| Inventory Fee — estates > $10,000; guardianships/conservatorships assets > $50,000 | 0.2% of inventory value |
| Certification Fee | $3.00 |
| Copies | $1.00 per page |
| Filing a Claim Against the Estate | $3.00 |
| Searching for Files or Records | $4.00 |
| Wills Filed for Safekeeping | $10.00 |
| Exemplification | $9.00 + copy fee |
| Termination of Life Estate | $3.00 |
| Certification of Judgment or Descent | $3.00 |
| Grandparent or Step-Parent Visitation Action | $60.00 |
| Objection to Probate of Will | $20.00 |
| Health Care Power of Attorney (for safekeeping) | $8.00 |
| Declaration to Physicians / Living Will (for safekeeping) | $8.00 |
Probate Process and Resources
The Jackson County Register in Probate administers both formal and informal estate proceedings — testate (with a will) and intestate (without). Detailed procedural guidance is available through the office's pages for estates over $50,000 and estates under $50,000. A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin is also available through the county website to help executors navigate the process.
For certified copies of probate records, requests may be made in person or by mail. Mail requests must include the correct fee (certification fee plus the per-page copy charge) and a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Payment must be received before certified copies are issued. All official probate and circuit court forms are available through the Wisconsin Court System forms library.
Parties who need to appear remotely for a probate hearing must obtain the judge's permission in advance using Form GF-306, Request to Appear Remotely. If approved, the judge will sign Form GF-307 and Zoom details will be provided. Juvenile court records managed by the Juvenile Clerk are kept strictly confidential and are closed files under Wisconsin Statutes Chapters 48 and 938.