Juneau County Court Records Search
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Juneau County, Wisconsin has a unified Circuit Court system that handles everything from felony criminal cases and civil disputes to family law, probate, and juvenile matters. The Clerk of Courts and the Register in Probate — both located at the Juneau County Courthouse in Mauston — maintain the records those proceedings generate. Whether you're researching a background check, tracking a property lien, tracing a family legal history, or following an active case, knowing where records live and how to request them will save you real time.
A good place to start is WisconsinCourts.us, the official portal of the Wisconsin Court System. It offers statewide online access to circuit court cases, links to court forms, fee schedules, and local court contact information. You can also request records in person at the Clerk of Courts, by mail, or through the county's online request portal. Public access terminals at the courthouse let you review files on-site at no charge.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Juneau County?
Start with the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal, maintained by the Wisconsin Court System. WCCA gives the public free access to circuit court case records statewide, including cases filed in Juneau County. You can search by:
- Full name (last name, first name)
- Case number (e.g., 24CF000)
- Citation number
The database covers civil, criminal, family, small claims, traffic, and forfeiture matters. Search results show case status, party names, charges, court dates, and the presiding judge.
If you need copies of specific court documents, three options are available:
- Online Request Form — Submit the court records request form through the Juneau County website and complete payment through Allpaid (Destination Code #1402) before processing begins.
- Mail Request — Send a written letter describing the records you need, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order, to the Clerk of Courts at 200 Oak Street, Mauston, WI 53948.
- In-Person Request — Visit the courthouse Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can view files at no cost; copies require pre-payment by cash or check.
| Clerk of Court — Juneau County | |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 Oak Street, Room 2230, Mauston, WI 53948 |
| Phone | (608) 847-9356 |
| Fax | (608) 847-9360 |
| juneau.county@wicourts.gov | |
| Hours | Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
Copy fees are set by state statute and apply to all requests:
- Plain copies: $1.25 per page (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(10))
- Certified copies: $5.00 per certification (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(5))
- Name/background search: $5.00 per name searched (Wis. Stat. § 814.61(11)) — required when no case number is provided
Background search requests should include the subject's full name and date of birth. For criminal searches, a date of birth is required. Processing typically takes up to 10 business days but is often completed sooner.
Are Court Records Public in Juneau County?
Wisconsin's Open Records Law (Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31–19.39) creates a strong presumption in favor of public access to government records, including court records. Unless a record is sealed by court order or specifically exempted by law, all Circuit Court files are open for inspection at no cost during business hours. Copies are available for a fee.
That said, certain categories of records are withheld from general public access. Under Wisconsin law and court rules, the following are not publicly available:
- Grand jury proceedings and grand juror lists
- Guardianship proceedings for protected persons
- Executed search warrant files (until unsealed)
- Presentence investigation reports
- Termination of parental rights records
- Income and expense statements filed in family matters
- Juvenile court records
- Adoption records
Access to confidential records is limited to the subject of the record, their legal representative, and law enforcement agencies with a legitimate official need. If you believe a record has been improperly withheld, the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Public Records Law Compliance Guide outlines the process for challenging denials.
Juneau County Criminal Court Records
Criminal records in Juneau County come from two distinct sources: Circuit Court case records and law enforcement incident or arrest records held by the Sheriff's Office.
Circuit Court criminal records — felony and misdemeanor case filings, judgments of conviction, and sentencing orders — can be searched for free on WCCA. To get copies of criminal case documents, use the same request process described above through the Clerk of Courts.
Arrest records, incident reports, and police reports are a different matter. Those are maintained by the Juneau County Sheriff's Office and are not held by the Clerk of Courts. Direct requests for those records to the Sheriff's Records Unit:
| Juneau County Sheriff's Office — Records Unit | |
|---|---|
| Address | 200 Oak Street, Mauston, WI 53948 |
| Phone | (608) 847-9414 |
| Fax | (608) 847-9401 |
| sheriffclerical@juneaucountywi.gov | |
| Hours | Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
You can submit requests in person, by fax, or by U.S. mail. Each request must include enough detail to locate the record, such as:
- Case or incident number
- Date and location of the incident
- Full names of persons involved
- Type of report requested
Fees depend on the type of record, reproduction method, and mailing costs. Pre-payment is required for requests exceeding $5.00. The office processes requests within 10 business days under the Wisconsin Open Records Law. Crash reports specifically are available through CrashDocs.org and may take up to 10 business days after the deputy files them before they appear in the system.
For statewide criminal history background checks that go beyond county-level court records, the Wisconsin Department of Justice offers formal criminal history search services for employers and individuals.
Juneau County Civil Court Records
The Juneau County Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over all civil matters, including general civil litigation, small claims, eviction actions, replevin, garnishment proceedings, and civil liens. All civil case records are generally subject to public access unless a specific record has been sealed or placed under a protective order.
Online civil case searches are free through WCCA — search by party name or case number. To get document copies, submit a request using the online form, by mail, or in person at the Clerk's office.
Small Claims Court in Juneau County handles these dispute types:
- Money claims of $10,000 or less
- Personal injury/tort claims of $5,000 or less
- Eviction actions (regardless of rent amount)
- Return of property (replevin)
- Return of earnest money on real estate transactions
- Actions on arbitration awards for real estate purchases
For small claims questions, reach the dedicated clerk at (608) 847-9355. State-level guidance and self-help materials are also available through the Wisconsin Court System's Small Claims Self-Help Law Center.
If a small claims judgment needs to be reopened, you'll need Form SC-515A and SC-515B, along with a potential $50.00 reopening fee. To satisfy a judgment, complete Form GF-129 and file it at the Clerk's office with a $5.00 filing fee.
Electronic filing is available for circuit court civil cases. As of May 1, 2024, electronically filed cases carry an additional fee of $35.00 per case per party. Full civil filing fee schedules are published by the Wisconsin Court System and are subject to periodic updates by the Wisconsin Legislature.
Juneau County Family Court Records
Family matters in Juneau County — divorce, legal separation, annulment, child custody, child support, and paternity — are handled by the Circuit Court. The Divorce & Family division of the Clerk's office maintains these records.
Family court records are generally public, with important exceptions: financial disclosure documents and certain records involving minors are confidential under Wisconsin law. Certified copies of divorce records held by the Clerk of Courts are available for $1.25 per page plus $5.00 per certification.
Self-represented litigants have access to several official tools:
- Family Forms Assistant — an interactive guide from the Wisconsin Court System that walks you through divorce and legal separation paperwork, including child support, custody and placement, maintenance, and property division forms.
- Wisconsin Family Court Forms — the complete library of approved family court forms.
- Divorce Checklist — a document-specific checklist available from the Clerk's office to make sure all required paperwork is complete before filing.
- Divorce form packet — available for purchase at the Clerk's office for $25.00 for those who cannot print forms independently.
Child support calculations in Wisconsin follow the DCF Chapter 150 percentage-of-income standard, administered by the state Department of Children and Families. For questions about child support bonds, warrants, enforcement, or appearances, contact the Juneau County Child Support office through the Department of Human Services.
Marriage and Divorce Certificates — as distinct from court case files — are maintained by the Register of Deeds, not the Clerk of Courts. Divorce records at the Register of Deeds are only available from January 1, 2016 onward; anything before that date must be requested from the Clerk of Courts.
| Register of Deeds — Vital Records | |
|---|---|
| Address | 220 East State Street, Room #212, Mauston, WI 53948 |
| Phone | (608) 847-9325 |
| Vital Records Hours | Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. |
| Record Type | First Copy | Each Additional Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage Certificate | $20.00 | $3.00 |
| Divorce Certificate | $20.00 | $3.00 |
| Birth Certificate | $20.00 | $3.00 |
| Death Certificate | $20.00 | $3.00 |
You can request vital records online through the Official Records Online portal, by mail with a completed application form and payment, or in person at the Register of Deeds office. In-person requests for certified marriage records are typically completed within 2 hours; mail requests take approximately 2 weeks. Non-certified copies cannot be used for identity verification.
Domestic violence matters and protective orders are also filed through the Circuit Court. Self-represented parties can find related forms and procedural information through the Wisconsin Court System's self-help resources.
Juneau County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Juneau County fall under the Circuit Court and are specifically managed by the Register in Probate/Clerk of Juvenile Court office. The Register in Probate is appointed by the Circuit Court judge and is the designated officer for maintaining probate and certain confidential records.
| Register in Probate — Juneau County | |
|---|---|
| Name | Terry L.A. Reynolds, Register in Probate |
| Phone | (608) 847-9346 |
| Address | 200 Oak Street, Mauston, WI 53948 |
The Register in Probate handles the following case types:
- Decedent's estates — both formal administration and informal proceedings
- Guardianships — for adults, minors, and those with developmental disabilities
- Mental health commitments — civil commitments and protective placements
- Adult adoptions
- Other protective placement matters
Probate case records are searchable through the same Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal used for civil and criminal matters. Search by the decedent's name, the ward's name, or the case number. Results show case status, parties, and hearing information.
To get copies of probate documents, the same fee schedule applies as for all other Circuit Court records: $1.25 per page for plain copies and $5.00 per certification. Submit requests online, by mail, or in person at the courthouse. Keep in mind that some probate records are confidential by statute — guardianship proceedings in particular — so not all documents in a probate file may be available for public inspection without demonstrating a legal interest.
Estate administration in Wisconsin is governed by the Wisconsin Probate Code, Wis. Stat. Chapters 851–882. For qualifying estates, summary settlement and informal administration options can reduce the time and cost involved. The Register in Probate's office can walk attorneys and self-represented individuals through the procedural steps, though it does not provide legal advice.
If you're settling a decedent's estate in Juneau County, knowing which court oversees the matter, who serves as Register in Probate, and how to search existing estate records are useful first steps. For complex estate matters, consulting the Wisconsin Court System's probate resources or a licensed Wisconsin attorney is advisable. The Juneau County Bar Association and Wisconsin's lawyer referral services can help you find qualified local probate counsel.