Taylor County Court Records Search

Taylor County, Wisconsin is a rural northcentral county whose seat, Medford, is home to all primary judicial and government offices. When legal proceedings occur in Taylor County — whether a criminal prosecution, a civil dispute, a family matter, or an estate proceeding — documentation from those cases is collected and preserved by the county's court system. These records contain the full paper trail of litigation: complaints, motions, hearing schedules, orders, exhibits, and final judgments. They serve multiple purposes, from enabling individuals to monitor the progress of a case to supporting researchers and attorneys conducting background legal work.

Finding Taylor County court records typically begins with two parallel options: visiting the Clerk of Circuit Court's office in person or using the state's online case search system. Wisconsin residents and out-of-state parties alike can access publicly available case information through WisconsinCourts.us, the official website of the Wisconsin court system, which provides links to the statewide case search database and a full directory of circuit court clerk offices organized by county. The site also hosts self-help materials, court forms, and procedural guides relevant to Taylor County proceedings.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Taylor County?

The Taylor County Circuit Court operates out of the Taylor County Courthouse in Medford, with the Honorable Ann Knox-Bauer presiding. The court is part of Wisconsin's 9th Judicial District. All civil, criminal, family, and probate cases originating within the county are filed here, making the courthouse the central starting point for any court records search.

Taylor County Circuit Court
Address: 224 South 2nd Street, Medford, WI 54451
Phone: (715) 748-1435
Fax: (715) 748-1524

The Taylor County Clerk of Circuit Court, currently Jill Scheithauer, is the official custodian of all court case records. The clerk's office maintains minute sheets, exhibits, civil and criminal filings, citations, and trust funds connected to court actions. It also manages jury selection records and processes passport applications.

There are three primary ways to search for or request Taylor County court records:

In person: Visit the Clerk of Courts office at 224 S. 2nd Street, Medford, WI 54451, Phone: (715) 748-1425 Having the party's name, date of birth, or a case number will significantly speed up the search. Staff can assist in locating a record but cannot provide legal advice — legal questions should be directed to an attorney or the Wisconsin Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 362-9082.
Online: The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal provides free public access to case docket information for Taylor County and all Wisconsin circuit courts (except Milwaukee County). Search by party name and date of birth, or by case number. An advanced search function lets users filter results by case type, filing date, case status, or disposition date. Case docket information is generally available for cases filed from 1994 onward.
By mail: Written requests for copies of court documents can be submitted to the clerk's office. Including the case number and the specific documents needed will help ensure a faster response. Copy fees apply, as detailed in the sections below.

For appellate cases at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals or Supreme Court, a separate WSCCA appellate case search portal is available through the Wisconsin court system's website.

Are Court Records Public in Taylor County?

Wisconsin's public records framework is among the broadest in the country. Under the Wisconsin Public Records Law (Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31–19.39), all members of the public are entitled to the "greatest possible information" about the affairs of government, including the judiciary. Court records are presumed open unless a specific statute, court rule, or individual court order seals or restricts them.

Despite this broad presumption, certain categories of records are withheld from public access in Taylor County:

Adoption records — sealed to protect the identities and privacy of all parties
Juvenile delinquency records — proceedings involving minors are confidential under Wisconsin law
Termination of parental rights records — access restricted by statute
Guardianship records — maintained by the Register in Probate but classified as confidential
Mental health, alcohol, and drug commitment records — restricted under applicable health privacy statutes
Unexecuted search warrants — not accessible until served or quashed
Financial disclosure statements in divorce proceedings — restricted under Wisconsin family law rules

Even publicly accessible records may be partially redacted to remove certain personally identifying information, such as Social Security numbers or minor children's names, consistent with court policy and Wisconsin statutes. When a record is restricted, the clerk's office will notify the requester which portions, if any, are available.

Taylor County Criminal Court Records

Criminal proceedings in Taylor County run through the Circuit Court, which handles both felony and misdemeanor cases. Felony charges — ranging from Class A through Class I under Wisconsin law — are filed directly in Circuit Court. Misdemeanor cases may also originate there. Ordinance violations and municipal citations, which in many Wisconsin counties would be handled by a municipal court, are adjudicated at the Circuit Court level in Taylor County because the county does not operate separate municipal courts.

Criminal court records include charging documents, warrants, plea agreements, pre-sentence investigation reports, probation orders, and sentencing records. These files are maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court and are searchable via the WCCA portal. The public can look up an individual's open or closed criminal cases, view docket entries, and check case status and disposition.

For arrest-level information — booking records, jail rosters, and recent arrest reports — the primary resource is the Taylor County Sheriff's Office:

Taylor County Sheriff's Office
Address: 224 South 2nd Street, Medford, WI 54451
Phone: (715) 748-2200
Jail Direct Line: (715) 748-1431

The Sheriff's Office serves as the county's chief law enforcement agency and manages the county jail. Criminal history records maintained there reflect incarceration data rather than statewide conviction histories. For official Wisconsin criminal history background checks covering conviction records statewide, requests must be directed to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Criminal case records that appear on the WCCA portal include case type, charges filed, hearing dates, and dispositions. Juvenile criminal records are excluded from the public WCCA display and remain confidential by statute.

Taylor County Civil Court Records

Civil matters in Taylor County — covering disputes between private parties, businesses, and government entities — are filed in the Circuit Court. The court's civil jurisdiction encompasses general civil actions, eviction (forcible entry and detainer) proceedings, civil forfeitures, and small claims.

Wisconsin's small claims process, governed by Wis. Stat. Chapter 799, limits claims to $10,000 or less, with a $5,000 cap specifically on tort claims. Filing fees for small claims cases begin at $22 for cases where the claimed amount does not exceed a set threshold, scaling upward based on claim value per the Wisconsin Circuit Court Fee Schedule. The Taylor County Clerk of Courts publishes county-specific small claims guidance:

To look up an existing civil case, use the WCCA portal or visit the Clerk of Courts office. The following information will help staff locate the record: the full names of both parties, the approximate filing date, and the case number if available. Standard document copy fees in Wisconsin circuit courts are $1.25 per page, and certified copies carry an additional fee of $5.00 per document under Wis. Stat. § 814.61.

Real property records — including deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and land contracts — are not part of the court filing system. Those instruments are maintained by the Taylor County Register of Deeds, searchable online through the LandShark real estate records portal. Recording submissions are accepted Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Recording fees are $30.00 flat per document (excluding plats), with document copy fees of $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each subsequent page, plus $1.00 for a certified copy certificate.

Taylor County Family Court Records

Family law matters in Taylor County are heard in the Circuit Court, which functions as a unified trial court of general jurisdiction in Wisconsin. Family cases include divorce and legal separation, child custody and physical placement, child support, paternity, adoption, guardianship of minors, and domestic abuse proceedings.

Divorce case files are public records maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court. The WCCA portal allows the public to verify case status and view docket entries for divorce proceedings. Financial disclosure statements filed in divorce actions are confidential under Wisconsin law, however, and are not released to the general public.

Individuals navigating a divorce without an attorney can access the Wisconsin court system's Divorce and Family Law Self-Help Center, which provides guided forms that auto-populate based on answers to a series of questions, covering most documents needed for an uncontested divorce.

For domestic abuse situations, Taylor County provides resources for obtaining temporary restraining orders (TROs) and injunctions through the Circuit Court. The local Taylor County Legal Resources directory lists the county's victim advocacy contacts, including a local service at (715) 748-3795 that assists individuals in obtaining TROs and injunctions in domestic abuse cases. Standard Circuit Court restraining order forms are also available directly through the Wisconsin court system's forms library.

Vital records connected to family matters are maintained by the Taylor County Register of Deeds. The table below summarizes access and fees for each certificate type:

Record Type	Date Range Available Locally	Fee (First Copy)	Fee (Additional Copies)
Birth Certificate	Oct. 1, 1907 – Present	$20.00	$3.00 each
Death Certificate	Sept. 1, 2013 – Present	$20.00	$3.00 each
Marriage Certificate	Oct. 1, 1907 – Present	$20.00	$3.00 each
Divorce Certificate	Jan. 1, 2016 – Present	$20.00	$3.00 each

Under Wisconsin's statewide issuance law, vital records within these date ranges may be requested from any county Register of Deeds office in the state, not just Taylor County. Viewing a vital record in person is free of charge; fees apply only when a printed copy is requested.

In-person requests must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. for same-day processing. Mail requests must use USPS Priority Mail for return delivery and include a completed application form, valid identification, and appropriate payment. Application forms are available directly from the Taylor County Register of Deeds:

Access to certified copies of marriage and divorce certificates is limited under Wis. Stat. § 69.20(1) and Wis. Stat. § 69.24(1) to individuals with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Possessing a vital record in violation of these statutes constitutes a Class I felony in Wisconsin, punishable by up to three and a half years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Uncertified (informational) copies carry no such restrictions.

For records predating the local date ranges above, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services – Vital Records Office maintains birth and death records from the early statewide registration period and can be reached by mail, online through VitalChek, or by phone at (877) 885-2981.

Taylor County Probate Court Records

Probate proceedings in Taylor County are administered through a dedicated Register in Probate office, which coordinates the judicial and administrative functions of the Probate Court operating within the Circuit Court. The Register in Probate maintains formal probate files, informal probate proceedings, wills filed for safekeeping, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, protective placements, and mental health, alcohol, and drug abuse commitment records. Adoption files and juvenile court records are also managed through this office.

The Taylor County Register in Probate can be reached at (715) 748-1435 (the Circuit Court main line) and is located at the courthouse at 224 South 2nd Street, Medford, WI 54451. Office hours mirror those of the broader courthouse. Lindsay Campbell serves as the county's Register in Probate and can be contacted at Lindsay.Campbell@wicourts.gov.

Most probate estate records are open to the public and searchable through the WCCA portal. Estate proceedings — whether testate (with a valid will) or intestate (without a will) — generate publicly accessible filings including petitions, inventories, creditor claims, and final distribution orders. Informal probate proceedings handled administratively by the Probate Registrar are also documented and accessible.

The following categories of probate records are not available to the general public:

Guardianship records — confidential under Wisconsin law regardless of whether the subject is a minor or an incapacitated adult
Protective placement records — restricted due to the sensitive nature of mental health and disability proceedings
Mental health, alcohol, and drug commitment records — sealed from public access
Adoption records — permanently sealed

For historical probate research, Taylor County probate records dating back to 1874 are archived at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Archives, which holds early county court probate records. These records can be an important resource for genealogical research involving Taylor County estates from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Taylor County Register of Deeds
Address: 224 South 2nd Street, Medford, WI 54451
Mailing Address: 224 South Second Street, Medford, WI 54451
Recording Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.