Brown County Court Records
Brown County, Wisconsin, courts diligently maintain records of legal actions conducted within their jurisdiction. These comprehensive Brown County court records encompass all documentation-papers, files, information, exhibits, and other relevant materials-that the clerk of the court gathers, creates, or keeps regarding a specific legal matter or proceeding.
Court records are essential for various reasons, primarily to allow public oversight of the judicial branch’s actions. Beyond transparency, these records are crucial for several practical purposes: filing appeals, researching legal precedents, determining case outcomes, and conducting background checks.
As explained, court records encompass all filings in a case, such as pleadings, motions, orders, and judgments. Consequently, they often include external documents-records originally maintained by other agencies but submitted/filed during discovery, trial, or other case stages. Examples of these external records include police reports, correctional records, probation reports, vital records, medical records, tax statements, and protective orders.
Are Brown County Court Records Public?
Yes. Wisconsin’s Open Records Law, indexed in Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31-19.39, and Wis. Stat. § 59.20 (3) enable the public inspection and copying of court records in Brown County. Under these statutes, any member of the public may submit a request to a court clerk’s office to inspect court records. However, the law excludes documents or information deemed confidential, such as
- Adoption records
- Protected information, such as Social Security numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, employer or taxpayer identification numbers, and credit/debit card numbers (Wis. Stat. § 801.19)
- Unexecuted search warrants
- Child abuse restraining orders and injunctions
- Paternity pre-adjudication records
- Presentence investigation reports
- Wills deposited for safekeeping during the life of a testator
- Confidential name change petitions
What Information is Available in Brown County Court Records?
Brown County court records may include the following details or documents
- Case dockets (the summary of events and filings in a case)
- Motions
- Charging documents
- Uniform Citations
- Complaints
- Answers
- Orders
- Judgments
- Writs
- Notices
Brown County Court Records Search
As stated, members of the public have a right of access to court records generated and maintained in Brown County. They may obtain access as follows.
- Online: The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal, a resource from the state judiciary, allows anyone to view public court case information across Wisconsin. This platform supports statewide and county-specific searches. Users can further narrow the results by entering a specific case number or party name into the provided search fields. Searching and viewing court case information is free via the WCCA portal, but direct access at the courthouse or through the clerk’s office is required to obtain copies of case documents.
For online access to court records kept by municipal courts in Brown County, individuals can check the presiding court’s website to see whether an Online Records Request Form or a case search system is available.
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In-Person Access: A conventional method for finding court
records in Brown County involves a visit to the clerk’s office, usually
situated within the courthouse where the case was heard. While these visits
must take place during standard business hours and may incur costs for
physical copies, viewing paper or electronic records is often free. For
instance, public terminals are available for this purpose at locations such
as the Brown County Circuit Courthouse.
- Mail and Phone Requests: To know whether a mail-in or phone request to a Brown County court is feasible, one will need to verify request procedures with the clerk of the presiding court (where the trial was held). This information may also be provided on the court or clerk’s official website.
For example, individuals submitting written requests by mail to the Brown County Records Department (a division of the Brown County Circuit Clerk’s Office) will need to include the case number, the specific documents required, a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE), and a phone number and email address that the clerk can call with questions and to arrange payment.
Parties can also request documents by calling the Brown County Records Department at (920) 448-4521. Callers should be prepared to provide the case number or participant’s name and the specific documents required. Requesters are liable for all resulting fees, and requested documents can be delivered by mail, fax, email, or picked up in person at the courthouse.
Fees for Court Records in Brown County
The following fees apply when obtaining copies of records from the Brown County Circuit Court:
- Regular copies: $1.25 per page
- Certified copies: $5 per page, plus the normal copy charges
- Record search when case number is not known: $5 (Note: case numbers can be located on the WCCA website.)
- Certifying and transmitting documents: $15 plus postage
For municipal court copy fees, one can reach out to the relevant court.
Neither the courts nor their clerk’s offices issue Brown County vital records. If desiring those records, an inquiry can be made at the local Register of Deeds Office. The fee for vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce, and tribal marriage and divorce) is $20 for the first copy and $3 for each subsequent copy.
Brown County Courthouse Locations
Brown County, Wisconsin, consists of the following courts:
- A Circuit Court, the state’s trial court that holds original jurisdiction in all civil and criminal matters, and
- Multiple municipal courts, which maintain exclusive jurisdiction over ordinance violations where the penalty is a forfeiture (Wis. Stat. § 755.045)
These courts have their street addresses at the following locations.
Brown County Courthouse
100 South Jefferson Street
Green Bay, WI 54305
Phone (Clerk’s Office): (920) 448-4155
Fax (Clerk’s Office): (920) 448-4156
Municipal Courts in Brown County
Brown County Joint Municipal Court
5718 Dickinson Road
De Pere, WI 54115
Phone: (920) 660-2331
City of De Pere Municipal Court
City Hall
335 South Broadway Street
De Pere, WI 54115
Phone: (920) 339-2463
Fax: (920) 338-9177
City of Green Bay Municipal Court
330 South Jefferson Street
Green Bay, WI 54301
Phone: (920) 448-3131
Fax: (920) 448-3135
Hobart/Lawrence Municipal Court
2990 South Pine Tree Road
Hobart, WI 54155
Phone: (920) 869-3801
Fax: (920) 869-2048
The Hobart/Lawrence Municipal Court oversees legal matters arising in the Village of Hobart and the Town of Lawrence.
Village of Pulaski Municipal Court
585 East Glenbrook Drive
PO Box 320
Pulaski, WI 54162
Phone: (920) 822-5182
Fax: (920) 822-5632
Village of Allouez Municipal Court
1900 Libal Street
Green Bay, WI 54301
Phone: (920) 448-2800 ext. 105
Village of Ashwaubenon Municipal Court
2155 Holmgren Way
Ashwaubenon, WI 54304
Phone: (920) 492-2307
Village of Bellevue Municipal Court
3100 Eaton Road
Bellevue, WI 54311
Phone: (920) 593-1697
Fax: (920) 884-1075
Village of Denmark Municipal Court
100 North Wall Street
Denmark, WI 54208
Phone: (920) 863-6440
Village of Howard Municipal Court
2456 Glendale Avenue
PO Box 12207
Green Bay, WI 54307
Phone: (920) 434-4669
Fax: (920) 434-4643
Suamico Area Joint Municipal Court
12781 Velp Avenue
Suamico, WI 54313
Phone: (920) 544-8711
Village of Wrightstown Municipal Court
Wrightstown Village Hall
352 High Street
Wrightstown, WI 54180
Phone: (920) 532-5547 ext. 30
Fax: (920) 532-4996
Criminal Records Access in Brown County
Criminal court records in Brown County are managed by the Brown County Circuit Court, which handles all criminal cases in the county. The public can request these records through several avenues. One is the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal, the state judiciary’s official online platform for viewing Circuit Court records. Alternatively, the Brown County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office provides instructions on its official website for requesting copies of Brown County Circuit Court documents in person, via mail, by phone, via fax, or via email.
In addition to the Brown County Circuit Court, criminal records are available through the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ manages "Criminal History Record Information (CHRI)," which includes demographic details, arrest and charge data, and final disposition reports. This information is gathered from criminal justice agencies throughout Wisconsin, including those in Brown County.
Public access to CHRI is provided through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS). WORCS accepts requests from any member of the public for adult criminal history record information. A fee is incurred for such checks.
Brown County Probate Records
The validation of a deceased person’s will and the subsequent distribution of their assets to legal beneficiaries is handled through a process called probate. Brown County does not operate a separate probate court; instead, this jurisdiction is vested in the Brown County Circuit Court. Official court documents generated from these cases are referred to as Brown County probate records.
Probate records in Brown County include more than just estate records. Because the court also has probate jurisdiction over trusts, guardianships, mental health commitments, and conservatorships, records from those proceedings can also be found in the Brown County probate court collection.
To obtain Brown County probate records, individuals have these options:
- Access the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal, which provides the records at no charge.
- Contact/visit the Office of the Brown County Register in Probate. The Register in Probate supports the Circuit Court by managing all related files, including probate filings, wills submitted for safekeeping, and records pertaining to trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, protective placements, and mental, alcohol, and drug abuse commitments.
Note that certain probate records are closed against general review. Examples include
- Estate inventories
- Safekeeping wills (i.e., wills deposited for safekeeping during the life of the testator)
- Civil commitment proceedings
- Guardianships proceedings
Brown County Family Court Records
Brown County family court records detail domestic relations or family actions tried in the county. Per Wis. Stat. § 767.001, these proceedings cover a range of matters, including divorce, legal separation, annulment, child custody, child support, maintenance, paternity, visitation, and actions to modify or enforce judgments. In compliance with Wisconsin’s Open Records Law, the county’s family court records are accessible to the public.
Members of the public can navigate to the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal to view Brown County family court records online. They can also request the records from the local Circuit Court Clerk’s Office in person, via mail, or over the phone, as explained earlier in the "Brown County Court Records Search" section.
It is important to note that certain documents or information within family court files are confidential, such as records of terminations of parental rights. Access to these specific documents is restricted to legally entitled parties (like the case participants) or those who possess a valid court order.
Federal Court Records in Brown County
Federal cases originating in Brown County are adjudicated by the United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, specifically by its Green Bay Division. This court has jurisdiction over criminal, civil, and bankruptcy cases arising under Article III of the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes. Below is the court’s address in Green Bay.
Jefferson Court Building
125 South Jefferson Street
Room 102
Green Bay, WI 54301-4541
Phone: (920) 884-3720
Case records from this court are accessible through the PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) system. PACER provides public access to case and docket information for a fee of 10 cents per page and $2.40 per audio file. However, users may be exempt from these fees in specific scenarios.
Federal court records from the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, can also be accessed in person at the Green Bay courthouse during regular business hours. Individuals can view these records free of charge in the court clerk’s office. A fee applies for printing documents or dockets.
