• General inquiries and open records requests can be made by phone utilizing the contact information to the left.
  Note: Clerks of Court cannot accept documents for filing via email.
• New files can be opened electronically at https://www.wicourts.gov/ecourts/efilecircuit/index.jsp
  
• Most case files are accessible online by the parties on the case for a one time fee of $35. Parties can opt-in as an e-filing participant through www.wicourts.gov/ecourts/efilecircuit/index.jsp. If you have questions, you can contact this office at 262-335-4341.
  
• Non-attorneys can mail documents.
  
• Payment of fines, forfeitures and other court ordered obligations can be paid:
  • Online at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/payOnline.html using a Master Card, Visa or e-payment with a personal check.  Follow the directions to pay with a credit card or electronic check. 
  • With a credit card by calling Pay Gov at 1-866-480-8552 and use the pay location code of 2936. Be prepared to provide your case number. Case numbers can be found on www.wicourts.gov or call the Clerk of Court's office.
  • The Clerk of Courts Office accepts payment by cash, in person only.  You may also pay by credit card, check or money order in person or by mail.  Make checks and money orders payable to: 

    Washington County Clerk of Courts
    484 Rolfs Avenue
    West Bend, WI 53095

Judicial - Circuit Court

Here you will find information on the following:

• Circuit Court Judges and other Court Officials

Small Claims

Here you will find information on the following:

• General information
• Small Claims FAQ

Drug Treatment Court

Here you will find information on the following:

• General information
• Referral Form
• Policy & Procedure Manual

Criminal Cases

Here you will find information on the following:

• Criminal Court Actions
• Criminal Court FAQ's 

Civil Cases

Here you will find information on the following:

• Harassment injunctions
• Domestic Abuse injunctions
• Name Change Information

Traffic and Forfeiture

Here you will find information on the following:

• Traffic and Forfeiture citations
• Occupational License
• Traffic and Forfeiture FAQ's 

Family Court

Here you will find information on the following:

• Family Court Services
• Family Law Assistance Program
• Family Mediation
• Family Court FAQ's

The administrative responsibilities of the Clerk of Circuit Court include budgeting and administering trial court resources, developing effective policies and procedures and recruiting and maintaining competent staff.

Clerks are record keepers, court administrators and government leaders.  They provide an administrative link between the judiciary, the County Board and the public.

In addition to the resources provided below, you may also wish to utilize the self-help legal resources directory provided by the Wisconsin Court System.

Washington County local circuit court rules may be found at www.wisbar.org.

Circuit Court of Washington County - Language Access Plan

The four Washington County juried courtrooms are equipped with an evidence presentation system with the following features:

• Document cameras are provided at each counsel table
• Input ports at counsel tables for computer display (HDMI and VGA) and an audio input jack to Broadcast through the courtroom sound system.  The computer must be supplied by the litigant.
• Barco ClickShare - device used to connect laptop, tablet or smartphone to the wireless presentation system.
• Video conferencing capability
• Audio conferencing capability
• Wireless internet
• Wireless microphones

The two court commissioner hearing rooms are equipped with all the above technology.

Assistive listening devices are available in all court and hearing rooms.

If you have questions or care to view the equipment's capability prior to a hearing, please contact the judge's judicial assistant.

Video Conferencing Appearances in Criminal and Other Cases

Local Rule effective March 1, 2009:

The Circuit Court Judges of Washington county are committed to avoiding the need to transfer criminal defendants and respondents in Chs. 48, 51, 55, 938 and 980 cases to Washington County for non-critical court appearances and appearances at critical stages of the proceedings where a defendant or respondent wishes not to attend.  Any attorney appearing in such a case in Washington county shall be required to notify the judicial assistant for the branch in which a case is pending of the attorney's belief that a hearing in which a defendant or respondent might otherwise be produced will involve other than a critical state of the proceedings or a critical stage of the proceedings where the defendant or respondent wishes not to attend.  Critical stages of the proceedings include evidentiary hearings, trials or fact-finding hearings, plea hearings at which a plea of guilty or no contest, or an admission, will be offered, and sentencing or dispositional hearings.  Attorneys shall advise the judicial assistant of the appropriate branch of the possibility of a video conference appearance by the defendant or respondent as soon as practicable. 

Jury duty is the obligation of every citizen. “Forgetting” to show up is not an excuse. In fairness to jurors who do show up for jury duty, those who do not appear are held accountable for their actions. 

PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR

Failure to appear for jury duty when summoned could result in contempt of court and possible criminal prosecution pursuant to Wis. Stats. §756.30.

PERIOD OF SERVICE

A juror's term of service shall be for a period of one month and shall not exceed 5 days of actual court attendance except when necessary to complete a trial in a particular case. The majority of trials last an average of 2 or 3 days. A “day of service” is a day for which you appeared and were available to serve on a jury panel.

If you are selected for a jury panel, you serve until that case is completed. If selected, you will have an opportunity to make a call to your employer/family. Evening work is avoided whenever possible. However, if a jury is deliberating, your service may be extended into the evening hours.

If you are not selected to serve that day, you are usually excused within a few hours.

EXCUSE; DEFERRAL

The court may excuse a person from jury service if the court determines that the person cannot fulfill the responsibilities of a juror.  The court may also defer jury service to a later date if the court determines there is undue hardship. 

Please notify the court if you are requesting deferral due to important personal or business commitments, vacation, etc.  If you have a medical condition that would prevent you from serving, a medical excuse from your physician is required.  If you are requesting to be excused for employment reasons, a letter from your employer must accompany your request.  

Requests to be excused or to have your service deferred must be made as soon as possible. 

You may send a written request to be excused online, via mail, or fax.  The quickest method is online at https://juryrequest.wicourts.gov. A response to your request to be excused will be sent. 

In addition, if you move out of Washington County or if you have a name or address change, please notify the jury clerk at the address listed in the Jury Contact section.  

APPROPRIATE ATTIRE

Serving as a juror is one of the highest duties in our democratic system of government and, therefore, you should dress appropriately for the occasion. Do not wear tank tops, cut-off shorts, halter tops or beach shoes/flip-flops or similar clothing.

MEALS

If you are chosen to serve on a jury, the judge may release you for lunch on your own. However, it is important to return to the courthouse by the time specified by the judge. 

At the end of your term, you will be reimbursed $7.50 for each meal you had on your own while serving on a specific trial.  This amount will be included on the check for your jury service.

During deliberation or on special order of the judge, the county may provide meals.

Please note that the Washington County Justice Center does not have an area that provides food service. 

SECURITY AND READING MATERIAL

Please be aware that you will be going through a security checkpoint before entering the Justice Center which includes X-ray and metal detection equipment.  Items such as knitting needles, crochet hooks, scissors, and pocket knives are not allowed. 

Prepackaged food items, sealed bottles containing liquids, and bag lunches are allowed through security.  Unsealed beverages, including coffee, are specifically prohibited.  If you need additional food items for medical reasons, you must contact the Jury Clerk immediately so that our office can provide you a letter to present to courthouse security upon your arrival for jury duty.  This letter will allow an exception to be made for your provisions. 

Everyone is encouraged to bring paper reading materials inasmuch as there will be breaks throughout the day.  All electronic devices must be turned off for the day, including cell phones. 

INCLEMENT WEATHER

If you are called to report for jury duty and we are experiencing bad weather, please listen to one of the following radio stations after 7:00 a.m. the morning of the trial for information of possible cancellations:
                     WIBD/WMBZ             1470 AM or 92.5 FM
                     WTMJ                         620 AM
                     WTKM                        1540 AM or 104.9 FM

DIRECTIONS:

Please park in the Justice Center parking lot which can be accessed from Rolfs Av or Hwy 33.  Walk across the parking lot to the Justice Center entrance and report to the Jury Assembly room.  Handicapped and limited parking is available at the entrance of the Justice Center. 

JUROR FEES

You will be paid $25.00 for each full day and $12.50 for each half day that you appear for jury duty. You will also be reimbursed $.51/mile roundtrip mileage from your home to the courthouse. 

JURY CONTACT

To request an excusal or postponement of service you may do so by visiting the Wisconsin Court System Juror Postponement Request website at https://juryrequest.wicourts.gov.  You will need to reference your Juror ID number; please have it accessible.

Jury Clerk:  (262) 365-5133

E-mail:         [email protected]

Fax:             (262) 335-4776

Mail:            Washington County Clerk of Courts
                    Attn: Jury Department
                    484 Rolfs Av
                    West Bend, WI 53090

Sherry CoykendallClerk of Circuit Court

Washington County Justice Center
484 Rolfs Avenue Room 3151
West Bend, WI 53090

Phone:262-335-4341Fax:262-335-4776

Days Available:Monday - FridayHours Available:8:00 AM - 4:30 PM