Marinette County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

According to the 2022 census, Marinette County has a population of 41,872 and a land area of 1,399.5 square miles. Its county seat, the City of Marinette, is also the largest city in the county. The Marinette County Circuit Court and Municipal Courts represent the judicial arm of government, assisting in administering justice throughout the county. These courts have statutory authority over a wide range of legal cases filed within the county.

The Marinette County Circuit Court is located in the City of Marinette and is part of the 8th judicial district. It has general jurisdiction over several cases. It hears criminal and civil cases, including misdemeanors, felonies, probate matters, civil lawsuits, and juvenile delinquency cases. Compared to 2021 and 2022 when the district court had total case dispositions of 3,223 and 4,648 respectively, the court recorded a total of 5,577 case dispositions in 2023. Municipal Courts, on the other hand, handle non-jury trials for first-time drunk driving, as well as, cases of ordinance, parking, and traffic violations. They may also hold hearings for juvenile status offenses such as truancy, drug offenses, underage driving, and curfew violations. Municipal Courts are located in cities, towns, and villages throughout Marinette County, including Niagra, Peshtigo, Marinette, Coleman, Crivitz, and Stephenson.

In Marinette County, court records are maintained by recordkeepers elected by county voters (Clerk of Circuit Court) or appointed by the Circuit Court Judges (Register of Probate). The Register of Probate is responsible for maintaining probate court records, while the Clerk of Circuit Court, who also serves as a Juvenile Court Clerk, keeps juvenile and other circuit court records. To access court records, interested parties can either visit the office of the respective recordkeeper or the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) website. Although the public has the right to access court records in the possession of the county government, certain records are exempted by court rule, such as:

• Adoption
• Termination of parental rights
• Juvenile delinquency
• Guardianship
• Mental health commitment
• Financial disclosure statement in divorce proceedings

As the judicial branch of the county government, the Marinette County court system serves the county residents by providing fair and efficient resolution to legal matters. The Circuit and Municipal Courts handle civil disputes, small claims, juvenile, probate, felony, and ordinance violation cases. The public can access court records remotely or in person while protecting the private information of those involved in open cases.