Marathon County, Wisconsin State Court Records
The Wisconsin legislature defines Marathon County court records as briefs, case files, summaries, documents, dockets, papers, and e-records created during the initiation, progress, and conclusion of a court case in the county. These records are important for documenting every stage of a court case, ensuring there is a way to track the timeline of events and decisions throughout the legal process. Under Wisconsin state law, the Marathon County court clerk is responsible for creating and maintaining these records, as provided in Chapter 72 of the Wisconsin Court Rules.
Marathon County court records include a wide range of document types, from civil to criminal cases. The civil court records in Marathon County originate from probate, family, and civil courts and include vital records of divorces, marriages, and births. Criminal court records are created from criminal cases and include law enforcement records introduced into the case, such as arrest and criminal records.
Are Marathon County Court Records Public?
Court records in Marathon County are typically public under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, Sections 19.31-19.39, which establishes a presumption of comprehensive public access to government data, including court documents. Court record custodians are required by law to provide access to most court documents created in Marathon County. However, to safeguard sensitive data, private information, or privacy interests, some records may be redacted or sealed. Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 72.01 states that the following records may be restricted:
- Juvenile court records
- Pre-sentencing investigative reports
- Adoption records
- Mental health records
- Unexecuted search warrants
- Pre-adjudication documents for paternity
- Placement and protective services
- Grand juror list and grand jury proceedings
- Records that reveal the identity of a victim of child abuse or sexual abuse
What Information is Available in Marathon County Court Records?
The following information is usually found within most marathon county court records.
- Filing date
- Case type
- Case title
- Case number
- Names of parties in the case (plaintiff, defendant)
- Addresses of the plaintiff and defendant in the case
- Court officials responsible for the case(court reporters, judges, and other officials
- Names of attorneys
- List of petitions in the case
- Timeline of Case events
- Financial information such as payments made by any parties, fines, and receipts of payments.
- Scheduled court appearances
- Citations
Marathon County Court Records Search
The different types of Marathon County court records are available for online, in-person, and mail searches. Record seekers can choose from any of the search methods based on their proximity to the marathon county court and their accessibility to internet facilities.
- Online Access - Anyone can search for Marathon County court records online by using the Wisconsin Circuit Courts access portal. The portal provides court documents from every court in Wisconsin, including Marathon County. Persons who want to use the portal to search for court records should specify the county (in this case, Marathon County), then initiate a search by providing a subject’s full name, the name of a business connected to the case, or the case number. Portal users will receive detailed information about the court records they need, but will have to pay a fee with their credit card to access full copies of the documents.
- In-Person Access - In-person visits to the Marathon County clerk’s office are another way that persons can access Marathon County court records. Visitors can schedule a search appointment by calling the lobby of the clerk’s office during work hours. A visit can also be made without an appointment. At the office, Record seekers will be provided with a court records request form, which they will need to complete with information about the documents they need. The form will then be forwarded immediately to the circuit court’s records division and resolved within a few minutes. Persons requesting court records can pay by money order, check, cash, or credit card.
- Mail and Phone Requests - Persons can complete a mail request for Marathon County court records by downloading and completing the county’s court records request form. Individuals can also create their form in accordance with the format requirements outlined in Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(d). The completed form should then be sent to the office of the Marathon County court clerk at the following address:
Marathon County Court Clerk’s Office
500 Forest St
Wausau, WI 54403-5568
Ph: (715) 261-1300
Record seekers can also call the Marathon County Clerk’s Office at (715) 261-1300 to submit a records request by phone.
Fees for Court Records in Marathon County
According to the Wisconsin Circuit Court Fee Schedule Chart, the fees for court records in Marathon County are as follows:
- In-person Records search per name - $3
- Copies of court records - $1.25
- Certification of records -$5 per document
Marathon County Courthouse Locations
The Marathon County court system consists of two main types of courts: the circuit court and the municipal court. The circuit court is the highest judicial body in Marathon County and has original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. The Marathon County Municipal Court handles traffic, parking, and ordinance violations, including first-time drunk driving convictions, and has limited jurisdiction. The court also handles Juvenile infractions, including curfew violations, drug offenses, underage drinking, and truancy. There is one(1) circuit court and five (5) municipal courts in Marathon County. Below are the locations of these courts
Circuit Courts in Marathon County
Marathon County Circuit Court
Marathon County Courthouse
500 Forest Street, Wausau, WI 54403
Phone: 715-261-1300
Fax: 715-261-1319
Municipal Courts in Marathon County
City of Mosinee Municipal Court
225 Main Street, Mosinee, WI 54455
Phone: 715-693-2275
Fax: 715-693-1324
City of Wausau Municipal Court
407 Grant Street, Wausau, WI 54403
Phone: 715-261-6650
Fax: 715-261-6626
Everest Metro Municipal Court
5301 Mesker Street, Weston, WI 54476
Phone: 715-359-3333
Fax: 715-241-7604
Village of Kronenwetter Municipal Court
1582 Kronenwetter Drive, Kronenwetter, WI 54455
Phone: 715-693-4219
Fax: 715-693-4228
Village of Rothschild Municipal Court
211 Grand Avenue, Rothschild, WI 54474
Phone: 715-298-3215
Criminal Records Access in Marathon County
Criminal records in Marathon County are generally public records. They can be requested from the criminal division of the Marathon Circuit Court and from law enforcement offices such as the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office and the Wausau Police Department. However, the criminal records from these offices are limited in the information they provide. They can only provide criminal records from cases handled within their offices.
People who want to obtain comprehensive criminal records must do so through the Wisconsin Department of Justice (WDOJ). Comprehensive criminal records can only be requested through a statewide search of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (Wisconsin DOJ) central repository for Criminal History Record Information (CHRI), which includes demographic data, arrest and charge details, and final disposition reports. Record seekers can submit formal requests for marathon county criminal records to the WDOJ by conducting online searches through the WDOJ online portal or submitting requests in person. Individuals can also submit requests for records by email, sending the completed request form to cibrecordcheck@doj.state.wi.us.
Marathon County Probate Records
Marathon County probate records are court documents created within the probate department of the Marathon County Civil Court. Probate court records are files that capture information about the process of transferring certain property from a decedent to the heirs. Some examples of these probate court documents include affidavits, estate records, wills, inventory records, codicils, and probate financial records.
Marathon County probate records are public records according to the state’s public records law. However, most unexecuted wills are made confidential until the will’s decedent dies. People who want to obtain copies of probate records in Marathon County can do so by calling the office of the Marathon Probate Register or visiting the office at the following address:
Register in Probate
Clerk of Courts Office
Marathon County Courthouse
500 Forest Street
Wausau, WI 54403
Phone: 715-261-1260
Marathon County Family Court Records
The Marathon County circuit court has a family unit with specialized judges that handles legal matters relating to annulment, divorce, adoption, alimony, child support, and other family-related disputes in the county. Information about Cases within the family unit is preserved in Marathon County court records, which are public documents under Wisconsin public records law. People who want to access family court records in Marathon County can do so by submitting requests in person or by phone at the Marathon County court clerk’s office. Online searches for Family court records can also be done using the Wisconsin case search portal. On the portal, the primary search parameters are case number, business name, birthdate, and party name.
Family court records submitted to the Marathon County Circuit Court before 1986 are not readily available in the office; they are available off-site. To obtain such records, one must submit an Off-site File Request at the court clerk’s office. When the record is ready for viewing, requesters will be contacted at the number they supplied on the request form.
Federal Court Records in Marathon County
The Eastern District of Wisconsin handles federal cases within the Marathon County jurisdiction. The district court maintains court documents from all federal cases within its records-keeping department and makes them available in accordance with the federal Freedom of Information Act. Federal case and docket information from the Eastern District of Wisconsin can be requested online using the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) portal. Users can search the portal by entering keywords associated with the docent they need. These keywords include the names of individuals and businesses listed on the portal, as well as the federal case number assigned by the district court.
Alternatively, record seekers may visit the Eastern District Court clerk’s office to submit a physical request for federal court records. At the office, visitors can use the public access terminals in the clerk’s office lobby to search for copies of federal case documents.