Highest Court
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court consists of 7
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Final appellate jurisdiction over
all courts in state. (2) Limited original jurisdiction in cases of statewide
concern. (3) Administrative authority over all state courts.
Intermediate Courts
Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals consists of
16 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Appeals of right from circuit courts.
(2) Limited original jurisdiction.
General Courts
Circuit Court
The Circuit Court consists of 241
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Exclusive civil jurisdiction (including
civil appeals). (2) Small claims up to $5,000. (3) DWI/DUI, exclusive
felony, and misdemeanor jurisdiction. (4) Contested moving traffic, parking,
and miscellaneous traffic. (5) Exclusive juvenile jurisdiction.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Limited Courts
Municipal Court
The Municipal Court consists of
226 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Municipal ordinance violations.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
Additional Information
Vacancy in judgeship not to affect
suits.
A process, proceeding, or action,
whether civil or criminal, shall not be discontinued due to a loss of a
judge or judges or election. The process, proceeding, or action shall
proceed as though the change in judge(s) had never happened. (Wisconsin
Statute 757.08)
Liability of judicial officers.
Circuit judges and circuit and supplemental
court commissioners shall be held personally liable to any party injured
for any willful violation of the law in granting injunctions and appointing
receivers, or for refusing to hear motions to dissolve injunctions and
to discharge receivers if the motions are made in accordance with law or
such rules as are promulgated by the supreme court. (Wisconsin Statute
757.24)
Court officers, liability of
to arrest.
Officers of the courts of record
are liable to be arrested and held to bail, except when they are acting
as officers in court and when sued with any other person such officers
shall be liable to arrest and may be held to bail as other persons during
the sitting of the court of which they are officers. No attorney
or counselor may be exempt from arrest during the sitting of a court of
which he or she is an officer unless he or she is employed in some case
pending and then to be heard in the court. (Wisconsin Statute
757.26)
Juror qualifications
A resident of an area served by
a circuit court who is at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, able to
understand the English language, and has not been convicted of a felony
qualifies to serve as a juror in that circuit. (Wisconsin Statute
756.02)
Terms of justices
The term of office of an elected
justice of the supreme court begins on August 1 next succeeding the
justice's election. (Wisconsin Statute 751.01)
Territorial jurisdiction
Every judge has countywide jurisdiction.
In the situation that the city or village extends into one or more county,
the judge shall have jurisdiction in each county and may hold court in
one county and exercising jurisdiction in another. If elected under
s. 755.01 (4) and the contracting municipalities lie in more than one county,
the judge shall qualify and have jurisdiction in each county and may hold
court in one county while exercising jurisdiction in another county. (Wisconsin
Statute 755.05)
Insufficient jurors
When a sufficient number of jurors
cannot be obtained for a trial from the list supplied by the clerk of circuit
court, the court may order the sheriff to bring before the court persons
in the vicinity for determination by the court of their qualification and
ability to serve as jurors for the particular trial.
(Wisconsin Statute 756.07)
