Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 59 - Counties.
59.40 - Clerk of court.

59.40 Clerk of court.
(1) Clerk of court; deputies; chief deputy; division chief deputies; calendar deputy clerk in certain counties.
(a) Counties of less than 750,000 population. Every clerk of the circuit court shall appoint one or more deputies and the appointments shall be approved by the majority of circuit judges for the county, but shall be revocable by the clerk at pleasure, except in counties having a population of 750,000 or more. The appointments and revocations shall be in writing and shall be filed in the clerk's office. The deputies shall aid the clerk in the discharge of the clerk's duties. In the absence of the clerk from the office or from the court, the deputies may perform all the clerk's duties; or in case of a vacancy by resignation, death, removal or other cause the deputy appointed shall perform all such duties until the vacancy is filled.
(b) Counties of more than 750,000 population. In counties having a population of 750,000 or more the clerk shall appoint one chief deputy and 4 assistant chief deputy clerks, 3 calendar deputy clerks, and one or more deputy clerks as the board authorizes. The deputy clerks shall aid the clerk in the discharge of the clerk's duties under the supervision of the clerk, the chief deputy clerk and the assistant chief deputy clerks. The appointments of the chief deputy clerk who is exempt from classified civil service and the calendar deputy clerks shall be in writing and filed in the clerk's office. These appointments shall be approved by the chief judge of the judicial administrative district, but are revocable at the pleasure of the clerk. The chief deputy clerk has all powers and duties of assistant chief deputy clerks, deputy clerks, and other court assistants except bailiffs and reporters and in the absence of the clerk from the office or from the court, the chief deputy clerk may perform all of the clerk's duties; or in case of a vacancy by resignation, death, removal or other cause the chief deputy clerk shall perform all such duties until the vacancy is filled.
(2) Clerk of court; to keep court papers, books and records. The clerk of circuit court shall:
(a) File and keep all papers properly deposited with him or her in every action or proceeding unless required to transmit the papers. The papers may be microfilmed or microphotographed, or transferred to optical discs or electronic format if authorized under s. 59.52 (14), and the originals may thereafter be destroyed upon compliance with SCR chapter 72.
(b) Keep a court record and write in that record the names of parties in every civil action or proceeding in the court, the names of attorneys representing the parties, a brief statement of the nature of the action or proceeding, the date of filing every paper therein and of each proceeding taken, the file in which the papers can be found, the time when the action or proceeding is put on the calendar for trial, and when and how the action or proceeding is disposed of; the location where minutes in every case can be found and the place in the judgment record or microfilm or optical disc or electronic file where any judgment, order or report has been recorded, so as to make the court record a history in brief of each action or proceeding from beginning to final disposition; and a complete index of all proceedings therein.
(c) Keep a criminal record and write in that record a history in every criminal action like the court record in civil actions and proceedings with references to the file where papers in the action can be found, to the minute record and to the information record where indictments and informations can be found.
(d) Keep a minute record and, except for actions under ch. 799, write in that record a brief statement of all proceedings in open court showing motions and orders during trial, names of witnesses, jurors selected, the officer sworn to take them in charge, jury verdicts and openings and adjournments of court. The clerk, in lieu of keeping a minute record, may elect to incorporate in the appropriate court record, civil or criminal, the data which this paragraph requires to be recorded.
(e) Keep a judgment and lien docket of all money judgments of the court, transcripts from judgment and lien dockets of other Wisconsin courts and of federal courts, warrants for unemployment insurance and warrants for delinquent Wisconsin income or franchise taxes.
(f) Keep a judgment and lien docket of all claims for liens filed by prime contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, service providers, and laborers and all claims filed for log, mining, and maintenance liens.
(g) Keep an index to the court record, the criminal record, the judgment record and the lien record.
(i) File, enter, record and keep such other papers, books and records as are required by law.
(im) Keep a record of all payments ordered by the court under s. 973.05 (4) or 778.30 (1) to be paid to the clerk of circuit court.
(j) Keep a record called registers of officials and write or copy in the record in tabular form the names of circuit and supplemental court commissioners, deputy sheriffs, and municipal judges. The clerk shall list the officers' names, the dates of their qualification, and the commencement and termination, if any, of their terms. The names shall be in alphabetical order or there shall be an index in alphabetical order to the names.
(k) Keep a record called certificate lists and write or copy in the record a list of all certificates issued by him or her to witnesses, interpreters, jurors, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and deputy clerks, stating the persons to whom issued, the number, date and amount of each certificate. At each annual session of the board, the board may request that the clerk prepare a summary report of certificates issued in the previous year.
(m) Pay monthly to the treasurer for the use of the state the state's percentage of the costs, fees, and surcharges imposed under ch. 814 that are required to be paid on each civil action, criminal action, and special proceeding filed during the preceding month and pay monthly to the treasurer for the use of the state the percentage of court imposed fines and forfeitures that are required by law to be deposited in the state treasury. The payments shall be made by the 15th day of the month following receipt of the payments.
(n) Pay monthly to the treasurer the amounts required by s. 302.46 (1) for the jail assessment surcharge and the amounts required by s. 973.0455 (2). The payments shall be made by the 15th day of the month following receipt thereof.
(o) Address process to the coroner if a party, the party's agent or the party's attorney files an affidavit that the party believes the sheriff will not properly perform the sheriff's duty in such action.
(p) Cooperate with the department of children and families with respect to the child and spousal support and establishment of paternity and medical support liability program under ss. 49.22 and 59.53 (5), and provide that department with any information from court records which it requires to administer that program.
(q) Perform all other duties that are required by law.
(3) Clerk of court; fees; investment of funds.
(a) The clerk of the circuit court shall collect the fees that are prescribed in ss. 814.60 to 814.63. The clerk may refuse to accept any paper for filing or recording until the fee prescribed in subch. II of ch. 814 or any applicable statute is paid.
(b) Except as provided in par. (c), the clerk may invest any funds that are paid into his or her office and are being held for repayment. The investments shall be made in suitably protected accounts in the manner specified in s. 66.0603 (1m) and all income that may accrue shall be paid into the county general fund.
(c) A judge may direct that par. (b) does not apply to certain funds paid into the office. The judge's authority applies only to funds relating to cases before his or her court.
(4) Clerk of circuit court; debt collector contract. If authorized by the board under s. 59.52 (28), the clerk of circuit court may contract with a debt collector, as defined in s. 427.103 (3), or enter into an agreement with the department of revenue under s. 71.93 (8) for the collection of debt. Any contract entered into with a debt collector shall provide that the debt collector shall be paid from the proceeds recovered by the debt collector. Any contract entered into with the department shall provide that the department shall charge a collection fee, as provided under s. 71.93 (8) (b) 1m. The net proceeds received by the clerk of circuit court after the payment to the debt collector shall be considered the amount of debt collected for purposes of distribution to the state and county under sub. (2) (m).
(5) Clerk of circuit court; credit and debit cards; payment plans.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Credit card" means a card or other similar device existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property, or services on credit under an open-end credit agreement.
2. “Debit card" means a card or other similar device existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property, or services through the use of a depository-institution access device.
3. “Depository-institution access device" means a terminal or other facility or installation, attended or unattended, that is not located at the principal place of business or at a branch or remote facility of a depository institution and through which depository institutions and their customers may engage, by means of either the direct transmission of electronic impulses to and from a depository institution or the recording of electronic impulses or other indicia of a transaction for delayed transmission to a depository institution, in transactions that are incidental to the conduct of the business of a depository institution.
4. “Open-end credit agreement" means an agreement under which credit is extended on an account and under which all of the following are true:
a. The debtor may make purchases or obtain loans, from time to time, directly from the creditor or indirectly by use of a credit card, check, or other device, as the plan may provide.
b. The debtor has the privilege of paying the balance in full or in installments.
c. The creditor may from time to time assess a charge, computed on any outstanding unpaid balance.
(b) The clerk of circuit court may accept a credit card or debit card for any required payment to the clerk of circuit court and may charge and collect a reasonable service fee for the use of a credit card or debit card. The county board shall establish the amount of the service fee, which shall be retained in full by the county.
(c) The clerk of circuit court may charge and collect a fee for the establishment and monitoring of a payment plan for persons ordered to make payments to the clerk of circuit court. The amount of the fee may not exceed $15 and shall be on a sliding scale based on the person's ability to pay in view of the person's income.
History: 1995 a. 27 ss. 3290, 3291; 1995 a. 201 ss. 311 to 318, 320 to 322, 325; 1995 a. 224 ss. 11 to 13; 1995 a. 227 s. 203; 1995 a. 279 s. 8; 1995 a. 404 s. 185; 1995 a. 438; 1995 a. 448 s. 61; Sup. Ct. Order No. 96-08, 207 Wis. 2d xv (1997); 1997 a. 3, 27; 1997 a. 35 ss. 185, 186; 1997 a. 39, 135, 148, 191, 237, 248, 252; 1999 a. 9, 32; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 2001 a. 16, 56, 61, 105; 2003 a. 33, 139, 321, 326; 2005 a. 25, 59, 204; 2007 a. 20; 2013 a. 107, 164; 2015 a. 55, 196; 2017 a. 207 s. 5; 2021 a. 231.
Cross-reference: See ss. 69.01 (5), 69.12 (1), 69.14 (1) (h), 69.15 (1) (b), 69.16 (2), 69.17, 69.19, and 69.21 (4) (b) as to furnishing information to the state registrar of vital statistics.
Cross-reference: See s. 758.13 as to furnishing information to the judicial council.
Cross-reference: See ss. 753.30, 801.61, 809.15, 889.08, and 889.09 as to authenticating, certifying, and transmitting documents.
Cross-reference: See chs. 818 and 969 as to receiving bail.
Cross-reference: See ch. 756 as to performing duties with respect to jurors.
Cross-reference: See s. 757.40 as to care for the county law library.
Cross-reference: See ch. 814 as to taxing costs and collecting fees.
Cross-reference: See ch. 815 as to issuing executions and writs of assistance.
Cross-reference: See s. 885.01 as to issuing and signing subpoenas.
Cross-reference: See s. 779.07 as to keeping a lien docket.
When a clerk of court customarily supplied an affidavit form to persons claiming witness fees, the statutes, as well as custom and common sense, required the clerk to furnish the form affidavit for signing, and entitled the petitioner to expect that the service, routinely furnished others, would be available to him. State ex rel. Hurley v. Schmidley, 48 Wis. 2d 659, 180 N.W.2d 605 (1970).
Under s. 59.42 (1) [now sub. (3) (a)], a clerk retains discretion to refuse to file documents unless the fee is tendered, even though the standard may result in inconsistent policies among the counties. Giese v. LIRC, 153 Wis. 2d 212, 450 N.W.2d 489 (Ct. App. 1989).
The payment to a county under s. 59.42 (2) [now sub. (3) (b)] of interest earned on a condemnation award deposited with the clerk is not an unconstitutional taking. Brongman v. Douglas County, 164 Wis. 2d 718, 476 N.W.2d 611 (Ct. App. 1991).
The express powers to appoint and discharge deputies under this section are separate from those of the county and are not subject to a collective bargaining agreement entered into by the county. Crawford County v. WERC, 177 Wis. 2d 66, 501 N.W.2d 836 (Ct. App. 1993).
Crawford County, 177 Wis. 2d 66 (1993), is restricted to its facts. Deputized employees, apart from a chief deputy, are exempt from the terms of collective bargaining agreements only to the extent that they are managerial or supervisory employees. Eau Claire County v. AFSCME Local 2223, 190 Wis. 2d 298, 526 N.W.2d 802 (Ct. App. 1994).
Removal by the clerk of court of an employee with dual employment status as deputy court clerk and judicial assistant from the judicial assistant position was not authorized by sub. (1). The removal was subject to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement. Winnebago County v. Courthouse Employees Ass'n, 196 Wis. 2d 733, 540 N.W.2d 240 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-2504.
For a paper to be filed, it must be properly deposited with the clerk under sub. (2). “Properly" connotes complying with formality or correctness, but is not susceptible to exact definition. Delivery of papers to the clerk at his home after business hours was too far removed from legislative guidelines to be considered “properly deposited." Granado v. Sentry Insurance, 228 Wis. 2d 794, 599 N.W.2d 62 (Ct. App. 1999), 98-3675.
Except for their elected superior's power to appoint and discharge, chief deputies are subject to the Municipal Employment Relations Act, ss. 111.70 to 111.77, and are not excluded from a collective bargaining unit as a matter of law. Oneida County v. WERC, 2000 WI App 191, 238 Wis. 2d 763, 618 N.W.2d 891, 00-0466.
When read in conjunction with s. 32.05 (7) (d), sub. (3) (c) empowers a circuit judge to veto the clerk's authority to invest a condemnation award and to direct the clerk to transfer the award from the clerk's control into a private account for the benefit of the persons named in the award or to otherwise invest the funds for the benefit of those persons. Sub. (3) (c) empowers a circuit judge not only to veto the clerk's authority to invest and control the interest on condemnation awards but also to veto the clerk's authority over “certain" other funds deposited with the clerk, so long as the funds relate to a case before the judge's court. HSBC Realty Credit Corp. v. City of Glendale, 2007 WI 94, 303 Wis. 2d 1, 735 N.W.2d 77, 05-1042.
Granado, 228 Wis. 2d 794 (1999), holds that the court clerk as a constitutional officer has the discretion to adopt a policy, as long as the policy complies with the statutory guidelines indicating when and where the clerk's duties should be performed. In the clerk's discretion, the clerk may adopt a policy that is flexible or one that restricts filings to regular business hours. Hartford Citizens for Responsible Government v. City of Hartford Board of Zoning Appeals, 2008 WI App 107, 313 Wis. 2d 431, 756 N.W.2d 454, 07-1265.
A county civil service ordinance enacted under s. 59.07 (20) [now s. 59.52 (8)] or a collective bargaining agreement under s. 111.70, establishing a procedure to be followed prior to discharge of a classified employee, supersedes and modifies s. 59.38 (1) [now sub. (1) (a)]. 63 Atty. Gen. 147.
Clerks of court may not send original records of criminal cases to the public defender prior to appeal unless a judge authorizes the release. 69 Atty. Gen. 63.

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