Structure of the Wisconsin Court System

The court systems in the U.S. have a clearly defined hierarchy that determines the jurisdiction and aids the performances of the judicial system. The State of Wisconsin is no exception. The courts at different levels of the judiciary in Wisconsin have separate areas of jurisdiction, which can overlap as well.

The judicial system is known as the “Third Branch,” completing the vital system of checks and balances that includes the executive and legislative arms of American democracy. The Wisconsin court system is separate from the federal court system. Wisconsin state courts have jurisdiction over cases pertaining to state law, but must follow federal law if it is at issue in any case.

There are 69 circuits in Wisconsin, with 241 branches and judges.

Wisconsin's Court System

In a broad way of speaking, we can divide the entire Wisconsin court system in the following three levels:

•    The Supreme Court of Wisconsin: This is the highest court in the state. It holds the exclusive rights to review, and, if deemed necessary, overturn the rulings passed by the courts at the lower levels. These duties form the majority of the general operations of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

In addition to the appeal-hearing functions of the Supreme Court, it is also in charge of various other administrative duties. The state government itself bears all the costs of functioning of the Supreme Court.

•    The Wisconsin Court of Appeals: As per the legal regulations in the state, all the district level courts are placed under the supervision of the Court of Appeals (or, the Appellate Court). The Court of Appeals reserves the right to review the decisions of the lower courts, except, of course, those of the Supreme Court of the State.

There are four separate appellate districts in Wisconsin, with the courts at this level appointing a total of sixteen judges. The office of the Chief Judge (appointed by the Supreme Court) is created specifically for the supervision of the functioning of the appellate courts of Wisconsin.

•    The Circuit Courts in Wisconsin: These courts have the authority to hear both civil as well as criminal lawsuits. All common cases can be looked into by the circuit courts, unless, of course, the contesting parties go directly for settlement at any higher level court.

The legal system of Wisconsin makes special mention of the creation of separate circuit jurisdictional areas in the state. Each of the circuit courts have panels of circuit judges. In all, there are 69 legally divided districts in the state, with a total of 241 circuit judges taking care of the legal affairs in them.

At the district level courts of Wisconsin, one or more reserve judges may also be appointed by the Supreme Court of the state. The reserve judge is selected from candidates with certain specific qualifications and experience levels.

Other Duties of the Circuit Courts

Different types of legal expenditures are also looked into by the Circuit Courts of Wisconsin. These issues include:

a)    County expenditures
b)    State-level expenses
c)    The revenues earned by the circuit courts
d)    A comparative study of the revenues and spending of the circuit courts

The State of Wisconsin has a compact, well-conceived judicial wing of government in place. In case of any legal grievances, you can easily file a case within the courts at any level, depending on the specific nature of your desired lawsuit.