WisconsinAB3202025-2026 Wisconsin Legislature (Biennial Session)HouseWALLET

An Act to repeal 814.705 (2); to amend 59.32 (1), 814.60 (1), 814.61 (1) (a), 814.61 (1) (b), 814.61 (3), 814.61 (4), 814.61 (5) (am) (intro.), 814.61 (6), 814.61 (7) (a), 814.61 (7) (b), 814.61 (8) (am) 1. and 2., 814.61 (9), 814.61 (11), 814.61 (12) (a) 1., 814.61 (12) (c), 814.61 (13), 814.61 (13m), 814.61 (14), 814.615 (1) (a) 2., 814.615 (1) (a) 3., 814.62 (1), 814.62 (2), 814.62 (3) (a), 814.62 (4), 814.63 (1) (b), 814.63 (2), 814.65 (1), 814.66 (1) (a) 2., 814.66 (1) (b) 2., 814.66 (1) (c), 814.66 (1) (e), 814.66 (1) (f), 814.66 (1) (g), 814.66 (1) (i), 814.66 (1) (j), 814.66 (1) (k), 814.66 (1) (L), 814.66 (1) (n), 814.66 (1) (o), 814.66 (3), 814.67 (1) (a) 1., 814.67 (1) (a) 2., 814.67 (1) (am), 814.67 (1) (b) 1., 814.67 (1) (bg), 814.67 (1) (c) 1. (intro.), 814.68 (1) (a), 814.68 (2), 814.70 (1), 814.70 (2), 814.70 (3) (a), 814.70 (3) (b), 814.70 (4) (a), 814.70 (4) (b), 814.70 (7), 814.70 (8), 814.70 (9) (a) (intro.), 814.70 (9) (b), 814.70 (12), 814.72, 814.85 (1) (c), 814.85 (2), 814.86 (1) and 814.86 (2); to create 814.59, 814.595, 814.85 (3) and 814.86 (1s) of the statutes; Relating to: increasing certain court fees and surcharges and indexing those amounts for inflation. (FE)

Sponsored By: Scott Allen (Republican), David Armstrong (Republican), Brent Jacobson (Republican), Elijah Behnke (Republican), Lindee Brill (Republican), Robert Brooks (Republican), Barbara Dittrich (Republican), Bob Donovan (Republican), Joy Goeben (Republican), Joel Kitchens (Republican), Dave Maxey (Republican), Paul Melotik (Republican), Jeffrey Mursau (Republican), Jerry O'Connor (Republican), Jim Piwowarczyk (Republican), David Steffen (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Circuit courtCourt -- FeeDistrict attorneyEnglish languageInflationMilwaukee CountyReportsState CourtsDirector of

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

20 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 15 costs, 2 mixed.

Families pay more for court services

The single fee for family mediation after the first session rises from $200 to $285. That fee covers all later sessions, no matter how many occur. A family-court study under section 767.405 (14) rises from $300 to $460. Covered child-guardianship petitions under section 48.9795 (12) rise from $60 to $72, including temporary-guardianship and independent-action filings.

Higher fees for court-held money

Covered court-clerk deposits cost the greater of $35 or 0.5% of the amount deposited, replacing a $10 fee. The charge is due when the money is deposited. Each withdrawal of some or all of that money costs $35, up from $10. A separate fee for deposits in covered contempt cases rises from $10 to $25. That fee comes from the deposit unless the court orders the entire deposit returned to the defendant.

Higher filing and jury fees for litigants

Covered civil filings rise from $75 to $130; the state gets $47, including $15 for a designated appropriation. Third-party complaints rise from $45 to $80, charged only once per defendant in an action. The state gets $26 of that fee, including $5 for the designated appropriation; counties keep the remaining filing money. Civil jury demands rise from $6 to $17 per juror, are nonrefundable, and exclude chapter 812 garnishment cases. Payment is due by the jury-demand deadline; without payment, no jury is called and the judge may hear the case.

Higher sheriff service and sale fees

Sheriff service or attempted service rises from $12 to $33 per person; added people at the same address cost $17 instead of $6. Judgment execution rises to $33, personal-property advertising to $5, county-aided process service to $28, and inventory work to $35 hourly plus necessary expenses. Real-estate sales rise from $50 to $173, including an $86 prepaid, nonrefundable portion, up from $25. Notice posting rises to $14 for the first posting and $7 for each additional posting. Specified service charges in counties with at least 750,000 people rise from $4 to $11, with statutory same-address limits. Specified travel charges use the federal business mileage rate, including covered mileage in smaller counties. Protected petitioners in actions under sections 813.12, 813.122, and 813.123 do not pay service fees. The protection also covers section 813.125 petitions alleging the conduct listed in that statute; fees can instead be collected from convicted respondents as the statute allows.

Court fee waiver notices for low-income people

Wisconsin circuit court clerks must post notices in their offices explaining how people in poverty can request court fee waivers. Waivers can cover money required up front for court costs, service charges, or fees. A judge may grant a waiver after finding that poverty makes the person unable to pay. The notices explain an existing process; they do not automatically waive costs.

Higher pay for witnesses and interpreters

Specified witness payments rise to $17 per day, or $55 per day for circuit-court attendance and another listed witness category. Covered interpreter work pays $35 per half-day; a municipality or county board can set a higher rate. Interpreters helping the State Public Defender prepare an indigent person for court receive $72 per half-day. Witness mileage uses the federal business mileage rate instead of 20 cents per mile.

More state support for Milwaukee prosecutions

State reimbursement for Milwaukee County prosecution staff expands beyond designated clerical workers to any necessary staff in covered cases. Covered work includes listed violent crimes, chapter 961 felony cases, and unlawful firearm possession or use cases. The payment rule covers counties with at least 750,000 people. After the district attorney submits a voucher, the Secretary of Administration pays authorized salaries and fringe benefits to the county treasurer. Milwaukee's special prosecution surcharge goes to the dedicated appropriation; the supplied text gives no total reimbursement amount.

Court users pay higher added surcharges

The court support surcharge rises from $68 to $81 for specified fee payments. For covered money claims above the limit in section 799.01 (1) (d), it rises from $169 to $202. For specified payments on claims at or below that limit, it rises from $51 to $61. The justice information surcharge rises from $21.50 to $24; Milwaukee County also charges $7.50 instead of $3.50 whenever that surcharge applies. Specified financial-responsibility, driver-license, and safety-belt violations remain excluded from these surcharge requirements.

Defendants face higher court case fees

The criminal-case filing and recording fee rises from $163 to $201, payable by the defendant when judgment is entered. The state's share falls from 93.87% to 65%; the county keeps the rest. A circuit-court forfeiture judgment against a defendant carries a $40 fee, up from $25. Covered municipal matters cost $42 to $51 each, up from $15 to $38, regardless of how the matter ends. Municipalities send $5 per fee to the state and keep the balance; specified financial-responsibility, driver-license, and safety-belt violations remain excluded.

Filing fees change for estate cases

Estate petitions cost $36 when net property subject to administration is $18,500 or less. Above $18,500, the fee is 0.2% of the full net value, not just the excess. Property outside administration cannot be counted. Guardianship-of-estate and conservatorship filings cost $36 up to the separate threshold in section 867.03 (1g), then 0.2% of net property value. Starting a chapter 701 trust proceeding rises from $250 to $258.

Higher court record and service fees

A clerk's record search rises from $5 to $14 when no case number is supplied. The same fee applies to checking whether a document or record exists. Fees for items listed in section 814.61 (5) (am) also rise from $5 to $14. The supplied text does not identify those listed services. Clerks must also post notice that people unable to afford fees can apply for a waiver using a court-approved form.

Higher fees for court debt proceedings

Starting garnishment rises from $20 to $36; actions collecting court-ordered victim restitution remain fee-free. The state gets $13, up from $12.50, and the county keeps the balance. Starting a wage-earner debt repayment proceeding under section 128.21 rises from $10 to $23. A supplemental court commissioner's covered routine act rises from $1 to $3, excluding testimony and depositions. A chapter 816 examination costs $52, up from $15, paid when the order is issued; it is refunded if a filed affidavit shows the debtor was not served.

Higher fees for probate clerk services

Life-estate or homestead-interest termination, certificates, and estate claims rise from $3 to $10 each; searches rise from $4 to $14. Will safekeeping rises from $10 to $35, and health care document safekeeping rises from $8 to $18. Will objections rise from $20 to $50; courts may waive this fee for objections filed by representatives of military members. Under section 54.12 (1) (a), each withdrawal costs $16, up from $10; deposits cost the greater of $16 or 0.5%. The termination fee is not collected when termination is combined with probate or administration.

Higher fees for reviews and judgments

An appeal or review by certiorari, or based on the court record, rises from $40 to $101. When a new trial is authorized and requested in an appeal or review, the requester pays $110, up from $55. Filing a foreign judgment under section 806.24 rises from $15 to $42.

Higher filing fees for family cases

Starting a covered family case adds $38 to the general civil filing fee, up from $20. Covered judgment changes rise from $30 to $45; agreed changes involving child support, family support, or maintenance remain fee-free. Covered custody or placement changes rise from $50 to $80; agreed revisions remain fee-free. An extra support-petition fee rises from $10 to $20, except for state-filed petitions or petitions filed by its delegate. That extra fee excludes people receiving benefits under sections 49.148 or 49.155, or aid under sections 49.19, 49.46, 49.465, 49.468, 49.47, or 49.471. The state gets 20% of the $45 fee, down from 50%; counties keep the rest. The $80 fee is split 25% to the state, 25% to the county, and 50% to a family-court account; the $38 fee also supports that account.

Occupational driving petitions cost more

Filing a petition for an occupational driving license under section 343.10 (4) costs $83, up from $40.

Small-claims plaintiffs pay higher court fees

The clerk's fee when a small-claims summons or other process is issued rises from $22 to $39. Mail service rises from $2 to $7 per defendant. When certified mail with a return receipt is required, the certified-mailing cost is added and rounded up to the nearest dollar.

Local governments pay higher ordinance fees

Local governments pay a nonrefundable $17 fee, up from $5, when covered ordinance forfeiture cases end in circuit court. Counties, municipalities, town sanitary districts, and public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts pay this fee. The person in the case does not pay it directly. Listed financial-responsibility, traffic, safety-belt, and transferred cases remain excluded.

Court interpreters face remote appearance rules

Beginning the day after publication, most civil interpreters must use phone or live video, including at trial. A party's objection makes the court decide whether an in-person interpreter is needed. Chapters 48, 51, 54, and 55 are excluded: courts can allow remote interpretation on request, but not at trial. Criminal interpreters generally work remotely through arraignment and in person afterward before trial and at sentencing, subject to objections and court decisions. Interpreters must appear in person at the specified criminal trials; parallel rules cover bail, preliminary proceedings, and criminal procedure.

Counties keep court money with limits

Counties must use retained circuit-court fees and surcharges for local court services, unless another law requires a different use. They send $54 from each covered court support surcharge and $23 from each justice information surcharge to the state. Counties keep the balance. Beginning in 2032, and every third fiscal biennium afterward, the Director of State Courts must calculate inflation-adjusted listed fees. Calculations use the specified base year and round up to the next dollar; they do not automatically raise fees. Reports are due by the state budget request deadline to the Department of Administration, Governor, Legislative Fiscal Bureau, and Legislature. Except for interpreter procedure changes, the law takes effect on the first day of the seventh month after publication.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

Russell Goodwin
Democratic • House
Rick Gundrum
Republican • House
André Jacque
Republican • Senate
Jesse James
Republican • Senate
Tony Kurtz
Republican • House
Sylvia Ortiz-Velez
Democratic • House
Van Wanggaard
Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 96 • No: 34

Senate vote • 2/11/2026

Read a third time and concurred in as amended, Ayes 31, Noes 2

Yes: 31 • No: 2

House vote • 1/22/2026

Read a third time and passed, Ayes 65, Noes 32

Yes: 65 • No: 32

Actions Timeline

Published 4-4-2026
4/3/2026House
Report approved by the Governor on 4-3-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 179
4/3/2026House
Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026
4/2/2026House
Report correctly enrolled on 2-23-2026
2/23/2026House
Action ordered immediately messaged
2/18/2026House
Senate Amendment 1 concurred in
2/18/2026House
Received from Senate amended and concurred in as amended (Senate amendment1 adopted)
2/12/2026House
Ordered immediately messaged
2/11/2026Senate
Read a third time and concurred in as amended, Ayes 31, Noes 2
2/11/2026Senate
Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
2/11/2026Senate
Ordered to a third reading
2/11/2026Senate
Senate Amendment 1 adopted
2/11/2026Senate
Read a second time
2/11/2026Senate
Senate Amendment 1 offered by Senator Wanggaard
2/10/2026Senate
Placed on calendar 2-11-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
2/9/2026Senate
Available for scheduling
2/3/2026Senate
Report concurrence recommended by Joint Committee on Finance, Ayes 15, Noes 0
2/3/2026Senate
Executive action taken
2/3/2026Senate
Withdrawn from committee on Senate Organization and rereferred to joint committee on Finance pursuant to Senate Rule 46(2)(c)
2/2/2026Senate
Available for scheduling
2/2/2026Senate
Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0
2/2/2026Senate
Executive action taken
2/2/2026Senate
Public hearing held
1/28/2026Senate
Senator James added as a cosponsor
1/28/2026Senate
Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
1/26/2026Senate

Bill Text

Senate Amendment 1
2/11/2026
HTML PDF
Assembly Amendment 2
1/22/2026
HTML PDF
Assembly Substitute Amendment 1
1/22/2026
HTML PDF
Bill Text
HTML PDF

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