Waushara County Circuit Court, Wisconsin
Court-Level Rules, Filing Procedures & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Document Format Requirements1 rule
All pleadings shall be in writing with complete itemizations, invoices/billings or creditor affidavits regarding the claim.
Document Filing Requirements11 rules
Such requests shall include a third-party bid for services which shall identify the work to be completed, the amount of hours necessary and rate of pay requested.
Request for reimbursement of costs associated with the preparation for sale of said property, exceeding $1,000, shall be approved by the Court in advance of any work being completed.
All pleadings shall be in writing with complete itemizations, invoices/billings or creditor affidavits regarding the claim.
After an oral denial at the return date, the defendant must provide a written answer stating the basis for the denial within ten days.
Court's wording
If the defendant or the defendant's attorney appears in person on the return date, the court will permit an oral denial of the complaint. Such oral denial shall be followed by a written answer setting forth the basis for the denial within ten (10) days.
Any summons for actions served by mail shall contain notice to the defendant of the option to answer without appearance in court on the return date and the methods of answering permitted by this rule.
The complaint must set forth the figures for computing the amount owing.
Such actions must be brought under a single complaint that includes the name of the attorney who has either drafted the document or has supervised its preparation. The complaint must include a complete itemization, invoices/billings or creditor's affidavit in support of each creditor's claim.
Any summons for any contempt action must inform the parties or their attorney that they must appear in person on the return date and be prepared to proceed with trial at that
Attorneys and parties who present legal arguments, briefs, affidavits, or any pleading are certifying to the court that any legal arguments are correctly cited, based on applicable law, and are not frivolous in nature.
Attorneys and parties do not have to disclose the use of GenAI upon filing submissions with the court. However, disclosure may be required by the court if the accuracy or integrity of the submission is challenged.
All attorneys and parties who use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to prepare anything that is submitted to the court remain fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of those submissions and must comply with Wis. Stat. 802.05(2) (a)-(d).
Filing & Service rules
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
A defendant may answer without appearing by mailing or delivering a written answer to the Clerk, which must be received and filed at least two hours before the return date and time.
Except for eviction actions or contempt proceedings, plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney need not be present on the return date. Any defendant may answer without appearing on the return date by filing an answer in writing by mail or by delivery to the Clerk of Court. Such answer must be received and filed with the Clerk of Court no less than two (2) hours prior to the return date and time.
Page 5 | 3.3 Appearances
A written answer following an oral denial is due within ten days.
If the defendant or the defendant's attorney appears in person on the return date, the court will permit an oral denial of the complaint. Such oral denial shall be followed by a written answer setting forth the basis for the denial within ten (10) days.
Page 5 | 3.3 Appearances
A motion for a de novo hearing following an injunction hearing must be filed within 14 days of the oral decision or the filing of the written decision.
The motion for hearing de novo must be filed within fourteen (14) days of the issuance of an oral decision or the filing of a written decision of the Court Commissioner.
Page 7 | 4.2 Injunction Hearings
A motion for a de novo hearing in Family Court must be filed within 14 days of the oral decision or the filing of the written decision.
The motion for hearing de novo must be filed within fourteen (14) days of the issuance of an oral decision or the filing of a written decision of the Family Court Commissioner.
Page 7 | 4.1 Family Court
Service and Proof of Service Rules
Summons may be served by mail in non-eviction, non-contempt proceedings as provided by the cited statutes.
Excepting eviction proceedings under Sec. 799.40 Wis. Stats., and contempt proceedings under Sec. 799.26 Wis. Stats., service of summons may be made by mail as provided within Sec. 799.12(2) and (3) Wis. Stats.
Page 5 | 3.61 Non-Eviction and Non-Contempt
A summons and complaint may not be served before they are filed and authenticated.
Service of a summons and complaint before filing and authentication thereof is not authorized.
Page 5 | 3.21 Filing Required Before Service
Eviction summons must be served by certified mail with return receipt requested, unless the plaintiff prefers personal or substituted service; the statutory fee must be paid before certified-mail service is undertaken.
Service of summons in any action seeking eviction under Sec. 799.40 Wis. Stats., shall be through certified mail, return receipt requested, as authorized under Sec. 799.12(2) and (3) Wis. Stats. The plaintiff shall have paid the fee prescribed by Sec. 814.62(4) Wis. Stats., to the Clerk of Court before the service by certified mail procedures will be undertaken. The plaintiff in any eviction action may obtain personal or substituted service as provided in Section 801.11, Wis. Stats., rather than service through certified mail should the plaintiff prefer.
Page 6 | 3.62 Eviction
A summons in a contempt action must be served personally or by substitute service under the cited statute.
Service of summons in any action seeking contempt under Sec. 799.26 Wis. Stats., shall be by personal or substitute service as provided under Sec. 801.11 Wis. Stats.
Page 6 | 3.63 Contempt
The party requesting a de novo hearing must notify all interested parties of the hearing's date and time.
The party requesting the de novo hearing shall notify all interested parties of the date and time of the de novo hearing.
Page 7 | 4.1 Family Court
Filing Fees and Waivers
The plaintiff must pay the statutory fee to the Clerk before certified-mail service procedures begin.
The plaintiff shall have paid the fee prescribed by Sec. 814.62(4) Wis. Stats., to the Clerk of Court before the service by certified mail procedures will be undertaken.
Page 6 | 3.62 Eviction
Each creditor entitled to recovery must pay an individual docketing fee when requesting that the judgment be docketed.
Judgments entered upon Consolidated Creditor Actions will be entered separately as to each creditor that the court determines is entitled to recovery and each creditor shall be responsible for payment of an individual docketing fee when making a request to docket the judgment.
Page 6 | 3.8 Consolidated Creditor Actions - Specific Provisions
Chambers Communication Rules
The intake judge should be contacted first to schedule emergency or time-sensitive proceedings and address related concerns; the non-intake court is a fallback if the intake court is unavailable.
The intake judge should initially be contacted for scheduling these hearings and addressing these concerns. The non- intake court will be a second option should the intake court be unavailable.
Page 2 | COURT OPERATIONS