This list of case categories is not intended to be comprehensive, rather it is intended to illustrate the various case types and the kinds of actions that are filed under various categories. For a list of case classification codes.
Civil and Juvenile:
Construction lien (CL): a claim on property for non-payment of work that improved the property
Condominium lien (CO): a claim on a condominium unit for the owner's non-payment of assessments for common expenses
Civil (CV): typically, lawsuits seeking claims in excess of $10,000, but also such actions as restraining orders, appeals from municipal court and administrative agency decisions, name changes, etc.
Family (FA): divorce, legal separation, annulment, custody, child support, maintenance, property division, or the enforcement or modification of an order affecting the family
Foreign judgment (FJ): a judgment or order of a court from a different state, a federal court outside Wisconsin, a municipal court of another county, or a tribal court; treated as if ordered by a Wisconsin circuit court.
Group file (GF): a category for maintaining documents that are not specifically case-related
Hospital lien (HL):- a claim by a hospital for non-payment of services provided to an injured person. The claim is on a judgment, award, settlement, etc. that the injured person may have against the person responsible for the injury.
Incarcerated person (IP): a case with a petition submitted by a prisoner who wants to begin an action without prepaying court costs and fees
John Doe (JD): a proceeding under WI Stats. 968.26 to determine whether a crime has been committed. For clerical convenience, this case type also includes the filing of complaints under WI Stats. 968.02(3) and coroners' inquests under WI Stats. 979.04.
Other lien (OL): claims not specifically identified by the other lien case types and include such claims as environmental liens, mining liens, quarry labor liens, etc.
Paternity (PA): Post judgment actions in paternity cases, such as support and custody. Pre judgment information concerning the determination of paternity is confidential and is not available to the public.
Probate (PR): probate (in which issues are contested and a deceased person's estate is supervised by the court) and such other probate-related actions as the summary settlement of small estates, the termination of joint tenancy, etc.
Small claims (SC): lawsuits seeking claims of $10,000 or less, evictions, evictions due to foreclosure, replevins (return of property), return of earnest money, forfeitures, arbitration awards, and third-party complaints, personal injury claims, or tort claims of $5,000 or less.
Transcript of judgment (TJ): a judgment or order from another Wisconsin circuit court, a Wisconsin appellate court, a federal court in Wisconsin, or a municipal court in that county; treated as if ordered by the circuit court in the county where it's filed.
Tax warrant (TW): a warrant issued by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue for failure to pay income or franchise tax when due. This warrant has the same effect as a judgment granted by the court.
Unemployment compensation (UC): a warrant issued by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development for an employer's failure to pay contributions, interest, or fees. This warrant has the same effect as a judgment granted by a court.
Workers compensation (WC): a warrant issued by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. This award has the same effect as a judgment granted by a court
Will filed (WL): a will filed with the court for safekeeping during a person's lifetime
Criminal and Ordinance:
Felony (CF): a crime punishable by imprisonment in the Wisconsin state prisons and / or a fine
Commitment of an inmate(CI): a case with a petition alleging that a person is a sexually violent person
Misdemeanor (CM): a crime punishable by a fine and / or confinement in a local jail, but not by imprisonment in the Wisconsin state prisons
Criminal traffic (CT): a misdemeanor offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle
Complex forfeiture (CX): a forfeiture action that requires access to the rules of civil procedure and which is punishable by a forfeiture of money.
Non traffic ordinance violation (FO): a violation, unrelated to the operation of a motor vehicle, punishable by the forfeiture of money
Traffic forfeiture (TR): a violation, related to the operation of a motor vehicle, punishable by the forfeiture of money
