Walworth County is one of Wisconsin's oldest counties. Its population is over 106,000, and its median household income is $72,713, making it one of the wealthiest counties in Wisconsin. The county seat is Elkhorn City.
Courts in Walworth County
The courts in Walworth County include the Walworth County Circuit Court and the Municipal Courts.
The Walworth County Circuit Court handles most cases arising from the county. Its jurisdiction covers criminal, civil, juvenile, family, and probate cases. Criminal cases include felonies and misdemeanors, while examples of civil cases are contract disputes, disputes over land, and torts. The Circuit Court also handles small claims involving $10,000 or less. However, where the small claim relates to personal injury, its monetary limit is $5,000. Juvenile matters include delinquency and dependency cases, while cases on divorce, custody, support, and domestic relations fall under the classification of family matters. Probate matters include cases on wills, administration of estates, guardianships, and other cases on a deceased estate.
Walworth County Municipal Courts have the authority to adjudicate municipal ordinance violations, parking violations, certain traffic cases, juvenile truancy, underage drinking, and curfew violations. The jurisdiction of Municipal Courts is limited to the city, town, or village in which they operate.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Walworth County
Walworth County Circuit Court records are in the custody of the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Anyone can access the records by visiting the Clerk’s office or sending a request via mail or email. Likewise, Municipal Court records are available at the courthouse that heard the case. Note that the clerk or court providing the records may require requesters to pay for copies and certification of the documents.
Types of Public Court Records in Walworth County
Public court records are case documents and materials open to public access under the law. In Walworth County, they include dockets, filings, pleadings, orders, and judgments in the following kinds of cases.
- Civil cases
- Criminal cases
- Small claims
- Probate cases
- Traffic cases
Confidential Court Records in Walworth County
State and federal laws make certain court records unavailable to members of the public. Examples of such confidential records in Walworth County include:
- Juvenile delinquency records
- Records of guardianship cases
- Child protection records
- Adoption records
- Civil commitments records.
Juvenile Delinquency in Walworth, WI
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Walworth County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Wisconsin often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 178 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Walworth County. Of that total, 51% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 90 court cases. Another 43% were dependency cases that accounted for 76 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Walworth County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Walworth County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 1,742 |
| Dependency | 941 |
| Status | 701 |
Government of Walworth County, WI
| County Seat: | Elkhorn |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1836 |
| Total Square Miles: | 577 |
| 2019 Population: | 103,082 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | PO Box 1001
County Courthouse Elkhorn , WI 53121-1001 http://www.co.walworth.wi.us |