COVID-19 and the Courts

Effective June 1,2020

• One door to the Eau Claire County Courthouse will be open to the public at the Oxford Avenue entrance
• Everyone entering the building will be required to wear a facial mask for the duration of their visit
• The county has a limited supply of face masks to provide to the public upon entrance to the Courthouse for who do not have one
• Attorneys are expected to wear their own mask if an in-person appearance is required.  They are also to assure their clients wear a mask
• A Stakeholders Committee has been create to develop phase-in plans for re-opening the courts to include resuming in person hearings and jury trials
• The majority of hearings continue to be held remotely utilizing Zoom*
• The Clerk of Courts office remains open to accept payments, filings and for open records requests in compliance with Wisconsin Statute 59.20(3)(a). 
• A phone call or email is preferred prior to a visit to determine if an in person visit is necessary.  Our phone directory is located below.  You may submit questions by email to EauClaire.Info@Wicourts.gov.  Please note we do not accept case filings by email.
• Many options are available for electronic payments through our payments page.
• Efiling of case documents can be done through the Wisconsin Circuit Court eFiling page.
•  Eviction filings are now being accepted due to the expiration of Governor Evers Temporary Order banning evictions and foreclosures.  All eviction hearings will be held by Zoom* until further notice.

*Several hearings are currently being held remotely utilizing a remote conferencing service which is provided for free.  To appear via video, visit ZOOM online or via phone by calling 1-312-626-6799, enter your meeting ID  and password if required when prompted. 

Orders related to COVID 19

Eau Claire County Circuit Court Emergency Order (Dated March 26, 2020)

Eau Claire County Circuit Courts Order Regarding Emergency Temporary Measures (Dated March 17, 2020)

Supreme Court Order Regarding Filing Court Documents (Dated 4/16/2020)

Susan Schaffer, Clerk of Circuit Court

Susan Schaffer began her second term as Clerk of Circuit Court on January 7, 2019.  The Clerk of Court Office is the administrative record keeping office for the Eau Claire County Circuit Courts.  We offer many resources and links to assist you in accessing the court system.  If you have any questions, please contact us through one of the avenues on the right under Contact Info.  

Hours of Operation

We are open 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday. 

Eau Claire County has implemented a security scanning station on the 2nd floor.  Security Screening will take place for all non-county employees and visitors to the Courts floor of the Eau Claire County Courthouse.

Please arrive in time to COMPLETE all business prior to the close of business.

All Eau Claire County offices will be closed the following holidays:  New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Friday before Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day After Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, New Years Eve Day.

Phone Directory

Please listen carefully to the menu to select the case type that applies. 

Our staff might be in court or helping customers at the counter, please leave a message (name, number and case number, if applicable) and we will return your call as soon as we can.

Press 1: Fine or Fee Questions

Press 2: Divorce, child custody and placement,and restraining orders

Press 3:  Criminal, Traffic or Ordinance Citations

Press 4:  Civil or Small Claims

Press 5:  Juror Questions

Press 9:  To repeat Options

New case filings

New case counter filings must be submitted no later than 15 minutes before the close of business each day or they will not be processed until the next business day.

Resources

• Administrative Order Regarding E-filing and Trial or Hearing Exhibits 
• Case Filing Policy
• Wisconsin Courts E-filing page

• State of Wisconsin E-filing Wisconsin Statute 801.18 regarding e-filing regarding Mandatory e-filing for attorneys and large volume filers

Copy Fees

Copies of court documents are $1.25/page (amount provided by statute) and will be available through the Public Access Terminal at the Clerk of Court's office.  A public access copier ($0.25/page) is available in the County Law Library  for copying documents prior to filing.

Disclaimer

Court staff may not provide legal advice or recommend a specific course of action for an individual.  Our office does provide some forms, written instructions and common, routinely employed court procedures to assist court users.  Court staff shall remain impartial and may not provide or withhold assistance for the purpose of giving one party an advantage over another.  It is advised that an individual seek the assistance of an attorney for more comprehensive and individualized assistance (From Supreme Court Rule 70.41)

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