Recorded Hearings

The Municipal Court records all hearings.

Recording Policy

Wisconsin Statute s. 800.13(1) "Recording in municipal court" provides as follows: “Every proceeding in which testimony is taken under oath or affirmation, hearing on a motion under s. 800.115, and hearing regarding whether a defendant is unable to pay the judgment because of poverty, as that term is used in s. 814.29(1)(d), in a municipal court shall be recorded by electronic means for purposes of appeal.”

Recording Procedure

Prior to a hearing, the Court will mail and email (if known) notice of the hearing date. All hearings are recorded.

Recordings are maintained electronically in accordance with the Court’s retention schedule.

Trials

A trial is a formal legal process where a judge examines evidence and hears arguments to decide the outcome of a case. Trial include presentation of evidence, examination of witnesses, and legal arguments.

Motions

A motion is a request asking a judge to make a decision or take a specific action within a legal case. For example, a motion to reopen is a motion made by any party to reopen a judgment or to move for relief from the judgment.