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Court Rules Research Guide: Updating Wisconsin Court Rules

Court rules govern the procedures of a court and how matters before a court are handled and processed. This guide identifies resources for locating court rules.

Updating Wisconsin Court Rules

An important part of researching court rules is knowing how to update the rules and how to find proposed and new amendments to the rules.

  • Check the relevant court's website to see if new court rules have been added or contact the court. The Wisconsin Court System website includes a Directories page with contact information to the various types (circuit, appellate etc.) of courts in Wisconsin.
  • West's Wisconsin Statutes Annotated publishes Wisconsin court rules. Check the statutes for new or amended rules. Also check the WIsconsin Legislative Service pamphlets for court rule amendments. This updating pamphlet includes Wisconsin Supreme Court Orders that affect Wisconsin Statutes Annotated sections or Supreme Court Rules. The WI Order numbers assigned to court rules in this service are the same designations used to identify these orders in Westlaw's WI-RULESUPDATES database. (Access requires individual sign-in credentials.) The Wisconsin Statutes Annotated - Interim Update Service supplements the pocket parts for the Wisconsin Statutes Annotated. This includes an Appendix: Court Rules Changes. New court rules or amendments of existing court rules are included. See also the Wisconsin Court Rules and Procedure pamphlet for annual updates.
  • Check the advance sheets to case reporters: Wisconsin Reports and the Wisconsin Reporter
  • Practice resources or treatises such as the Wisconsin Practice Series should be checked for pocket parts or other updating supplements for new rules or amendments.
  • New rules or amendments may be published in periodicals: Wisconsin Law Journal and Wisconsin Lawyer.
  • Search databases such as Lexis and Westlaw. Access is restricted to members of the Marquette Law School community.

Wisconsin Judicial Administrative Districts

map of judicial districts

                                             Source: www.wicourts.gov               

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