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Wisconsin is an "open records" state. This is according to the official website of the Department of Justice, State of Wisconsin. An "open records" state means that most of the public records maintained by the state are open to the public. With Wisconsin being one, Wisconsin public criminal records are therefore accessible to the general public.
The Wisconsin statute 19.35(3) provides that all adult Wisconsin public criminal records in the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) database be included in the open record rule. This further means that Wisconsin public criminal records are accessible to anyone who wishes to know more about a certain subject. Restrictions do apply but they are few. Also, there is an exemption to this rule. Under s. 938.396, Juvenile Wisconsin public criminal records are confidential and cannot be accessed by just anyone. Wisconsin public criminal records involving acts of crimes committed by minors will not be disclosed or revealed to the general public unless the requester is doing so in connection with legal matters outlined within the statute.
What Information is in the Wisconsin Public Criminal Records
The data stored in the CIB's Wisconsin public criminal records history files are taken from submissions. The Wisconsin state and federal law requires each police department to file records of arrests through the system and send reports of them to the state database. Since 1971, Wisconsin law enforcement agencies were required under s. 165.84(1) to submit arrest fingerprint cards for offenses designated in s. 165.83(1) (c). For offenses other than those listed in s. 165.83(1) (c), the law enforcement agencies may take other arrest fingerprint cards at their discretion. And still in concurrence with s 165.84(1), the CIB is still required to accept these fingerprint cards. If no fingerprint cards are submitted, then, chances are, these would not be recorded in the CIB databse.
Wisconsin Public Criminal Records - Fee Information
Like all state databases, the State of Wisconsin charges a small fee for each Wisconsin public criminal records search. The fee applies to the actual search and not the result so even if the search yields a "no record found" response, you will still be charged for accessing Wisconsin public criminal records.
The cost of the Wisconsin public criminal records search depends on the type of search you are requesting for. A Wisconsin public criminal records search over the Internet generally costs lower than hard copy version. The documents will be in PDF format and readily available for download.
If you're a private individual, say a company doing a standard pre-employment background check including Wisconsin public criminal records check, the payment is $13 for an online search and $18 if you want your results mailed to you.
Written by:
Gail Metcalf
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