A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Wisconsin you can sue for up to $10,000 in the Small Claims Branch of the Circuit Court, without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Wisconsin's small claims law doesn't require a demand before filing, though some consumer claims have their own notice rules. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
Usually the county where the defendant lives or does business, or where the claim arose. With several defendants, you can file where any one of them lives.
Summons and Complaint (Small Claims). The first court date (return date) is 8 to 30 days after the summons is issued. If the defendant contests, a trial is set later.
$94.50 to file in every county. E-filing adds $35. Sheriff or process server fees are extra (for example, $60 for the sheriff in Jefferson County). If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Petition for Waiver of Fees and Costs (ask the clerk of circuit court).
The sheriff or a process server usually delivers the papers in person. Some counties allow mail service for local defendants; evictions and replevins need the sheriff or a process server. At least 8 days before the return date (5 days for evictions), not counting weekends and holidays.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The court doesn't collect for you. You can docket the judgment, garnish wages, or ask for a writ of execution against property.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. Some deadlines start later if the harm was discovered later.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 6 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 6 years |
| Damaged property | 6 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
| Fraud | 6 years |
| Libel or slander | 3 years |
| Claims against a government agency | Before suing a Wisconsin city, county, school district or state agency, you generally must give written notice of claim within 120 days. |
Yes. You can bring a lawyer or represent yourself. A business can send a member, agent or authorized employee.
You can sue for up to $10,000. Personal injury and other tort claims are capped at $5,000. Evictions go to small claims no matter how much rent is owed. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
If a court commissioner decides your case, either side can ask for a new trial before a judge within 10 days of an oral decision or 15 days of a written one. A judge's decision can be appealed to the Court of Appeals, usually within 45 or 90 days.
Ask for one with the Interpreter Request form (GF-149). Wisconsin courts provide qualified interpreters.