Wisconsin Open Records

Wisconsin laws and court cases

State Statute 19.31 through 19.37

How to file an open records request in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Statute Summary A more readable version of the main points of the statute.

What is a Record? Interactive Q&A from the Department of Administration website.

Wisconsin Open Records Law on Sunshine Review

Wisconsin Department of Justice guide to open records compliance in Wisconsin (2007) (pdf)

Wisconsin Department of Justice guide to open meetings compliance in Wisconsin (2007) (pdf)

A Guide To Hiding Records :)

Letter Generator

Generate an open records request that conforms to Wisconsin requirements

State Salary Database

The salaries of employees of the University of Wisconsin system are published in volumes 2-4 of the University of Wisconsin Budget Redbook. A copy of the salary detail is posted here.

Exemptions

Document types exempted from public access.

Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week

Wisconsin is lucky enough to have several of its very own Sunshine Troublemakers. John Washburn, Kendall Hallett and Pat Kogutkiewicz are just the ones we've written about so far. Click here to read their stories, and see who's been stirring up trouble in other states.

Sunshine Activist Interview

Wisconsin citizen John Washburn is not only a Sunshine Troublemaker, he has also been interviewed for his work with open records. Read the interview, and those from other Sunshine Activists, here.

Contacts (where to send your request)

Link to a listing of Wisconsin School District Contacts

Blogs, websites and resources that use open records

(add yours!)

Blog posts tagged Wisconsin open records

Boots & Sabers

Citizens for Responsible Government

The Crocodile Cage

Fraley’s Daily Takes

Public Investigator Blog a Milwaukee Journal Sentinal blog

Recall Perez, open records page

Washburn's World

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council

Wisconsin Sunbeam

Leslie Graves

Press

Head to Sunshine Review for the most recent open record updates in Wisconsin.

2008

October 31, 2008: Supervisors should revisit vote on fees

October 29, 2008: Attorney probes alleged destruction of city records

October 23, 2008: Sauk County's increase in copy fee criticized

October 22, 2008: Sheriff's Department will increase copy fees

October 21, 2008: Openness watchdog turns 30

October 14, 2008: Advocates of privacy, openness debate access to Wis. court records

October 4, 2008: Judge throws out lawsuit vs. sheriff

October 1, 2008: FROM THE PUBLISHER: Get ready, we’re coming after public records

September 24, 2008: Public information audit to gauge openness’

September 16, 2008: Court dismisses case over Wis. lawmakers' secrecy

September 1, 2008: MPS policy bans trips like the one school official took

August 30, 2008: Was decision legal, ethical?

August 25, 2008: Kohlwey agreed to destroy case files

August 23, 2008: Sheboygan women files landmark case over Web links

August 21, 2008: Council member's e-mails request halted

August 16, 2008: School board missteps were many

August 9, 2008: Gearing up for electronic record storage

August 3, 2008: Your Right To Know: Supreme Court Rulings Impact Open Government

July 31, 2008: City Of Pewaukee stays silent on Police Chief's paid leave

July 27, 2008: Development groups weigh impact of verdict

July 19, 2008: Open record$ request$

July 11, 2008: Beaver Dam economic development group must keep records and meetings open to public, state Supreme Court rules

July 2, 2008: Court: Milwaukee police can keep reports secret

July 2, 2008: Sussex wins WIREdata suit

June 25, 2008: Municipalities that turned over PDFs instead of databases did not violate law

June 25, 2008: Court: City, villages satisfied open records law

June 24, 2008: Contracts shouldn’t steal rights

June 17, 2008: High court may hear records case

June 17, 2008: Wis. Supreme Court asked to take open records case

May 28, 2008: Questions rise about open records

May 25, 2008: Records dispute leads to Wis. official's demotion

May 24, 2008: Contentious closings

May 24, 2008: Questions raised about open records

May 18, 2008: Former Kimberly coach battles for records

May 14, 2008: Heino Family Attorney Angered by Release of Jail Video

May 13, 2008: Lawsuit filed over withheld records

May 13, 2008: Closed-door sessions challenged

May 8, 2008: EDITORIAL: Van Hollen sends a strong open records signal

May 3, 2008: Van Hollen stands up for open records

April 29, 2008: Motor records can be disclosed

April 29, 2008: Attorney general: Police can release DMV information

April 19, 2008: Your Right To Know: Is It Time To Modernize Public Records Law?

April 19, 2008: Memo skirted school board

April 18, 2008: Backdated memo prompts Klaus contract questions

April 6, 2007: State GOP wants look at Krueger's records

March 30, 2008: Editorial: Just follow the law

March 27, 2008: Judge Orders Teacher E-mails to Be Made Public

March 27, 2008: Charges and countercharges fly in races for County Board

March 25, 2008: Columbus PFC hears from lawyers

March 21, 2008: Editorial: Use of force records becoming readily available

March 21, 2008: Open records yours, for price

March 20, 2008: One Wisconsin Now: Files open records complaint after Gableman repeatedly withholds state e-mails

March 19, 2008: Keeping the light of openness on government is important

March 19, 2008: Daily Register wins open government award

March 18, 2008: Gov. Jim Doyle speeds up open records response

March 17, 2008: Editorial: State's open government laws are for public

March 16, 2008: Public not invited: Open records notices missing

March 14, 2008: Bill likely to close open-records dispute

February 22, 2008: Portage County Plans Easier Access To Open Court Records

February 18, 2008: Lawmaker wants court deliberations open

February 15, 2008: Madison’s council to clarify open records law

Februaruy 14, 2008: Guest column: Online court records should not be erased

February 13, 2008: Judge scolds lawyers in open records lawsuit

February 8, 2008: Don't surrender access to records

February 1, 2008: Public deserves maximum access

February 1, 2008: Daily Register wins open records suit; sheriff's department should have released flier investigation from 2006 race, appeals court rules

January 31, 2008: Dee J. Hall: Don't erase charges from Web crime files

January 30, 2008: Some seek court records taken off Web

January 27, 2008: Editorial: Public records belong to the public

January 24, 2008: Point lawmaker proposes removal of some court cases from database

January 24, 2008: Editorial: Don't cut access to court records

January 22, 2008: Editorial: Two sets of books

January 15, 2008: Incident leak linked to county police officer in letter

January 4, 2008: Commentary: Excessive school records requests not reasonable

2007

December 27, 2007: Early case shed light on public records

December 27, 2007: Editorial: No apologies for public business

December 21, 2007: Going public: Students’ requests for records yield mixed results

December 17, 2007: Editorial: A risky secrecy

December 13, 2007: MPD releases record it fired worker for posting

December 8, 2007: Open Records Policy Dispute in Brookfield

December 7, 2007: Police ignore open records advice

December 3, 2007: Media get fewer police reports

November 28, 2007: Citizens group probes county board for collusion

November 23, 2007: Police files get limited protection, state says

November 20, 2007: Judge: Records of former police officer can be open

November 19, 2007: Editorial - County responds well to open records request

November 18, 2007: Editorial: Good government unafraid of disclosing full information

November 16, 2007: Close court records, open can of worms

November 14, 2007: Wisconsin bills would limit requests on open records

November 10, 2007: Purging of Perry e-mail is blocked

November 7, 2007: Beaver Dam Wal-Mart talks: public or not?

November 5, 2007: Will proposed open records law close records?

November 4, 2007: Proposal could shield open record requests

November 1, 2007: Editorial: Restricting police records violates openness

October 31, 2007: Don't hide driver records (Opinion column)

October 24, 3007: State endorses secrecy of some police report details

October 19, 2007: Guest column: Close court records, open can of worms

October 17, 2007: Open Records Law guarantees public access to the facts

October 12, 2007: DOJ releases audio tapes of 13 calls to Crandon 911

October 11, 2007: Govenor wrongly solicits students (Opinion column)

October 11, 2007: Editorial: Don't shut door on court record access

October 10, 2007: Supervisor files suit vs. sheriff

October 10, 2007: Acting chief says Bass Lake F.D. at 'full force'

October 10, 2007: Commentary: 'Open' means readily accessible

October 8, 2007: Keep court records open to the public (Editorial)

October 7, 2007: Palmeri calls for special meeting about 100 Block documents, city attorney's actions

October 5, 2007: Close records, open can of worms (Opinion column)

October 5, 2007: Lawmaker Wants To Limit Access To Online Court Records

October 3, 2007: Local watchdog group hounding district for documents

October 3, 2007: Three-legged stool can't stand on only two

October 2, 2007: Don't hide court records (Opinion column)

September 30, 2007: Stew Rieckman column: If you like government secrecy you live in the right city

September 30, 3007: 100 Block funds documents kept secret in agreement with city

September 29, 2007: Editorial: Orchids & Onions

September 28, 2007: HIPAA Law Doesn't Mean Fire Departments Can Operate In Secret

September 27, 2007: Aid call details still public

September 27, 2007: City refuses to release chief tapes

September 27, 2007: Ziegelbauer seeks nursing home administrator's e-mails

September 26, 2007: Recall group wants Ziegelbauer's records

September 18, 2007: Van Hollen starts open government seminars in Stevens Point

September 13, 2007: Your Right to Know: Watch high court for rulings on open government laws (Opinion column)

September 13, 2007: Bach accused of more wrongdoing

September 12, 2007: AG continues push for 'Open Government' awareness (Editorial)

September 11, 2007: Van Hollen shines light on openness (Opinion column)

August 29, 2007: Appeals court: Football coach investigation is closed to public

August 25, 2007: It's time for answers from Racine Unified (Editorial)

August 13, 2007: Thumbs down to limiting access to \"CCAP\"

August 10, 2007: Judge denies legal costs in records case

August 7, 2007: Plans would limit access to some court records: Opponents say checks on justice system in jeopardy

August 6, 2007: Cities' e-mail saving varies

July 22, 2007: Safety records for carnival rides not easy to find

July 21, 2007: Request for e-mails divides supervisors

July 20, 2007: Open records in the computer age (Opinion)

July 19, 2007: DOJ gives up on open records lawsuit

July 14, 2007: Village must pay the Wausau Daily Herald's legal fees

July 12, 2007: Dringoli seeks to block Lewis report

July 10, 2007: Records request ruling by July 27

July 6, 2007: Judge slams door on integrity of Legislature

July 4, 2007: Times-Press seeks attorney general's opinion

June 27, 2007: Judge's ruling on drafts of public documents

June 21, 2007: Judge to rule on release of school district records

June 20, 2007: Notice of meeting subjects must be reasonable

May 30, 2007: Property data case heading to high court

May 30, 2007: Weyauwega-Fremont schools settle last lawsuit

May 29, 2007: Police should provide basic information about arrests (Guest column)

May 15, 2007: School District Must Give Up Teacher's Porn Pics

May 11, 2007: Attorney general speaks with lawmaker being sued in open records case

May 2, 2007: Sunshine law wins enforce openness

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