County Legal Resources
Information by County
Milwaukee
Agencies
- Child Support
(414) 615-2593- Children's Court Division
(414) 257-7700- Circuit Court Contacts
- Civil Division, Small Claims and Family
(414) 278-4120- Clerk of Court
(414) 278-5362 Court forms; court records for civil, criminal, family, traffic and ordinance cases; civil judgment and lien docket; pay fees online; jury information- Corporation Counsel
(414) 278-4300- County Clerk
(414) 278-4067 Marriage licenses, elections and voter registration, and county government records- Criminal and Traffic Division
(414) 278-4538- District Attorney
(414) 278-4646- Family Court Commissioner
(414) 278-4400- Register in Probate
(414) 278-4444 Adoptions, civil commitments, estates and trust, guardianship and probate- Register of Deeds
(414) 278-4021- Sheriff's Department
(414) 278-4788 County law enforcement; operation of the county jail; execution or service of legal documents including restraining orders, evictions, repossessions, and foreclosure sales; execution of criminal warrantsLegal Assistance Organizations
- Aging and Disability Resource Center
(414) 289-6660- Bankruptcy Pro Se Help Desk
- Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services
(414) 643-8570 Provides legal representation and resources for persons who need assistance with their legal status for living in the United States.- Centro Legal
(414) 384-7900 Serves clients with family law and criminal misdemeanor defense cases- Clean Slate Milwaukee
(414) 627-0067 Helps individuals to expunge eligible court criminal records. This clinic meets periodically. Check their website or Facebook page for upcoming events and related handouts.- Community Advocates
(414) 449-4777 Serving people in need of urgent help, victims of domestic violence, people living with mental illness, and people dealing with substance abuse. Services include assistance with housing, utilities, health care, SSI and disability, homelessness and mental illness, and family violence.- Disability Rights Wisconsin
(414) 773-4646 Disability Rights helps people across Wisconsin gain access to services and opportunity through its advocacy and legal expertise. Legal support addresses access, inclusion, dignity, most-integrated choices and equal rights issues.- Eviction Defense Project
Meets in room 406 of the Milwaukee County Courthouse on Mondays and Wednesdays starting at 12:30PM. Limited Capacity (First Come - First Served)- Free Legal Answers Wisconsin
Free to Wisconsin residents. Ask your legal question online and volunteer attorneys may answer your question through the website provided by the American Bar Association.- Hmong American Friendship Association Sexual Assault Victim Services
(414) 322-9522 Crisis intervention, ongoing case management, mediation, and support groups, to Southeast Asian (including Hmong) survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.- IMPACT 2-1-1
Dial 2-1-1 to learn about access to services and assistance in times of crisis.- International Institute of Wisconsin
(414) 225-6220 Services to immigrants and refugees.- Kids Matter Casa
Provide court-based advocacy for children who are under court jurisdiction due to of abuse or neglect.- Language Assistance Program, Clerk of Circuit Court
(414) 278-5295 The Language Assistance Plan serves to help ensure access to court services for persons with limited English proficiency (LEP). It also covers interpreter services to deaf and hard of hearing persons.- Law for Learners
Lawyers for Learners partners with colleges across Wisconsin to connect students and prospective students with free legal help. Virtual or in-person help may include criminal background and arrest records from civil and municipal court proceedings, such as retail theft citations, driver's license recovery, expungement, pardons, gender marker change and name change, and referrals for other legal issues (example: immigration, family law, housing). Fill out the form on their website to request an appointment.- Lawyer Referral and Information Service - Milwaukee Bar Association
(414) 274-6768 Provides referrals to attorneys and community resources including government or nonprofit agencies when possible. Attorneys are available for a wide variety of legal issues. Attorneys will charge standard fees for services. The first half hour consultation with an attorney will cost $20 or less.- Legal Action of Wisconsin
(855) 947-2529 Provides civil legal services for WI low-income persons. Assists people with legal issues involving family law, housing matters, public benefits, and consumer matters.- Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee
(414) 727-5300 Provides representation in family law, consumer and bankruptcy matters, housing issues, public benefits, HIV issues, elder law, tax controversies, and civil rights.- Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, Children's Court Office
(414) 257-7159 Provides representation in family law, consumer and bankruptcy matters, housing issues, public benefits, HIV issues, elder law, tax controversies, and civil rights.- LIFT Wisconsin
Provides a legal tune up tool to search public data and help users resolve civil legal issues, fill out forms, and resolve issues with background check, criminal court records, and eviction court records.- Lotus Legal Clinic
Provides free legal counsel to survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking regardless of income- Marquette Legal Initiative for Nonprofit Corporations (M-LINC)
Free legal advice for qualifying Wisconsin nonprofits and organizations seeking tax exempt or nonprofit status.- Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics
Provides appointment-based services (some statewide) for nonprofit and small business help, adult guardianship, pardons, civil, and family issues. Some services may only be available in Milwaukee.- Metro Milwaukee Foreclosure Mediation Program
(414) 939-8800 Provides clients with an opportunity to negotiate in a more equal bargaining process, preserve home equity for borrowers, cash flow for lenders, and prevent blight in communities.- Milwaukee County Law Library
- Milwaukee County Victim/Witness Assistance Program
(414) 278-4667 Provides assistance, support and notification services to crime victims and witnesses in exercising their rights throughout the prosecution of criminal and juvenile cases. Crisis response program available.- Milwaukee Justice Center
Services include the family law forms clinic, family law appointments for the second half of the divorce process, and a legal advice and referral clinic which covers family law, landlord/tenant, probate, small claims, and large claims questions.- Name Change Project, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund
Pro bono legal name change services to low-income TGNCNB (transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary) people.- Rental Housing Center
Rent and utilities help for tenants, landlord/tenant dispute resolution, relocation assistance.- SeniorLAW
Free legal assistance to Milwaukee County residents who are 60 and older- Sojourner Family Peace Center
(414) 276-1911; (414) 933-2722 Domestic Violence Hotline Provides "courthouse advocacy and restraining order clinic, legal emergency assistance, children's advocacy" and a 24-hour domestic violence hotline.- State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral and Information Service
Request a referral to a Wisconsin attorney by calling (800) 362-9082.- Transgender and Non-binary services
Includes name change workshops for transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming individuals and assistance with filing forms at the Courthouse.- United Migrant Opportunity Services
(414) 389-6000 Adjustment of Status, U visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions- University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Legal Clinic
Assistance for currently enrolled University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students, with some limitations.- Voces de la Frontera
Worker's rights and immigration matters. Legal clinic is held Saturdays from 9-11am, at Voces de la Frontera 1027 S. 5th St. Milwaukee, WI 53204.- Wisconsin Foreclosure Mediation Network
- Wisconsin Law Help
A statewide directory of legal assistance organizations, law-related services, and clinics.- Wisconsin Legal Assistance For Military Personnel
Legal help for service members, veterans, and their families.Forms & Guides
- Bankruptcy / Debt Amortization
- Chapter 128 Debt Amortization
- Amortization of debt (Chapter 128) (Justice Center)
Step by step instructions- Filing an Amortization of Debt (Chapter 128) Case (Justice Center)
Includes forms.- Court Procedures
- Consumer Replevin, Summons (Clerk of Court)
- Motion to reopen: large claims civil cases (Clerk of Court)
- Request for Substitution of Judge (Clerk of Court)
- Court Records
- Petition for Access to Confidential Court File (Register in Probate)
- Request/Order for Transcript (Register in Probate)
- Jury
- Jury FAQ (Court)
- Mediation
- Foreclosure Mediation Request Form (Clerk of Court)
- Pro Hac Vice
- Pro Hac Vice (Clerk of Court)
- Service of Process
- Serving documents to the other party (Milwaukee Justice Center)
Service of process information for divorce, name change, family court cases, and small claims- Criminal
- Petition for Return of Property (Circuit Court)
A petition for the return of property from an agency or other entity for the return of property seized and held.- Criminal & Traffic Courts Division (Court)
Provides answers to common questions about traffic citations & reopening default judgments, reinstatement of suspended driver's license due to fine nonpayment, what to do if you didn't show up for your court date, how to get bail money back, records retention, etc.- Domestic Violence (District Attorney)
- Alternative Treatment Courts
- Milwaukee County Drug Treatment Court: Participant Handbook (Court)
- Estate / Probate
- Objection, objection to claim, pretrial order (Register in Probate)
- Guidelines for Termination of Guardian of the Estate: Death of the Ward (Register in Probate)
- Guidelines for Termination of Guardian of the Estate: Depleted/Small Estate (Register in Probate)
- Tutorial on Completing Annual Accounts (Register in Probate)
- Family
- Family Law (Law Library)
Divorce, paternity
- Child Custody / Visitation
- Custody / Placement / Visitation (Justice Center (MJC))
- Child Support
- Child Support Services Application (Clerk of Court)
- Child Support (Justice Center (MJC))
- Child Support Service FAQ (Child Support)
- Divorce / Legal Separation
- Divorce / Legal Separation (Justice Center (MJC))
- Domestic Partnership
- Domestic Partnership Application (Register of Deeds)
- Domestic Partnership Information (County Clerk)
- Guardianship
- Fact Sheet for Private Pay by Nursing Home from Ward's Income (County Court)
- Petition and Order for Payment of Fees: Guardianship (Register in Probate)
- Petition for Approval of Account of Guardian or Conservator (Register in Probate)
- Petition for Approval of Proposed Fees/Expenses: Adult (Register in Probate)
- Petition for Approval of Proposed Fees/Expenses: Minor (Register in Probate)
- Guidelines for Termination of Guardian of the Estate: Death of the Ward (Register in Probate)
- Guidelines for Termination of Guardian of the Estate: Depleted/Small Estate (Register in Probate)
- Foreclosure
- Answer and Affirmative Defenses to Foreclosure Complaint (Pro Se) (Clerk of Court)
- Foreclosure Mediation Request Form (Clerk of Court)
- Foreclosure (Justice Center (MJC))
- Juvenile
- Children's Court (Juvenile Court)
- Landlord / Tenant
- Eviction/Notice Terminating Tenancy (County Court)
- Small Claims Eviction (Clerk of Court)
- Eviction Notice Grid (Justice Center)
Which types of notice must be given for different types of rental agreements.- Housing Resources from Community Advocates (Community Advocates)
Short and long term assistance programs and housing FAQs.- Landlord - Tenant Issues (Justice Center (MJC))
- Steps for the Eviction Process (Sheriff's Dept.)
- Mental Health
- Mental Health & Wellness Directory (Mental Health America)
- Name Change
- Name Change (Justice Center (MJC))
- Name Change & Correction of Birth Certificate Procedure (Court)
- Small Claims
- Pro Hac Vice (Clerk of Court)
- Small Claims (Clerk of Court)
- Small Claims Eviction (Clerk of Court)
- Small Claim Procedure in Brief (Court)
- Small Claims (Justice Center (MJC))
- Traffic
- Criminal & Traffic Courts Division (Court)
Provides answers to common questions about traffic citations & reopening default judgments, reinstatement of suspended driver's license due to fine nonpayment, what to do if you didn't show up for your court date, how to get bail money back, records retention, etc.- Vital Records
- Birth, Marriage & Death Certificate Applications (County Clerk)
Register of DeedsOrdinances & Rules
Related Resources
- Directory of Self-Help Legal Resources in WI Counties (WI Court System)