April 3, 2024 – The Director of State Courts has approved a $15 increase to the circuit court filing fee (eFiling fee), pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m) and § 801.18(7), effective May 1, 2024.

Electronically filed cases will be subject to a fee of $35 fee per case, per party and $70 for attorney-mediators. The fee is imposed by the eFiling system at the time of the first electronic filing by each party, and is applicable to all case types.

Per § 801.18(7), the fee is not charged when: 1) the filer is a Wisconsin state or local governmental unit; 2) a motion for a waiver of costs and fees is granted under §814.29(1); (3) the filer is court appointed or a guardian ad litem; or (4) the filer is SPD-assigned counsel.

Why is the Fee Increasing?

The eFiling fees financially support the work of the Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP). The fee was first imposed when eFiling was made mandatory for the circuit courts in 2016 and has not changed. Since that time, the eFiling system has successfully allowed attorneys to file case documents, serve other electronic parties without cost, and access cases from wherever they are located.

In 2023 alone, 8.9 million documents were filed through the eFiling system. Currently, CCAP supports 20,000 users including those who eFile. It also provides many tools to support these users as they navigate the system, including step-by-step tutorials, videos, FAQ documentation, and access to customer service representatives.

Rising hardware, software, and cybersecurity costs led the CCAP Steering Committee to support a fee increase in order to help sustain these high levels of service, ensure robust cybersecurity, and allow for continued delivery of technical support to the many CCAP users.

If you have any questions about electronic filing, please see the Wisconsin Circuit Court eFiling webpage at: wicourts.gov/ecourts/efilecircuit/index.jsp.