Vol. 76, No. 12, December 2003

Online Legal Forms for Wisconsin Practitioners

by Kira L. Zaporski

A simple Google search for "Wisconsin legal forms" returns dozens of Web sites offering legal, business, or general forms. Forms can be broadly categorized as either government-drafted or attorney-drafted. Forms produced by government or quasi-governmental entities may be mandatory, such as the Wisconsin Court System's Circuit Court forms, or voluntary. Unlike traditionally published form treatises or form sets, online forms tend to be murkier in origin, especially those drafted by attorneys. As with any Internet resource, users need to consider the source of the form and make their own evaluation as to whether the form's content is reliable and appropriate for their purposes.

Forms often are made available online as marketing tools by businesses selling legal services to the public, or as a way to interest other lawyers in purchasing practice-related products. Some privately run legal Web sites offer a collection of free forms along with a separate collection of forms available for a charge. A recent review of many such sites indicated that the free forms often are just copies of the state court forms or other government forms that are already available for free on government Web sites. Users should obtain court or other government forms directly from the government Web site to ensure a current and unaltered version of the form.

The most common file format for online forms is a "static" PDF document. PDF, which stands for "portable document format," is a universal file format that ensures an exact reproduction of the document. PDF preserves the fonts, images, graphics, and layout of the original document, regardless of the application and platform used to create that original. It is essentially like taking a photograph of the original document. Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, and HTML are less commonly used formats for online forms. Users willing to pay for the convenience also can purchase automated forms systems, such as those built with HotDocs software. Automated forms systems are particularly useful in practice areas like probate or tax, where the same client information may be used repeatedly in different documents.

PDF forms can be static or fillable. A static PDF form is the easiest type of file to create from an existing document. It can be read by any online user with the free, and ubiquitous, Adobe Acrobat software, and it guarantees an accurate reproduction of the original form. A fillable PDF form allows the user to type information directly into selected portions of the form. The completed "filled" form is then printed. In contrast, the user of a static PDF form must first print the form and then enter the content by hand or typewriter, just as you would with a traditional paper form. The convenience of having static forms available online is primarily in being able to access a current copy of the form at any time.

The following listing of sources for online forms is not intended to be exclusive. Inclusion on the list is not a guarantee of the accuracy, currency, or applicability of any form. This information is provided solely as a service to readers. Selecting and completing forms requires that you accurately identify your legal issue and have knowledge of that issue and of all laws governing that issue.

Wisconsin State/Local Court Forms

Wisconsin State Law Library (WSLL)

Format: Varies depending on the forms; most in PDF with some Word and HTML.

Comments: Probably the most comprehensive compilation of Wisconsin-specific forms is on this Web site. In addition to linking to many of the resources described elsewhere in this guide, the State Law Library site also includes a very useful listing of "forms by topic." Most of the forms linked to through the WSLL site are free, or offered at a very low cost.

Wisconsin Court System's Circuit Court Forms

Format: Available in PDF; some also are available in Microsoft Word. Word forms are identified with a ".doc" extension and may be downloaded, text entered into the appropriate fields, and the form printed.

Comments: The official site of the Wisconsin state courts provides the standard, statewide forms required by all Wisconsin circuit courts for civil, criminal, family, guardianship, juvenile, mental commitment, probate, and small claims cases. The mandatory court forms cannot be modified. Users may attach additional pages of information as needed. Circuit court forms also may be searched online by number, name, category, or keyword. The forms are updated intermittently, with the latest revision date indicated on each form. Standard court forms also are available in any county clerk of circuit court office. To determine whether other states provide similar standard forms, contact the state law library of that state. The Minnesota State Law Library provides a collection of links to other state law libraries at www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/osll.html.

Wisconsin County Forms

(This compilation of links to the forms pages of various county Web sites is provided through the WSLL site.)

Format: Varies, depending on the county and the type of form. Some are offered in PDF or HTML format. Other counties list the available forms on their Web sites, but the forms must be ordered through the mail.

Comments: Content varies depending on the county.

Municipal Courts

(Links to all Wisconsin municipal court Web sites are provided through the WSLL site.)

Format: A handful of municipal courts have made their court forms available online in PDF or HTML.

Comments: Municipal court sites often include other forms related to the daily business of the municipality and its citizens. A few of the municipal courts with forms online include Kenosha at www.kenosha.org/departments/court/, Milwaukee at www.ci.mil.wi.us/citygov/court/forms.html, and Green Bay at www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/cgi-bin/w3-msql/forms/forms.html.

Wisconsin Federal Court Forms

Western District of Wisconsin

Format: PDF

Comments: Includes attorney admission forms, forms for commencing an action in the U.S. District Court-Western District of Wisconsin, subpoenas, and appeal forms.

Eastern District of Wisconsin

Format: PDF

Comments: Includes attorney admission forms, civil forms, forms for commencing an action in the U.S. District Court-Eastern District of Wisconsin, subpoenas, and pro se forms.

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

Format: Mainly PDF, a few HTML

Comments: This site provides a few of the forms relevant to practice in the Seventh Circuit, including attorney admission forms and disclosure statements.

U.S. Bankruptcy Courts

Format: PDF

Comments: Official bankruptcy forms for the federal bankruptcy courts, including the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin State Government Agency Forms

Many forms produced by Wisconsin state government agencies are available online, the vast majority at no charge. The www.wisconsin.gov Web site has a "subject directory" link on its home page; click on this link and scroll alphabetically to "forms" to see a listing of the types of forms available on the site. The following list identifies some of the groups of forms offered.

Department of Administration Forms

Format: PDF, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel

Comments: This page compiles a variety of forms, instructions, and applications for agencies under the direction of the Wisconsin Department of Administration. Includes applications related to gaming, state employment, and banking services; budget forms and manuals; and forms for the Bureau of Housing, facilities and construction, environmental impact, property and liability, records maintenance, and worker's compensation.

Business Forms

Format: Varies, mainly PDF with some Word

Comments: This page consolidates links to State of Wisconsin business-related forms. Includes forms for business organization, taxes, unemployment insurance, and worker's compensation. Site also features a business "wizard," an online program that uses a simple question and answer format to identify permit, license, tax, and employment requirements specific to the user's business.

Employment-related Forms

Format: Mostly PDF

Comments: The Department of Workforce Development has a useful Internet forms repository, which allows for sorting forms by form number, title, division, revision date, and other criteria. Forms provide purpose descriptions and contact information for questions about content. Topics include employment, housing, and public accommodation discrimination; equal rights; family or medical leave; labor standards; medical release authorization; unemployment insurance; and worker's compensation. Some forms are available in Spanish.

Financial Forms

Format: Mainly PDF, many in fillable PDF

Comments: The Department of Financial Institutions Web site provides domestic and foreign corporate forms (including those for nonprofits, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships, and limited liability companies), banking applications, corporation forms, credit union applications, mortgage banking and brokering applications, savings institutions applications, securities and franchise applications, UCC forms, and Wisconsin consumer act registration forms. Also includes licensed financial services application forms.

Health and Family Services Forms

Format: PDF

Comments: The Department of Health and Family Services site arranges forms in alphabetical lists and allows keyword searching. Some forms are available in Spanish. Topics include adoption, advance directives, background information disclosure, child welfare, community-based residential facilities, corporate guardianship, day care, EMT applications, foster care and foster homes, kinship care, living wills, power of attorney, WIC program, and more.

Tax Forms

Format: PDF, many offered in both static and fillable PDF

Comments: The Wisconsin Department of Revenue provides state tax forms and form-specific instructions, in addition to offering online filing. Federal tax forms and instructions are available at www.irs.ustreas.gov/formspubs/index.html.

Transportation and Vehicle-related Forms

Format: PDF

Comments: The Department of Transportation site arranges its forms in broad categories. Topics include driver licensing, vehicle registration, vehicle title applications, name change/correction of titles, license plates, lemon-law notice, special parking privileges, traffic accident reporting, vehicle/driver record information, withholding name/address from records requests, dealer complaints, dealer licensing, bills of sale, motor carriers, oversize/overweight permits, outdoor advertising license and sign installation applications/permits, applications/permits to construct a driveway, programs for local government, safety and consumer protection, state patrol, and rustic road designation.

Wisconsin Bar Associations

Bar associations often link to other forms sources, as well as offer some forms specific to local or regional practice.

Professionalism Standard Form Letters

Format: PDF

Comments: The Milwaukee Bar Association's Professionalism Committee has drafted standard form letters for areas of the law in which Wisconsin lawyers may need help in complying with the Supreme Court Rules.

State Bar of Wisconsin

Format: PDF and some MS Word

Comments: The State Bar Web site, WisBar, provides links to the State Circuit Court system's mandatory forms, and to the court's Truth in Sentencing guidelines and worksheets, available directly at www.courts.state.wi.us/circuit/Truth_in_Sentencing.htm. The State Bar site also contains the limited liability legal practice annual registration form. Also includes lien and bond forms created by a subcommittee of the Wisconsin Construction and Public Contract Law Section and real estate forms drafted by the State Bar's Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section.

Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association

Format: PDF

Comments: A small collection of pro se, civil, and criminal forms, such as notice and subpoena forms, as well as attorney admission forms.

Other Popular Sources for Online Forms

The following list is a sampling of Web sites (listed alphabetically) that offer fairly comprehensive collections of free forms, although many are not Wisconsin-specific.

AllLaw

Comments: As part of its legal resources portal, AllLaw offers free attorney-drafted forms in HTML format. Forms are not specific to jurisdiction, but may be useful as sources of suggested language in many practice areas.

Findlaw

Comments: This comprehensive legal portal compiles links to federal and state court forms Web sites. It also provides a fairly large collection of attorney-drafted forms, organized by jurisdiction and topic.

HeirosGamos

Comments: This site compiles extensive links to forms produced elsewhere. Not Wisconsin-specific, but useful for searching by topic.

Internet Legal Resource Guide (ILRG)

Comments: This site advertises itself as the Internet's largest collection of free legal forms. ILRG's legal "forms archive" offers an extensive collection of attorney-drafted forms, as well as links to law firms offering collections of online forms. Format varies, depending on the source of the form. Additional links to forms available for a fee.

Law Library Resource Xchange (LLRX)

Comments: LLRX.com is a free Web journal that compiles and organizes links to legal news, services, and resources. Popular with law librarians, LLRX is known for its focus on technology-related issues. Among its many resources, LLRX includes links to more than 1,400 sources for state and federal court rules, forms, and dockets. Users can search by keyword or browse by court type, type of resource, jurisdiction, or state. Search results indicate whether the forms are official or unofficial. Also provides links to court rules and dockets, such as Wisconsin's CCAP, when available.

'Lectric Law Library

Comments: This site also advertises itself as the Internet's largest collection of free legal forms. HTML format forms are classified into two broad categories: Business/General (dealing with subjects like real estate, corporations, employment, contracts, trusts, and wills) and Legal Practice (focusing on law practice management, litigation, and related matters). Offers suggested language in many practice areas, not specific to jurisdiction. Also offers "premium" forms available for purchase.

LexisOne

Comments: This site advertises itself as the resource for small law firms, with more than 6,000 free forms. Free forms are listed by topic and jurisdiction, and include many forms produced by the state and federal government. The free forms listed for Wisconsin are mainly the Wisconsin State Circuit Court forms. The bulk of the forms are available for a fee, including automated forms using HotDocs software. You must register with the site to browse or use the free forms; there is no fee associated with registration.

Washburn University School of Law

Comments: Washburn University's "Washlaw" site compiles links to a variety of state and federal government Web sites offering forms. Also includes links to other forms sites. Most links are to free forms.

WisconsinForms.com

Comments: This site, produced by Milwaukee-area attorney Ernesto Romero, compiles links to forms from numerous sources, including attorney-drafted forms produced by the state and federal government. A particular emphasis on family law and personal injury practice resources. Notable for offering many legal forms in Spanish (most for a fee).

Paper Forms

Of course, paper forms collections are still available and widely used. The University of Wisconsin and Marquette Law School libraries and the Wisconsin State Law Library have a wide selection of forms books covering many practice areas. Office supply stores, financial institutions, and other businesses also sell paper forms. Some businesses' Web sites offer information about their forms products but do not provide access to forms directly from the site.

Wisconsin Lawyer