48.185 Venue.

(1) Proceedings generally. Subject to subs. (2) to (5), venue for any proceeding under s. 48.13, 48.133, 48.135, or 48.14 (1) to (9) may be in any of the following:

(a) The county where the child or the expectant mother of the unborn child resides.

(b) The county where the child or expectant mother is present.

(2) Guardianship and termination of parental rights proceedings. In an action under s. 48.41, venue shall be in the county where the birth parent or child resides at the time that the petition is filed. Subject to sub. (5), venue for any proceeding under s. 48.977 or any proceeding under subch. VIII when the child has been placed outside the home pursuant to a dispositional order under s. 48.345 or 48.347, shall be in the county where the dispositional order was issued, unless the child's county of residence has changed or the parent of the child has resided in a different county of this state for 6 months. In either case, the court may, upon a motion and for good cause shown, transfer the case, along with all appropriate records, to the county of residence of the child or parent.

(3) Transition-to-independent-living proceedings. Venue for a proceeding under s. 48.366 (3) (am) shall be in the county where the most recent order specified in s. 48.366 (1) (a) or (b) was issued.

(4) Child or unborn child subject to a dispositional order. Venue for any proceeding under s. 48.357, 48.363, or 48.365 shall be in the county where the dispositional order was issued, unless prior to the proceeding the court of that county determined that the proper venue for the proceeding lies in another county and transferred the case, along with all appropriate records, to that other county.

(5) Changes in placement; successor guardians; posttermination of parental rights. Venue for a proceeding under s. 48.437 shall be in the county where the termination of parental rights order was issued.

(6) Restraining order and injunction proceedings. Venue for a proceeding under s. 48.14 (10) is as provided in s. 801.50 (5s).

History: 1977 c. 354; Stats. 1977 s. 48.185; 1979 c. 330; 1989 a. 161; 1993 a. 98, 318, 491; 1995 a. 77, 275; 1997 a. 80, 292; 2015 a. 55, 373; 2017 a. 365.

This section does not authorize change of venue, upon motion of party or upon stipulation of parties, after adjudication but before the first dispositional hearing. 75 Atty. Gen. 100.