753.30 Clerk of circuit court; duties, powers.

(1) The clerk of circuit court shall keep the books and records under s. 59.40 (2) (a) to (i) and ch. 799 and perform the duties under s. 59.40 (2) (j) to (q) for all matters in the circuit court except those under chs. 48, 54, and 851 to 879. In counties having only one circuit judge, the circuit judge, with the approval of the chief judge of the judicial administrative district, may appoint the clerk of court register in probate. The appointments are revocable at the pleasure of the circuit judge. Appointments and revocations shall be in writing and shall be filed in the office of the register in probate. If appointed for this purpose, the clerk has the powers and duties of registers in probate. In prosecutions of ordinance violations in the circuit court in counties having a population of 750,000 or more, an assistant chief deputy clerk appointed under sub. (3) (a), or one of his or her deputies, shall enter upon the records of the court a statement of the offense charged, which shall stand as the complaint, unless the court directs formal complaint be made. The defendant's plea shall be guilty or not guilty, and shall be entered as not guilty on failure to plead, which plea of not guilty shall put all matters in such case at issue, any other provisions of law notwithstanding.

(2) In counties with multibranch circuit courts, the clerk of circuit court may appoint one or more deputies for each branch. A deputy appointed to serve a particular branch may serve any other branch of the circuit court.

(3) In counties having a population of 750,000 or more the clerk of the circuit court shall:

(a) Appoint, under ss. 63.01 to 63.16, an assistant chief deputy clerk for the exclusive handling of the clerk's work in all criminal and ordinance matters in circuit courts, but the clerk of the circuit court or such chief deputy clerk shall sign all extradition requisition papers as required by law.

1. The assistant chief deputy clerk or one of his or her deputies shall be present at each session of the circuit court assigned criminal and traffic cases and shall perform all ministerial acts required by and under the direction of the judges, and when the court is not in session, may take bail for the appearance of any person under arrest before the courts for a misdemeanor or a traffic violation, subject to revision by the courts; the clerk or one of his or her deputies, shall issue all processes under the clerk's hand and the seal of the court and attest it in the name of the judge, signing it by the title of office, and shall tax costs; the clerk or one of his or her deputies, may issue warrants upon complaint filed in writing and upon oath in all cases. The complaints, warrants, recognizance, commitments, attachments, venires, subpoenas and all other writs and papers in the courts shall be in substance in the form provided by rules duly adopted and published by the judicial conference.

2. In prosecutions of ordinance violations in the court, the clerk, or one of the clerk's deputies, shall enter upon the records of the court a statement of the offense charged, which shall stand as the complaint, unless the court directs formal complaint to be made; then the defendant's plea shall be guilty or not guilty, and shall be entered as not guilty on failure to plead, which plea of not guilty shall put all matters in the case at issue, any other provision of law notwithstanding.

3. The clerk and deputies and the police officers attending the circuit court branches assigned criminal and traffic cases and serving its process shall receive no fee.

(b) Appoint, under ss. 63.01 to 63.16, an assistant chief deputy clerk of circuit court for the exclusive handling of the clerk's work in all civil matters in circuit court excluding probate and juvenile matters.

(c) Appoint, under ss. 63.01 to 63.16, an assistant chief deputy clerk for the exclusive handling of the clerk's work in the branches of court assigned juvenile matters.

(d) The clerk of the circuit court is the department head of the clerk of courts department of the circuit for the county, except branches assigned probate jurisdiction, as to all personnel, procurement, budget and related matters.

(4) The clerk of circuit court shall provide the medical examining board with a certified copy of an order of a circuit court in which a physician licensed under subch. II of ch. 448 is found negligent in treating a patient. The clerk of circuit court shall provide a certified copy of an order under this subsection no later than 7 business days after the entry of such a court order.

History: 1977 c. 449; 1979 c. 32 s. 92 (16); 1995 a. 201; 1997 a. 311; 2005 a. 387; 2017 a. 207 s. 5.

A non-judicial officer performing a ministerial function at the behest of judge acting in his or her judicial capacity is entitled to absolute immunity from civil liability. Ford v. Kenosha County, 160 Wis. 2d 485, 466 N.W.2d 646 (1991).