Wisconsin Court System Snapshot
The Wisconsin Court System doesn't write the laws but it does help enforce them. The system includes nearly 245 municipal courts, more than 240 circuit courts in 72 counties, a court of appeals that handles about 1,200 cases a year, and a seven-member Supreme Court. Supreme Court justices are elected to 10-year terms; they hear cases from the court of appeals and are the final authority on the state constitution. Wisconsin's court system also includes programs like special peer "courts" for non-violent teen offenders and "problem solving" courts that address issues around criminal behavior like drug use and mental health. The Wisconsin Court System's budget is more than $115 million.
