Senate Bill 333 proposes significant changes to various court fees and surcharges in Wisconsin. The bill aims to increase fees collected by clerks of court, municipal judges, and registers in probate, as well as fees paid to witnesses, interpreters, and other court-related personnel. Notably, it amends several sections of the statutes to raise specific fees, such as increasing the filing fee for criminal actions from $163 to $239, and the fee for civil actions from $75 to $190. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions for annual fee adjustments based on inflation, ensuring that these fees remain relevant over time.

The bill also includes a provision that allows counties to retain the additional revenue generated from these increased fees, rather than remitting a larger portion to the state. This change is intended to provide counties with more financial resources for local use. The legislation repeals certain existing provisions and creates new definitions and adjustments related to court fees, including indexing them to the U.S. consumer price index. Overall, Senate Bill 333 seeks to modernize and increase the financial sustainability of the court system in Wisconsin while providing counties with greater fiscal autonomy.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 59.32(1), 59.32, 814.60(1), 814.60, 814.61(1)(a), 814.61, 814.61(1)(b), 814.61(3), 814.61(4), 814.61(5)(am)(intro.), 814.61(6), 814.61(7)(a), 814.61(7)(b), 814.61(9), 814.61(11), 814.61(12)(a)1, 814.61(12)(c), 814.61(13), 814.61(13m), 814.61(14), 814.615(1)(a)2, 814.615