Certificate of Service

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

State of Wisconsin — Circuit Court

WISCONSIN SERVICE RULES — QUICK REFERENCE

Primary Authority: Wisconsin Statutes § 801.14 and § 801.15 (formerly the Wisconsin Rules of Civil Procedure under ch. 801) and § 801.18 (Electronic Filing) govern service of papers in Wisconsin circuit court civil proceedings.

Who Must Be Served (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(1)): Every order required by its terms to be served; every pleading (unless the court orders otherwise because of numerous defendants); every paper relating to discovery required to be served; every written motion (except one which may be heard ex parte); and every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, undertaking, and similar paper must be served on each party. Service on a represented party is made on the attorney.

Authorized Methods of Service (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)):

• Delivery in person: Handing it to the attorney or party
• Office delivery: Handing it to a clerk or other person in charge of the attorney's office; if no one in charge, leaving it in a conspicuous place therein; if the office is closed, leaving it at the dwelling house or usual place of abode with a person of suitable age and discretion
• Mail: Mailing a copy to the attorney or party at their last known address; service is complete upon mailing
• Fax: Transmitting a copy by facsimile machine to the attorney's or party's office (counts as delivery)
• Electronic mail (email): If an attorney or party has consented in writing to accept email service, transmitting a copy by electronic mail to their primary or designated email address. Consent required per § 801.14(2)(c).
• Wisconsin eCourts Electronic Filing System: Under § 801.18, filings submitted through the Wisconsin eCourts e-filing system serve as the means of delivery between users for subsequent documents; the filing and transmission through the system constitutes service.

Mail Service — Three-Day Extension (Wis. Stat. § 801.15(1)): When a party must act within a specified time after service of a paper, and service is by mail, three (3) additional days are added to the prescribed period. No extension applies when service is by personal delivery, fax, or electronic means.

Filing Constitutes Certification (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(4)): The filing of any paper required to be served constitutes a certification by the party or attorney effecting the filing that a copy has been timely served on all parties required to be served, except as the person effecting the filing may otherwise stipulate in writing. This means filing itself operates as a representation of service.

Wisconsin eCourts E-Filing System (Wis. Stat. § 801.18): Wisconsin's statewide eCourts system manages electronic filing and service. The eCourts system serves as the means of delivery between registered users for all subsequent documents filed after the initial pleadings. Attorneys admitted in Wisconsin are generally required to e-file in circuit courts that have activated the eCourts system.

Email Service — Consent Required (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)(c)): Email service (outside the eCourts system) requires prior written consent of the attorney or party to be served. The attorney or party must have consented to accept service by email and designated their email address.

Fax Service as Delivery: Wisconsin specifically treats fax transmission to the attorney's or party's office as a form of delivery (§ 801.14(2)(b)), not merely service. Fax is complete upon transmission.

PART I — CASE CAPTION

STATE OF WISCONSIN
CIRCUIT COURT — [________________________________] COUNTY

[________________________________],
Plaintiff(s),

vs. Case No.: [________________________________]

[________________________________],
Defendant(s).

Branch/Courtroom: [________________________________]
Presiding Judge: [________________________________]
Court Commissioner (if applicable): [________________________________]

PART II — IDENTIFICATION OF DOCUMENT(S) SERVED

Title(s) of Document(s) Served:

1. [________________________________]
2. [________________________________]
3. [________________________________]
4. [________________________________]
5. [________________________________]

(Attach additional sheet if necessary)

Total Pages Served (including all exhibits and attachments): [____]

Date of Service: [__/__/____]

PART III — PARTIES AND COUNSEL SERVED

Party/Counsel No. 1:

Name: [________________________________]
Law Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], WI [________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Wisconsin Bar No. (if attorney): [________________________________]
eCourts Registered User: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Written Consent to Email Service on File: ☐ Yes (date: [__/__/____]) ☐ No
Representing: ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ Third-Party Plaintiff ☐ Third-Party Defendant ☐ Other: [____________]
Self-Represented Party: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Party/Counsel No. 2:

Name: [________________________________]
Law Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], WI [________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Wisconsin Bar No. (if attorney): [________________________________]
eCourts Registered User: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Written Consent to Email Service on File: ☐ Yes (date: [__/__/____]) ☐ No
Representing: ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ Third-Party Plaintiff ☐ Third-Party Defendant ☐ Other: [____________]
Self-Represented Party: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Party/Counsel No. 3:

Name: [________________________________]
Law Firm/Organization: [________________________________]
Mailing Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], WI [________]
Email Address: [________________________________]
Fax Number: [________________________________]
Wisconsin Bar No. (if attorney): [________________________________]
eCourts Registered User: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Written Consent to Email Service on File: ☐ Yes (date: [__/__/____]) ☐ No
Representing: ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant ☐ Third-Party Plaintiff ☐ Third-Party Defendant ☐ Other: [____________]
Self-Represented Party: ☐ Yes ☐ No

(Attach additional sheets for additional parties)

PART IV — METHOD OF SERVICE

Select all methods used. Note which method applies to which party if different methods were used.

A. Wisconsin eCourts Electronic Filing System (Wis. Stat. § 801.18)

☐ Electronic Service via Wisconsin eCourts E-Filing System

The document(s) was filed and served electronically through the Wisconsin eCourts electronic filing system. Under Wis. Stat. § 801.18, the eCourts filing and transmission system serves as the means of delivery between registered users for all subsequently filed documents, constituting service between eCourts participants.

Date of Electronic Filing: [__/__/____]
Time of Submission: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
eCourts Transaction/Confirmation Number: [________________________________]

Parties/counsel served via eCourts (registered participants):
Name: [________________________________] Email: [________________________________]
Name: [________________________________] Email: [________________________________]

Parties/counsel NOT registered with eCourts (served by alternative method):
Name: [________________________________] Alternative Method: [________________________________]
Name: [________________________________] Alternative Method: [________________________________]

Note: Filing through eCourts constitutes a certification that service has been made on all parties required to be served per Wis. Stat. § 801.14(4).

B. Service by United States Mail (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)(b))

☐ First-Class U.S. Mail — Postage Prepaid

I mailed the document(s) by enclosing a true copy in a sealed envelope with first-class postage fully prepaid, addressed to the attorney's or party's last known address, and depositing in the United States mail.

IMPORTANT — MAIL SERVICE EXTENSION: Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 801.15(1), when a party must act within a specified time after service by mail, three (3) additional days are added to the prescribed period.

Date of Mailing: [__/__/____]
Post Office/Mailing Location: [________________________________], Wisconsin
City and State: [________________________________]

☐ Certified Mail — Return Receipt Requested
Certified Mail Article Number(s): [________________________________]
Return Receipt Received: ☐ Yes Date: [__/__/____] ☐ No/Pending

Parties/counsel served by mail:
Name: [________________________________] Address: [________________________________]
Name: [________________________________] Address: [________________________________]

C. Delivery in Person (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)(a))

☐ Hand Delivery — Directly to Attorney or Party

A copy was physically handed to the attorney or party.

Delivered to: [________________________________]
Capacity: ☐ Attorney of Record ☐ Party ☐ Authorized Agent
Address of Delivery: [________________________________]
Date of Delivery: [__/__/____]
Time of Delivery: [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Delivered by: [________________________________]

☐ Left at Attorney's Office — Clerk or Person in Charge

The document(s) was left at the attorney's office with a clerk or other person in charge.

Name of Person with Whom Left: [________________________________]
Title/Capacity: [________________________________]
Office Address: [________________________________]
Date and Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

☐ Left in Conspicuous Place — Office Closed/No One in Charge

No one was in charge of the office; the document(s) was left in a conspicuous place in the office.

Office Address: [________________________________]
Date and Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

☐ Left at Dwelling/Usual Place of Abode

The office was closed; the document(s) was left at the dwelling house or usual place of abode with a person of suitable age and discretion.

Name of Person with Whom Left: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Date and Time: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.

D. Facsimile Transmission (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)(b))

☐ Service by Facsimile

Wisconsin law treats fax transmission to the attorney's or party's office as a form of delivery. Fax service is complete upon transmission.

Fax Number Used: [________________________________]
Date and Time of Transmission: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
Number of Pages (including cover page): [____]
Fax Transmission Confirmed: ☐ Yes ☐ No

E. Electronic Mail Service (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)(c) — Written Consent Required)

☐ Service by Electronic Mail (Email — Outside eCourts)

Written consent to accept email service was obtained from the attorney or party to be served, who has designated their email address.

Written consent obtained from: [________________________________]
Date Consent Obtained: [__/__/____]
Designated Email Address: [________________________________]

Date and Time of Email Transmission: [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m.
No failed/undeliverable notification received: ☐ Confirmed

Outside of the eCourts system, email service requires prior written consent designating the email address. See Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)(c).

PART V — SELF-REPRESENTED PARTY SERVICE

(Complete if any party is self-represented/pro se)

☐ One or more parties in this action are self-represented (pro se).

Self-Represented Party Name: [________________________________]
Address on File with Court: [________________________________]
eCourts Registered User: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Written Consent to Email Service: ☐ Yes (date: [__/__/____]) ☐ No

Method of service on self-represented party:
☐ eCourts e-filing system (registered user confirmed)
☐ U.S. Mail — Address: [________________________________]
☐ Personal/hand delivery
☐ Fax — Number: [________________________________]
☐ Email (written consent and designated email on file)

Self-represented parties who are not registered with the eCourts system and have not consented to email service must be served by mail, personal delivery, or fax (if an attorney has a fax number on file) under Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2).

PART VI — CERTIFICATION OF SERVICE (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(4))

I, [________________________________], the attorney or party effecting the filing of the above-referenced document(s), certify:

1. I am ☐ an attorney admitted to practice in Wisconsin (Bar No.: [________________]) ☐ a party in this action ☐ other: [____________].

2. On [__/__/____], I served or caused to be served a true and correct copy of the document(s) identified in Part II upon all parties and/or counsel identified in Part III, by the method(s) specified in Part IV.

3. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 801.14(4), the filing of the above document(s) constitutes a certification that a copy has been timely served on all parties required to be served.

4. All service was performed in compliance with Wis. Stat. § 801.14 and applicable Wisconsin civil procedure rules.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Wisconsin that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on [__/__/____], at [________________________________], Wisconsin.

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

Wisconsin Bar No. (if applicable): [________________________________]

Law Firm/Organization: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

City, State, Zip: [________________________________], WI [________]

Phone: [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

PART VII — PROOF OF MAIL SERVICE (Wis. Stat. § 801.14(2)(b))

(Complete if a separate mail proof declaration is needed)

I, [________________________________], declare:

1. I am a resident of or employed in [________________________________] County, Wisconsin.

2. I am over 18 years of age and am not a party to the above-captioned action.

3. My address is: [________________________________], [________________________________], WI [________].

4. On [__/__/____], I served the following documents:
   [________________________________]
   [________________________________]

5. I served said documents by placing a true copy in a sealed envelope with first-class postage prepaid, addressed to:
   Name: [________________________________]
   Address: [________________________________]

6. I deposited said envelope in the United States mail at [________________________________], Wisconsin.

7. Mail Extension Notice: Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 801.15(1), three (3) additional days are added to any time period that begins to run from service of these documents by mail.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Wisconsin that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on [__/__/____], at [________________________________], Wisconsin.

Signature: [________________________________]

Printed Name: [________________________________]

PART VIII — WISCONSIN SERVICE SUMMARY TABLE

Wisconsin eCourts System: wicourts.gov

• Wisconsin's eCourts system is the statewide electronic filing and case management platform.
• Attorneys are generally required to e-file in circuit courts where eCourts is active.
• Filing through eCourts constitutes both filing and service under § 801.14.
• Filing itself constitutes a certification of service under § 801.14(4) — filing is a representation that all parties have been served.
• Retain eCourts transaction/confirmation numbers and receipts.

Wisconsin Privacy Rules: Comply with Wis. Stat. § 801.19 and court rules regarding redaction of confidential information (SSNs, financial account numbers, dates of birth for minors) in filed documents.

Courtesy Copies: Some Wisconsin circuit court branches require courtesy copies to the judge's chambers, particularly for motions. Check branch-specific standing orders.

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Wis. Stat. § 801.14 (2025): Justia
• Wis. Stat. § 801.14 (Wisconsin Legislature): Wisconsin Legislature
• Wis. Stat. § 801.15 (Wisconsin Legislature): Wisconsin Legislature
• Wis. Stat. § 801.18 Electronic Filing (2025): Justia
• Wisconsin Courts — wicourts.gov