Courts and Service of Process

 

Court Records

If a Safe at Home participant submits a written request to a local clerk that their actual address be kept private, the local clerk may not disclose any record in his or her possession which would reveal the Safe at Home participant's actual address, except pursuant to a court order. [See Wis. Stat. § 66.0504(2)]​  It is the responsibility of a Safe at Home participant to file a Notice to Court of Participation in Safe at Home form for every case in which their actual address appears.   

 

If a Safe at Home participant files a Notice to Court of Participation in Safe at Home, the clerk of courts will:

  • Verify participation in Safe at Home by requesting to view the participant's Safe at Home Authorization Card
  • Waive the filing fee.
  • Enter the form into CCAP as a court record event.
  • Locate and remove all references to the actual or last-known address in the court record, including any reference on the Notice to Court of Participation in Safe at Home form and in electronic filing records.
  • Replace the participant's actual or last-known address with the Safe at Home assigned address listed on the Notice to Court of Participation in Safe at Home form.

 

Service of Process

All Safe at Home participants certify the Wisconsin Department of Justice as their designated agent for service of process. Legal paperwork that does not require personal service may be sent via U.S. Postal Service mail to the Safe at Home participant's assigned address. Legal paperwork that requires personal service should not be served to a Safe at Home participant at their assigned address or their actual home, work, or school address.