Wisconsin Statutes
Wis. Stat. § 48.185 (2026)
Venue
✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
WI-LEGdocs.legis.wisconsin.gov
JustiaChapter on Justia
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
48.185(1)(1) Proceedings generally. Subject to subs. (2) to (5), venue for any proceeding under s. 48.13, 48.133, 48.135, or 48.14 (1) to (9) may be in any of the following:
48.185(2)(2) Guardianship and termination of parental rights proceedings. In an action under s. 48.41, venue shall be in the county where the birth parent or child resides at the time that the petition is filed. Subject to sub. (5), venue for any proceeding under s. 48.977 or any proceeding under subch. VIII when the child has been placed outside the home pursuant to a dispositional order under s. 48.345 or 48.347, shall be in the county where the dispositional order was issued, unless the child’s county of residence has changed or the parent of the child has resided in a different county of this state for 6 months. In either case, the court may, upon a motion and for good cause shown, transfer the case, along with all appropriate records, to the county of residence of the child or parent.
48.185(3)(3) Transition-to-independent-living proceedings. Venue for a proceeding under s. 48.366 (3) (am) shall be in the county where the most recent order specified in s. 48.366 (1) (a) or (b) was issued.
48.185(4)(4) Child or unborn child subject to a dispositional order. Venue for any proceeding under s. 48.357, 48.363, or 48.365 shall be in the county where the dispositional order was issued, unless prior to the proceeding the court of that county determined that the proper venue for the proceeding lies in another county and transferred the case, along with all appropriate records, to that other county.
48.185(5)(5) Changes in placement; successor guardians; posttermination of parental rights. Venue for a proceeding under s. 48.437 shall be in the county where the termination of parental rights order was issued.
48.185(6)(6) Restraining order and injunction proceedings. Venue for a proceeding under s. 48.14 (10) is as provided in s. 801.50 (5s).
48.185 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 354; Stats. 1977 s. 48.185; 1979 c. 330; 1989 a. 161; 1993 a. 98, 318, 491; 1995 a. 77, 275; 1997 a. 80, 292; 2015 a. 55, 373; 2017 a. 365.
48.185 AnnotationThis section does not authorize change of venue, upon motion of party or upon stipulation of parties, after adjudication but before the first dispositional hearing. 75 Atty. Gen. 100.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9
cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1990–2024 · leading case: State v. Corey J.G., 572 N.W.2d 845 (Wis. 1998).
State v. Corey J.G., 572 N.W.2d 845 (Wis. 1998). “(Corey), seeks review of an unpublished decision of the court of appeals affirming the circuit court's denial of Corey's motion to dismiss for failure to establish venue pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 48.185 (1993-94). 1 ¶ 2. On March 21, 1996, the State of Wisconsin ("State") filed a…”
State v. Everett, 605 N.W.2d 633 (Wis. Ct. App. 1999). “In this case, that principle was recited in § 48.185, Stats., the venue statute that was in effect at the time of Everett's alleged delinquent conduct.”
Green Cnty. Dep't of Human Servs. v. H.N., 469 N.W.2d 845 (Wis. 1991). “” The court immediately thereafter noted sua sponte that venue properly belongs in Green county pursuant to sec. 48.185, Stats. Counsel for all parties agreed that the case should be transferred there, and the Rock county circuit court went on record as prepared to proceed with…”
In Interest of BJN, 469 N.W.2d 845 (Wis. 1991). “" The court immediately thereafter noted sua sponte that venue properly belongs in Green county pursuant to sec. 48.185, Stats. Counsel for all parties agreed that the case should be transferred there, and the Rock county circuit court went on record as prepared to proceed with…”
M.L.S. v. State, 458 N.W.2d 541 (Wis. Ct. App. 1990). “Venue is governed by a nondiscriminatory state law, sec. 48.185, Stats. Under sec. 48.185, venue is appropriate in the juvenile's home county.”
Waukesha Cnty. v. Dodge Cnty., 601 N.W.2d 296 (Wis. Ct. App. 1999). “See § 48.185, Stats. Venue for a § 48.363, STATS.”
R. G. v. S. P. (Wis. Ct. App. 2023). “The circuit court dismissed his petition for lack of jurisdiction.”
In Interest of MLS, 458 N.W.2d 541 (Wis. Ct. App. 1990). “Venue is governed by a nondiscriminatory state law, sec. 48.185, Stats. Under sec. 48.185, venue is appropriate in the juvenile's home county.”
Portage Cnty. v. D. A. (Wis. Ct. App. 2024). “§ 48.185(1)(a)-(b) (venue for CHIPS action proper in the county where the child “resides” or where the child is “present”).”
— Wis. Stat. § 48.185(1) — 2 cases
State v. Corey J.G., 572 N.W.2d 845 (Wis. 1998). “(Corey), seeks review of an unpublished decision of the court of appeals affirming the circuit court's denial of Corey's motion to dismiss for failure to establish venue pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 48.185 (1993-94). 1 ¶ 2. On March 21, 1996, the State of Wisconsin ("State") filed a…”
State v. Everett, 605 N.W.2d 633 (Wis. Ct. App. 1999). “In this case, that principle was recited in § 48.185, Stats., the venue statute that was in effect at the time of Everett's alleged delinquent conduct.”
— Wis. Stat. § 48.185(1)(a) — 1 case
Portage Cnty. v. D. A. (Wis. Ct. App. 2024). “§ 48.185(1)(a)-(b) (venue for CHIPS action proper in the county where the child “resides” or where the child is “present”).”
— Wis. Stat. § 48.185(2) — 2 cases
Waukesha Cnty. v. Dodge Cnty., 601 N.W.2d 296 (Wis. Ct. App. 1999). “See § 48.185, Stats. Venue for a § 48.363, STATS.”
R. G. v. S. P. (Wis. Ct. App. 2023). “The circuit court dismissed his petition for lack of jurisdiction.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.