Open records requests in Wisconsin

How the Wisconsin Open Records Law works

Wisconsin's Open Records Law (Wis. Stat. §§ 19.31 to 19.39) is grounded in a strong constitutional and statutory presumption of openness, declaring that the public interest in government transparency outweighs the interest in keeping records confidential except in very specific circumstances. Any person may request records from any authority, defined broadly to include all state and local governmental bodies, with no residency requirement. The law applies to all branches of government.

Wisconsin's law does not set a specific statutory deadline but requires agencies to respond "as soon as practicable and without delay," with courts having found that unreasonable delays constitute a constructive denial. Fees may be charged for duplication costs and staff time for extraordinary requests. Wisconsin's Department of Justice issues guidance and may bring enforcement actions. Requesters who prevail in court are entitled to attorney's fees, and willful violations may result in civil penalties. Common exemptions include attorney-client privileged materials, certain law enforcement records, trade secrets, and records constituting a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.