Wisconsin pilots online domestic abuse filing portal

The Wisconsin Court System is piloting a new online, mobile-first portal designed to make it easier for people to complete and file domestic abuse temporary restraining order petitions.

The plain-language portal allows petitioners to create or log in to an eFiling account, generate standard court forms, and submit those forms to the circuit court in one guided process. It is designed to reduce confusion, help petitioners provide complete information, and make filing easier to navigate.

“When survivors of domestic violence come to the court system seeking protection, it is our job to make sure the process is as clear, accessible, and supportive as possible,” Chief Justice Jill J. Karofsky said. “We hope that this portal makes it easier for courageous survivors to file for restraining orders.”

The pilot is underway in eight counties: Adams, Barron, Brown, Dane, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Sauk and Waukesha. CCAP and Court Operations staff are providing live, onsite training and technical assistance to participating counties before the portal is made available statewide.

Feedback from the pilot sites will be used to refine the portal before it is made available statewide by the end of August.

During the pilot, the portal is accessible at participating courthouses and partner locations, including victim advocate agencies. That approach is meant to connect petitioners with available assistance from trained advocates, clerks or attorneys as they navigate the new process.

The Wisconsin Court System is one of three learner courts participating in a national project funded by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women and administered by the National Center for State Courts. The project focuses on identifying and demonstrating court-based strategies for safe, accessible, fair and effective virtual civil protection order processes.

The Innovation for Justice UX for Justice shaped the portal, which uses user experience research and design methods to evaluate and redesign online court technologies and processes. In Wisconsin, that work included feedback gathering, concept brainstorming, and prototype usability testing.

“This pilot gives us the opportunity to test the portal in real court settings, learn from the people who use it, and make improvements before statewide launch,” Director of State Courts Audrey K. Skwierawski said. “At its core, this work is about making an urgent court process clearer and more manageable for people seeking protection, while supporting the judges, clerks, advocates, attorneys, and court staff who serve them.”