The Change of Venue Law
Wisconsin's Change of Venue law gives certain professionals and their families more privacy and safety when seeking a restraining order, by letting them file in a different county.
What the law does
Normally, a restraining order case is filed in the county where the petitioner lives, where the respondent lives, or where the events happened. For people whose jobs are tied to the courts and the justice system, that can mean filing in the very county where they work, in front of colleagues, with their address and situation exposed.
The Change of Venue law expands the options. Eligible petitioners may file in any county within a 100-mile radius of the county seat of the county where they live, or any county where they are temporarily living. This added distance helps reduce safety concerns and removes a real barrier to seeking protection.
In short
If you qualify, you don't have to file in your home county. You can choose another county within 100 miles, giving you greater anonymity and privacy in a sensitive matter.
Who qualifies
- A victim advocate
- An employee of the county court system
- A legal professional practicing law
- A current or former law enforcement officer
The protections also extend to certain people connected to those four professions:
- A spouse of one of the four professions above
- A current or former dating partner, or a person who shares a child with one of the four professions above
- An immediate family member of one of the four professions above
- A household member of one of the four professions above
This is general information, not legal advice
Eligibility and procedure can depend on your specific situation. For the exact statutory language, see Wis. Stat. § 801.50(5r). To understand how the law applies to you, talk with a victim advocate, a qualified attorney, or your local clerk of court.