(1) DEFINITION. In this section “foreign judgment” means any judgment, decree or order of a court of the United States or of any other court which is entitled to full faith and credit in this state.
806.24.Uniform enforcement of foreign judgments act.
Ch. 806: Judgment · Last amended 1995 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 806.24, the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act, lets a creditor register an out-of-state or federal money judgment with a Wisconsin clerk of court, where it is treated like a Wisconsin judgment after 15 days and notice to the debtor, subject to a stay if an appeal is pending.
Full Text of Section 806.24
(2) FILING AND STATUS OF FOREIGN JUDGMENTS. A copy of any foreign judgment authenticated in accordance with the act of congress or the statutes of this state may be filed in the office of the clerk of circuit court of any county of this state. The clerk shall treat any foreign judgment in the same manner as a judgment of the circuit court of this state. A judgment so filed has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses, and proceedings for reopening, vacating or staying as a judgment of a circuit court of this state and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner.
(3) NOTICE OF FILING. (a) At the time of the filing of the foreign judgment, the judgment creditor or lawyer shall make and file with the clerk of court an affidavit setting forth the name and last-known post-office address of the judgment debtor and the judgment creditor. (b) Promptly upon the filing of the foreign judgment and affidavit, the clerk of circuit court shall mail notice of the filing of the foreign judgment to the judgment debtor at the address given and shall make a note of the mailing on the court record. The notice shall include the name and post-office address of the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor’s lawyer, if any, in this state. In addition, the judgment creditor may mail a notice of the filing of the judgment to the judgment debtor and may file proof of mailing with the clerk of circuit court. Lack of mailing notice of filing by the clerk of circuit court shall not affect the enforcement proceedings if proof of mailing by the judgment creditor has been filed. (c) No execution or other process for enforcement of a foreign judgment filed hereunder shall issue until 15 days after the date the judgment is filed.
(4) STAY. (a) If the judgment debtor shows the court that an appeal from the foreign judgment is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires, or the stay of execution expires or is vacated, upon proof that the judgment debtor has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the judgment required by the state in which it was rendered. (b) If the judgment debtor shows the court any ground upon which enforcement of a judgment of any court of this state would be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment for an appropriate period, upon requiring the same security for satisfaction of the judgment which is required in this state.
(5) OPTIONAL PROCEDURE. The right of a judgment creditor to bring an action to enforce the judgment instead of proceeding under this section remains unimpaired.
(6) UNIFORMITY OF INTERPRETATION. This section shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it.
(7) SHORT TITLE. This act may be cited as the “Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act”.
Official Notes
Cross-reference: See s. 618.61 for provision for reciprocal enforcement of foreign insurance decrees or orders.
Plain-English Summary
Section 806.24 defines a foreign judgment broadly, as any judgment, decree, or order of a United States court or any other court that is entitled to full faith and credit in Wisconsin. A copy of such a judgment, authenticated under the act of congress or Wisconsin statutes, may be filed with the clerk of circuit court in any county. Once filed, the clerk treats it the same as a Wisconsin circuit court judgment, giving it the same effect and subjecting it to the same procedures, defenses, and proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying, and it may be enforced or satisfied the same way.
Filing triggers notice requirements. The judgment creditor or lawyer must file an affidavit with the clerk stating the last-known post-office addresses of both the debtor and the creditor. The clerk then promptly mails notice of the filing to the debtor and notes the mailing on the court record, including the creditor’s and the creditor’s lawyer’s names and addresses in the notice. The creditor may also mail notice directly and file proof of mailing, which keeps enforcement moving even if the clerk’s own mailing does not go through. No execution or other enforcement process may issue until fifteen days after the judgment is filed.
The debtor gets real protection if an appeal is involved. If the debtor shows that an appeal from the foreign judgment is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court must stay enforcement until the appeal concludes, the appeal time expires, or the stay expires or is vacated, once the debtor proves the security required by the rendering state has been furnished. And if the debtor shows any ground that would stay enforcement of a Wisconsin judgment, the court must stay enforcement for an appropriate period, requiring the same security Wisconsin law would require in that situation.
Registering the judgment under this section is not the only option. A judgment creditor’s right to bring a separate action to enforce the judgment instead remains unimpaired. The act is meant to be interpreted to make the law uniform among the states that have enacted it, and it may be cited as the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enforce an out-of-state judgment in Wisconsin without filing a whole new lawsuit?
Yes. Section 806.24 lets you file an authenticated copy of the foreign judgment with the clerk of circuit court of any county, where it is treated as a Wisconsin judgment.
How soon can I start collecting once I file a foreign judgment in Wisconsin?
No execution or other enforcement process may issue until fifteen days after the date the judgment is filed.
Does the debtor get notified when I register a foreign judgment against them?
Yes. The clerk mails notice of the filing to the debtor and notes it on the court record, and the creditor may also mail notice directly and file proof of mailing.
Can I get enforcement paused if I am appealing the judgment in the state where it was rendered?
Yes. If the debtor shows a pending or forthcoming appeal, or a stay of execution granted in the rendering court, the court must stay enforcement upon proof that the security required by the rendering state has been furnished.
Do I have to register the judgment, or can I just sue on it directly?
Registering under this section is optional. A judgment creditor’s right to bring a separate action to enforce the judgment instead remains unimpaired.
Amendment History
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 738 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1995 a. 224.
Source & verification. Section text and official notes are
reproduced verbatim from the Wisconsin Statutes, published by the
Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau). Last verified July 15, 2026.
· Official source
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