Charges in a bill of costs for witness fees, or copies of documents or other disbursements, except to officers for services shall not be taxed without an affidavit stating the distance the witnesses respectively traveled and the days they actually attended, and an affidavit that such copies were necessarily obtained for use; nor shall such other disbursements be allowed without an affidavit specifying the items thereof, nor unless they appear to have been necessary and reasonable in amount.
814.11.Disbursements, how proved.
Ch. 814: Court Costs, Fees, and Surcharges · Last amended 1975 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 814.11 requires an affidavit before witness fees, document copies, or other disbursements can be taxed as costs, and bars any other disbursement from being allowed unless it is itemized by affidavit and shown to be necessary and reasonable.
Full Text of Section 814.11
Plain-English Summary
Section 814.11 sets the proof required before certain cost items can make it into a bill of costs. Witness fees cannot be taxed without an affidavit stating the distance each witness traveled and the days each attended court. Charges for copies of documents likewise require an affidavit confirming the copies were necessarily obtained for use in the case. Fees to officers for their services are the one category the section exempts from this affidavit requirement.
Beyond witness fees and copies, the section reaches any other disbursement a party wants to include in the bill of costs. Those charges are not allowed at all unless supported by an affidavit that specifies each item, and even then, only if the items appear to have been necessary and reasonable in amount. The effect is to keep cost bills grounded in sworn, itemized proof rather than unverified claims.
Frequently Asked Questions
What proof do I need before witness fees can be taxed as costs in Wisconsin?
Section 814.11 requires an affidavit stating the distance the witnesses respectively traveled and the days they attended court before those fees can be taxed.
Can I charge for photocopies of documents as a cost in my bill of costs?
Only with an affidavit stating that the copies were necessarily obtained for use in the case. Section 814.11 requires that proof before copy charges can be taxed.
Do I need an affidavit for every disbursement I want to claim as a cost?
Yes, for anything beyond officers’ service fees. Section 814.11 bars other disbursements from being allowed unless an affidavit specifies each item and the items appear necessary and reasonable in amount.
Are fees paid to officers for their services subject to this affidavit requirement?
No. Section 814.11 exempts charges to officers for services from the affidavit requirement that applies to witness fees, copies, and other disbursements.
What happens if a disbursement in a bill of costs is not supported by the required affidavit?
Section 814.11 does not allow it to be taxed. The affidavit requirement is a precondition to including the charge in the cost award.
Amendment History
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 761 (1975); Stats. 1975 s. 814.11.
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
Also known as: wisconsin proof of disbursements bill of costswitness fee affidavit wisconsin costsdocumenting costs in wisconsin lawsuit814.11 disbursements affidavit requirement