Unless otherwise required by law, any portion of the fees and surcharges collected by the clerk of circuit court under this subchapter [chapter] that are retained for use by the county shall be used to support court services in that county.
814.54.Use of fees and surcharges retained by a county.
Ch. 814: Court Costs, Fees, and Surcharges · Last amended 2025 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 814.54, a new provision taking effect November 1, 2026, will require fees and surcharges the clerk of circuit court collects and retains for county use to be spent supporting court services in that county, unless another law directs otherwise.
Full Text of Section 814.54
Official Notes
NOTE: The correct cross-reference is shown in brackets. Corrective legislation is pending.
NOTE: This section is created eff. 11-1-26 by 2025 Wis. Act 179.
Plain-English Summary
Section 814.54 does not exist under Wisconsin law today. It is a new section that 2025 Wisconsin Act 179 creates, and it takes effect November 1, 2026. Once it takes effect, it will direct how counties may use their share of certain court fees and surcharges.
The rule it will establish is simple: unless another law otherwise requires it, any portion of the fees and surcharges the clerk of circuit court collects under this part of the statutes that is retained for the county’s use must be used to support court services in that county. That ties the county’s retained share of clerk-collected fees to a specific purpose rather than leaving it available for any county expenditure.
The published text of the new section contains a drafting note flagging that its cross-reference to “this subchapter” should instead read “this chapter,” with corrective legislation described as pending. Until any such correction is made, the section as printed contains that internal inconsistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is section 814.54 part of Wisconsin law right now?
Not yet. An official note on the section states it is created effective November 1, 2026, by 2025 Wisconsin Act 179, so it does not take effect until that date.
What will section 814.54 require once it takes effect?
It will require that any portion of the fees and surcharges the clerk of circuit court collects that is retained for county use be spent to support court services in that county, unless another law requires otherwise.
Does every fee a clerk collects have to go toward court services under this new section?
Only the portion that is retained for use by the county. Fees or surcharges that are not retained locally, or that are directed elsewhere by another law, fall outside this section’s requirement.
Is there a known error in how section 814.54 is currently drafted?
Yes. A note accompanying the section flags that its reference to “this subchapter” should be “this chapter,” and states that corrective legislation is pending to fix that cross-reference.
Which fees and surcharges does section 814.54 draw from?
Those collected by the clerk of circuit court under the relevant part of chapter 814, as identified once the section’s cross-reference is read as referring to that chapter.
Amendment History
History: 2025 a. 179.
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 new law fees retained by county 2026814.54 court services county feesclerk of circuit court fee retention wisconsin2025 wisconsin act 179 court fees