The defendant may, instead of giving a bond, deposit with the sheriff the amount mentioned in the order. The sheriff shall thereupon give the defendant a certificate of the deposit, and release the defendant.
818.11.Deposit in lieu of bail.
Ch. 818: Arrest and Bail · Last amended 1993 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 818.11 lets an arrested defendant deposit the amount stated in the arrest order with the sheriff instead of giving a bond, after which the sheriff issues a certificate of the deposit and releases the defendant.
Full Text of Section 818.11
Plain-English Summary
Section 818.10 lets an arrested defendant post a bail bond, but section 818.11 offers a simpler alternative. Instead of arranging sureties for a bond, the defendant may deposit with the sheriff the amount stated in the order for arrest.
Once that deposit is made, the sheriff has two duties: give the defendant a certificate showing the deposit was made, and release the defendant. The cash deposit substitutes directly for the sureties a bail bond would otherwise require.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an arrested defendant avoid arranging sureties for a bail bond in Wisconsin?
Yes. Section 818.11 lets the defendant instead deposit with the sheriff the amount mentioned in the order for arrest.
What does the sheriff do once the defendant makes this deposit?
Section 818.11 requires the sheriff to give the defendant a certificate of the deposit and release the defendant.
How much does the defendant have to deposit?
Section 818.11 ties the deposit amount to the sum mentioned in the order for arrest.
Is this deposit the same thing as the bail bond described in section 818.10?
No. Section 818.11 offers it as an alternative to giving a bond, allowing the defendant to deposit cash instead.
What happens to the deposit after the sheriff receives it?
Section 818.12 requires the sheriff to deliver the deposit to the clerk of court within five days and obtain duplicate certificates for the plaintiff and the defendant.
Amendment History
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 758 (1975); Stats. 1975 s. 809.11; Sup. Ct. Order, 83 Wis. 2d xiiiv (1978); Stats. 1977 s. 818.11; 1993 a. 486.
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 cash deposit instead of bail bonddeposit with sheriff civil arrest wisconsincertificate of deposit release defendant wisconsinalternative to bail bond wisconsin statute