General Information
The Clerk’s Office of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin has prepared this informational guide to foster cooperation between the Court and the media. The Clerk’s Office will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the media’s needs and to provide it with the essential information it needs to do its job. Media representatives should understand, however, that the judge presiding over a particular case is fully responsible for hearings and trials and his or her courtroom. The media is expected to comply with the terms that the judge may specify. Accordingly, specific information and/or procedures concerning a hearing or trial may be issued or implemented by the judge presiding over the particular matter. Case specific information can be found on the Cases of Interest page.
- Clerk's Office Information
- Media Communications with the Court
- Court Records
- Photography, Recording & Electronic Devices
- Court Proceeding and Remote Public Access
- Courtroom Decorum
- Transcripts
- Media Vehicles, Parking, and Outside Broadcasting
- Additional Resources
Clerk’s Office Information
| Milwaukee and Green Bay Courthouses | Building hours are weekdays 8:00AM – 5:00PM |
| Public counter open weekdays 8:30AM – 4:30PM | |
| Milwaukee Clerk’s Office | 414-297-3372 |
| Green Bay Clerk’s Office | 920-884-3720 |
| Media Inquiries |
media_inquiries@wied.uscourts.gov For media inquiries only. No filings accepted via email. Note: Pursuant to the Code of Conduct, the Clerk of Court and judges cannot comment on the merits of a matter pending or impending in any court. |
Media Communications with the Court
No one should telephone the judge’s chambers or courtroom deputy clerk. All questions that cannot be answered with publicly available information, such as the information on this website and on PACER, may be directed to media_inquiries@wied.uscourts.gov.
Court Records
Most court records are in electronic format and are accessible through PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records). To access PACER or to open a PACER account, go to www.pacer.gov.
The Cases of Interest page (link) provides information on cases that have received significant public and media attention and includes critical case documents.
As mandated by the Judicial Conference of the United States, there is a charge for copies of court documents. Court documents are viewable at the public terminal in the Clerk’s Office free of charge.
Photography, Recording & Electronic Devices
General Local Rule 83 prohibits the taking of any photographs of, making any recording in, or making any broadcasts from any of the courtrooms, jury rooms adjacent to the courtrooms, libraries, the grand jury room and adjacent areas, the clerk’s office, or the corridors located on the second, third and fourth floors of the Federal Courthouse in Milwaukee or the court-occupied space in Green Bay, without first obtaining written permission from the person in charge of those offices. These prohibitions do not apply to ceremonial proceedings.
Pursuant to the Federal Rules and Judicial Conference policy, no journalist or member of the public may photograph or record any court proceeding under any circumstances.
Court Proceedings and Remote Public Access
Courtrooms generally are open to the public. The court hearings calendar can be found here.
Subject to certain limitations, a judge may allow remote public audio access to some civil hearings. Criminal hearings are subject to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53 and Judicial Conference policy and are not allowed to be livestreamed.
On occasion, the Court may set up a closed-circuit video feed to another room in the courthouse to accommodate additional observers and members of the media.
Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53. Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
“Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.”
Courtroom Decorum
The Court does not have a formal dress code; however, business attire is strongly suggested. At no time is food or drink (other than water bottles) allowed in the courtroom. In general, cell phones and laptops are allowed in the courtroom. All electronics must be switched to silent mode when in the courtroom.
Transcripts
Civil and criminal transcripts may be purchased through the individual court reporter assigned to the case. (add link to transcript info or order page) To identify the court report who covered the hearing or trial, consult the appropriate docket entry on the docket sheet or review the minute sheet for that day’s proceedings.
For hearings where a court reporter was not present, a copy of the audio recording may be requested from the Clerk’s Office.
Media Vehicles, Parking, and Outside Broadcasting
Street parking, parking lots, and parking garages are available in the area surrounding the Courthouse. Street parking adjacent to the Courthouse is restricted. Public sidewalks are available for media use in accordance with applicable City ordinances, Local and State laws, rules and regulations. Journalists may not block any Courthouse doors or entrances.