Winnebago County, Wisconsin Arrest Records
Winnebago County arrest records provide information about individuals who have been questioned, apprehended, taken into custody, held for investigation, arrested, charged with, indicted, or tried for a felony, misdemeanor, or other offense within Winnebago County. It is not a conviction record, which is information indicating that an arrestee was found guilty of the offense, sentenced to prison, placed on probation, fined, or paroled by any law enforcement or military authority.
In Winnebago County, arrest records are usually maintained by the courts and the law enforcement agency that made the arrest. The two largest police departments are the Oshkosh Police Department and the Neenah Police Department. Both of these municipal agencies, along with the Winnebago Sheriff’s Office, are responsible for most of the county arrests, including the storage of arrest-related data within their respective jurisdictions.
Are Arrest Records Public Information in Winnebago, Wisconsin?
Except for incarcerated persons, Winnebago County arrest records are generally available to anyone (including members of the public, employers, and background screening services) on request via record-access channels operated by the court system and county or state criminal justice agencies.
There is no ID or specific qualification required for inspecting or obtaining copies. However, access may be subject to edit criteria contained in the Wisconsin Public Records Law. These records are equally subject to the Wisconsin Statutes 165.83 and Wisconsin Statutes 165.84, which allow local records to be compiled into one case file for easy access and disseminated only under specified circumstances.
What Do Public County Arrest Records Contain?
Although typically subject to statutory considerations that limit inspection of certain information, search results for Winnebago County arrest records typically display the following details:
- The arrestee’s inmate ID
- Full name
- Sex
- Judicial status (e.g Pretrial, Sentenced, Probation, Revocation, Hold/Detained)
- Initial booking details, including the date and time of booking.
- Detention location
Pursuant to the Wisconsin Public Records Law (Wis. Stat. § 19.36(2)), confidential or sensitive information contained in some arrest records may be redacted or entire records withheld to protect privacy rights or against interference with an ongoing investigation. Most information commonly redacted or withheld include:
- Medical or mental health examination records
- Personal identifying information of witnesses, including witness statement
- Personal identifying information of a minor
- Any information the disclosure of which may affect an ongoing investigation
- Records that have been sealed by the courts
Sensitive or confidential records are typically redacted as a way of balancing private rights with the right of the public to access information relating to the government's conduct in the management of their affairs.
Winnebago County, Wisconsin Arrest Search
Public records connected to specific county arrests may be obtained by viewing court record summaries available on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal. The portal allows individuals to search court records, including arrest records, by a range of search criteria including the individual's last name, first name, middle name, birth date, county, and case number. While most of the search criteria are optional and are typically required for filtering search results, the researchers are required to provide the individual's last name.
The information displayed on this portal is the exact copy of the case information entered into the circuit court case management system by court staff in the counties where the case files are located.
The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) portal through the three public access terminals in the Clerk of Courts Office.
Winnebago Clerk of Courts
Physical Address:
415 Jackson Street, 1st Floor
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Office Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.
The public access terminals mentioned on the page are located in Room 110 of that office.
Individuals may also submit record requests by email, or submit requests by mail or in person by filling out this form: Request for Copies, Record Search, or Certification (PDF).
Mail request to:
Clerk of Courts
ATTN Records,
P. O. Box 2808, Oshkosh,
WI 54903-2808
Fax your request: 920-424-7780
The request will be reviewed and the individual will be contacted within 5 business days regarding the total amount due, payment options, and to determine how they wish to receive the records. Records are sent upon payment.
Pursuant to the WI Statute 814.61:
- Ordinary copies cost: $1.25 per page
- Certifications: $5 per document
- Exemplified copies: $15 for the exemplification and $1.25 per page for the documents being attached
- Search fee: $5
If the arrestee was eventually sentenced to state custody or supervision, individuals can search for their records through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Offender Locator.
However, the DOC database is primarily for inmates, probationers, and parolees rather than general county arrest records.
For federal detainees, separate system apply:
- Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator
- ICE Detainee Locator
Winnebago County Inmate Locator
Arrest records are usually created and maintained by the arresting law enforcement agency, whether the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office or a local police department operating within the relevant jurisdiction. For the most efficient and timely access to details about a loved one who may have been arrested and is being held in custody, visit the Winnebago Sheriff’s Office website to inspect the Jail Inmate List (PDF):
- Visit the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office website
- Click on “Jail Inmate List (PDF)” to download the PDF file
- The names contained in the list are itemized alphabetically by the individuals’ surname; researchers may navigate to the group of names starting with the same letter as their loved one’s surname
Individuals may also utilize the NextRequest Public portal available on the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office to make a public records request for police reports and other official documents maintained by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. To do this:
- Visit the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office website
- Click on “Records”
- Click on “NextRequest Public portal”
- Click on “Make Request”
- Be specific and provide as much details as possible about the record being sought—a report number, of involved person, and location
- Once the request has been submitted, the requester will receive email notifications regarding the status of their request.
Arrest record inquiries may also be made in person at:
Sheriff's Office
4311 Jackson St
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Operating Hours
Monday through Friday
8 am to 4 pm
Oshkosh: 920-236-7300
Neenah: 920-727-2888
Active Warrant Search in Winnebago County
An arrest warrant is an official document issued by a judge or magistrate that is directed to the sheriff or any local police agency, commanding the sheriff or such local police agency to arrest such individuals as may be designated in such warrant and bring them before the judge issuing such warrant. An arrest warrant is typically issued upon the presentation of an affidavit by law enforcement containing sufficient evidence to warrant the inference that a suspect was indeed responsible for a prior criminal incident. The judge typically inquires further into the matter set forth and if it appears that the individual more likely than not committed the offense, may by warrant order that the person be committed to the county jail pending the determination of the criminal allegation against them.
To access arrest warrant information in Winnebago County, the primary public resources are the county sheriff, the clerk of courts, and the statewide court database.
The most commonly used public tool is the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access system:
The portal allows searches by:
- Name,
- Case number,
- County,
- Or citation number
Search results may include:
- active criminal cases,
- bench warrants,
- arrest warrants,
- hearing dates,
- and case status information
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office maintains and executes many county warrants, including arrest and bench warrants.
Individuals may:
- Request warrant information
- Inquire about outstanding warrants,
- Or submit public records request through the Record Division
Court-issued warrant information may also be available through the Winnebago Clerk of Courts.
The Clerk’s Office provides public access terminals for searching court records and warrant-related filings.
Wisconsin generally treats warrants as public records unless sealed or otherwise restricted by law.
|
Agency / Resource |
Purpose |
Search Methods |
Notes |
|
Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office |
Maintains and serves warrants |
Phone, online, in person |
Include official lookup availability |
|
Wisconsin Circuit Court |
Issues many of the county arrest warrants |
Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA/CCAP) | |
|
Clerk of Courts |
Maintains court-issued warrants |
In person |
Winnebago Clerk of Courts Physical Address: 415 Jackson Street, 1st Floor Oshkosh, WI 54901 Office Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. |
|
Wisconsin Public Records Law |
How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Winnebago County
The quickest way to access details about a loved one who has been arrested and is being held in custody, visit the Winnebago Sheriff’s Office website to inspect the Jail Inmate List (PDF). The Sheriff’s Office provides this information to members of the public without any charges attached. Without an ID or any other conditional criteria, anyone can search for an arrested person information by inspecting the jail inmate list pdf.
Wisconsin County arrest records may also be accessed for free by viewing court record summaries available on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access portal. The portal allows individuals to search court records, including arrest records, by at least the individual's last name and other relevant search criteria.
Records obtainable through these platforms are typically relative to the period the county began computerizing its case file database and may not reflect much older records. Additionally, while the sheriff’s Office typically updates its inmate list as quickly as possible, much recent records may take up to 48 hours and may not immediately reflect on the most current Sheriff’s Inmate List.
Winnebago County Arrest Report
An arrest report is the earliest in the chain of the reported information that typically follows an individual’s contact with the criminal justice administration system. It is the narrative of the arresting officer’s observation immediately after an arrest, which typically includes the arrested individual’s conduct before arrest, the specific incident arousing probable cause for arrest, the allegations against the arrestee, statement of witnesses, the place and date of arrest, and personal identifying information relative to the arrestee and the victim. These reports typically constitute part of the internal files of the arresting agency, providing the basis for prosecution, and which may only be released subject to stringent conditions contained in the law.
In contrast, arrest records are summary entries in a custodial or judicial case system reflecting details of an individual's arrest and subsequent detention in custody. These records are typically created after booking and detention in county, state, or federal prison. Winnebago County arrest records commonly contain the arrested individual’s full name, the charge description, the charge severity categorization, booking information, the detention facility, and the prosecuting agency.
Neither records are indicative of the individual’s guilt. Unless a judgment of conviction is entered, the defendant is presumed guilty of all charges.
How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Winnebago County
Wisconsin law allows courts to expunge records in which the individual was adjudged guilty of the crime. However, the remedy is not available in all circumstances as the courts can only expunge records in a range of circumstances specified by law are:
- Misdemeanors and certain felonies committed by a person who has not reached the age of 25 when they were found guilty and upon successful completion of the sentence
- Juvenile delinquency adjudications upon request once the subject reaches the age of 17.
The Wisconsin criminal history repository maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Justice operates under rules set by the Wisconsin Legislature in section 165.84 of the Wisconsin Statutes. By the rules, if an individual was arrested and taken into custody but was subsequently released without a charge or cleared of the offense without court proceedings, the person is entitled to have any fingerprint taken returned to them upon request.
Conversely, convictions cannot be removed from the Wisconsin criminal history repository even if the court record was expunged because a conviction disqualifies an arrest from expungement under state law.
While conviction records of individuals above 25 typically remain on record, they may contact the Governor’s office to investigate a pardon. A pardon will not remove the arrest from their record but the disposition will show that a pardon has been issued and restore certain rights. Information on pardons may be found at https://wilawlibrary.gov/topics/justice/crimlaw/pardons.php.
In addition, there is an established process to challenge the information contained in one’s criminal history record through www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/crime-information-bureau.
How Do You Remove Winnebago County Arrest Records From the Internet?
Individuals seeking to remove a record from their criminal background history must submit a completed form DJ-LE-250B. Those who have documentation showing dismissal or no prosecution of the offenses on the arrest card, submitting copies will speed the removal process. The form may be found at: https://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/cib-forms or call to request a form.
Crime Information Bureau
17 West Main Street
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2718
Madison, WI 53701-2718
Phone: 608-266-7314
Fax: 608-267-1338
If the arrest information being removed from your Wisconsin criminal history record was forwarded to the FBI, the FBI will be contacted to remove the information from their record.
Criminal justice agencies are obligated to remove records of arrest from both personal files and online upon receiving evidence of expungement of the specified record.