Wisconsin Pleading Paper Template
Wisconsin does not use numbered-line pleading paper. Its Circuit Court eFiling margin regime sets a blank 1/2-inch top margin for the court header, a 3-inch page-1 top margin for documents needing a court signature, and a 2-by-2-inch file-stamp square.
Introduction
What makes a Wisconsin filing distinctive is its e-filing margin regime. Under the Wisconsin Circuit Court eFiling document requirements, every document must leave a blank one-half-inch top margin to accommodate the court-applied document header, and the first page must reserve a blank two-by-two-inch square in the top-right corner for the court file stamp. Documents that require a court official's signature carry a heavier rule: a blank three-inch top margin on page 1, plus a one-half-inch top margin on all subsequent pages. Wisconsin does not require consecutively numbered lines down the left margin, so this is a court filing format rather than pleading paper. Under Wis. Stat. 801.16, the size of all papers filed in court must be no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches, and for Microsoft Word documents the eFiling standards call for standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Geneva, Tahoma, Times, or Times New Roman) at 12-point throughout. A filing that crowds the header strip or the stamp square can be rejected, which costs you a filing date you may need to hold a deadline. This page covers the eFiling margin and stamp rules, the paper and font specs, and the fact that e-filing is mandatory for licensed Wisconsin attorneys under Wis. Stat. 801.18 and voluntary for self-represented parties. DocDraft drafts your document on properly formatted Wisconsin court format from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
Key Things to Know
- 1
Every document must leave a blank one-half-inch top margin to accommodate the court-applied document header under the Circuit Court eFiling requirements.
- 2
The first page must reserve a blank two-by-two-inch square in the top-right corner for the court file stamp.
- 3
Documents requiring a court official's signature must have a blank three-inch top margin on page 1, plus a one-half-inch top margin on all subsequent pages.
- 4
Under Wis. Stat. 801.16, the size of all papers filed in court must be no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches (exhibits and wills excepted).
- 5
For Microsoft Word documents, the eFiling standards call for standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Geneva, Tahoma, Times, or Times New Roman) at 12-point throughout.
- 6
Wisconsin does not require consecutively numbered margin lines, so its filings are a court format rather than numbered-line pleading paper.
- 7
E-filing is mandatory for licensed Wisconsin attorneys under Wis. Stat. 801.18 and voluntary for self-represented parties.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Pleading Paper in Wisconsin, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Pleading Paper guide walks through them.
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Wisconsin Requirements for Pleading Paper
Every document must leave a blank one-half-inch top margin to accommodate the court-applied document header under the Circuit Court eFiling requirements.
The first page must reserve a blank two-by-two-inch square in the top-right corner for the court file stamp.
Documents requiring a court official's signature must have a blank three-inch top margin on page 1, plus a one-half-inch top margin on all subsequent pages.
Under Wis. Stat. 801.16, papers filed in court must be no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches (exhibits and wills excepted).
For Microsoft Word documents, the eFiling standards call for a standard font (Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Geneva, Tahoma, Times, or Times New Roman) at 12-point throughout.
The first page carries a caption naming the State of Wisconsin Circuit Court for the county, the parties, the case number and case code, and the document title.
E-filing is mandatory for licensed Wisconsin attorneys under Wis. Stat. 801.18 and voluntary for self-represented parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every e-filed document must leave a blank one-half-inch top margin for the court-applied header. Documents that require a court official's signature need a blank three-inch top margin on page 1 and a one-half-inch top margin on later pages, plus a two-by-two-inch file-stamp square on the first page.
No. Wisconsin does not require consecutively numbered lines down the left margin. Wis. Stat. 801.16 sets paper size and the Circuit Court eFiling standards set margins and fonts, but the state does not use numbered-line pleading paper the way California or Nevada do.
Under Wis. Stat. 801.16, papers filed in court must be no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches, except exhibits and wills. For Microsoft Word documents the eFiling standards call for a standard font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri at 12-point throughout.
E-filing is mandatory for licensed Wisconsin attorneys under Wis. Stat. 801.18, including attorneys representing only themselves. Self-represented (pro se) parties may e-file but are not required to. The statute took effect July 1, 2016 for Wisconsin circuit courts.