Wis. Stat. § 809.10 — WI Code / Chapter 809 / Section 809.10
Rule (Initiating the appeal).
Status: in_force

(1) Notice of appeal.

(a) Filing. A person shall initiate an appeal by filing a notice of appeal with the clerk of the circuit court in which the judgment or order appealed from was entered. The clerk of the circuit court may not refuse to accept a notice of appeal for failure to pay the appellate court filing fee required by s. 809.25 (2) (a) .

(b) Content. The notice of appeal shall include all of the following:

1. The circuit court case name and number.

2. An identification of the judgment or order from which the person filing the notice intends to appeal and the date on which it was entered.

3. A statement of whether the appeal arises in one of the types of cases specified in s. 752.31 (2) .

4. A statement of whether the appeal is to be given preference in the circuit court or court of appeals pursuant to statute.

5. If the appeal is under s. 809.30 or 809.32 , a statement of the date of service of the last transcript or copy of the circuit court case record if no postconviction motion is filed, the date of the order deciding postconviction motions, or the date of any other notice-of-appeal deadline that was established by the court of appeals.

6. If counsel is appointed under ch. 977 , a copy of the order appointing counsel.

(d) Docketing statement. The person shall file in the circuit court a completed docketing statement on a form prescribed by the court of appeals. The docketing statement shall accompany the notice of appeal. Docketing statements need not be filed in appeals brought under s. 809.105 , 809.107 , 809.109 , 809.32 , or 974.06 (7) , in cases under ch. 980 , or in cases in which a party represents himself or herself. Docketing statements need not be filed in appeals brought under s. 809.30 or 974.05 , or by the state or defendant in permissive appeals in criminal cases pursuant to s. 809.50 , except that docketing statements shall be filed in cases arising under ch. 48 , 51 , 55 , or 938 .

(e) Time for filing. The notice of appeal must be filed within the time specified by law. The filing of a timely notice of appeal is necessary to give the court jurisdiction over the appeal.

(f) Error in content not jurisdictional defect. An inconsequential error in the content of the notice of appeal is not a jurisdictional defect.

(g) Motions under s. 809.41 (1) (a) or (4). A motion for an order or other relief under s. 809.41 (1) (a) or (4) , if any, shall be filed in the circuit court and shall accompany the notice of appeal.

(h) Service. For electronic filing users in the circuit court case, receipt of the notice of appeal, docketing statement, and motions filed under s. 809.41 (1) or (4) through the circuit court electronic filing system under s. 801.18 shall constitute service of the documents. Where service on the attorney general is required by s. 809.802 (1) , service shall be made as provided in s. 809.802 (2) . The appellant shall serve paper parties in the circuit court by traditional methods.

(i) Filing in court of appeals. Subject to s. 809.12 , other than the notice of appeal, docketing statement, appellant’s motion under s. 809.41 (1) or (4) , if any, and statement on transcript under s. 809.11 (4) (b) , which shall be filed in the circuit court, all subsequently filed documents in an appeal shall be filed in the court of appeals.

(2) Multiple appeals.

(a) Joint and co-appeals. If 2 or more persons are each entitled to appeal from the same judgment or order entered in the same action or proceeding in the trial court and their interests are such as to make joinder practicable, they may file a joint notice of appeal or may, after filing separate notices of appeal, proceed as a single appellant. If the persons do not file a joint appeal or elect to proceed as a single appellant, or if their interests are such as to make joinder impracticable, they shall proceed as appellant and co-appellant, with each co-appellant to have the same procedural rights and obligations as the appellant.

(b) Cross-appeal. A respondent who seeks a modification of the judgment or order appealed from or of another judgment or order entered in the same action or proceeding shall file a notice of cross-appeal within the period established by law for the filing of a notice of appeal, or 30 days after the filing of a notice of appeal, whichever is later. A cross-appellant has the same rights and obligations as an appellant under this chapter.

(3) Consolidated appeals in separate cases. The court may consolidate separate appeals in separate actions or proceedings in the trial court upon its own motion, motion of a party, or stipulation of the parties.

(4) Matters reviewable. An appeal from a final judgment or final order brings before the court all prior nonfinal judgments, orders and rulings adverse to the appellant and favorable to the respondent made in the action or proceeding not previously appealed and ruled upon.

History: Sup. Ct. Order, 83 Wis. 2d xiii (1978); Sup. Ct. Order, 104 Wis. 2d xi (1981); 1981 c. 390 s. 252 ; Sup. Ct. Order, 123 Wis. 2d xix (1985); Sup. Ct. Order, 131 Wis. 2d xv (1986); 1987 a. 403 ; Sup. Ct. Order, 161 Wis. 2d xiii (1991); Sup. Ct. Order No. 93-19 , 179 Wis. 2d xxiii; Sup. Ct. Order No. 00-02 , 2001 WI 39, 242 Wis. 2d xxvii; Sup. Ct. Order No. 02-01 , 2002 WI 120, 255 Wis. 2d xiii; 2005 a. 434 ; Sup. Ct. Order No. 20-07 , 2021 WI 37, 397 Wis. 2d xiii; Sup. Ct. Order No. 23-05 , 2024 WI 20, 411 Wis. 2d xix.