Wisconsin Court System Releases Judicial Workload Study

The Wisconsin court system today released a new judicial workload study designed to help court leaders, county officials, legislators, and justice system partners evaluate judicial resource needs across Wisconsin's circuit courts.

The study, conducted in conjunction with the National Center for State Courts, uses a weighted caseload model to estimate the amount of judicial time required to process different types of cases. The court system is also releasing a companion guide to help readers understand what the study measures, what it does not measure, and how the results will be used.

"This study gives us a clear, data-driven foundation for understanding judicial workload across Wisconsin," Chief Justice Jill J. Karofsky said. "It will help the court system, counties, and policymakers reach informed decisions about how to support fair and timely access to justice in every part of the state."

The study measures workload based on the time required to process cases. It does not evaluate the performance of judges or courts, directly measure current case backlog, or automatically determine where new circuit court branches should be added.

"The numbers are important, but they are not the end of the analysis," Director of State Courts Audrey K. Skwierawski said. "This study is a planning tool that will be considered alongside local conditions, county resources, staffing needs, available space, as well as the broader needs of the justice system."

Following the release, the study will be reviewed by the Committee of Chief Judges. The committee will evaluate the findings and develop recommendations to help inform any future judicial branch budget requests.

2026 Judicial Needs Assessment Final Report

Guide to the Judicial Workload Study

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Stephen Kelley
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