State guide
Wisconsin
Wisconsin adult guardianship cases use statewide circuit court forms, including GN-3100 for a petition due to incompetency, and counties commonly route filings through probate offices within the circuit court. Wisconsin also has an official Supported Decision-Making Agreement form from the Department of Health Services, alongside other alternatives like powers of attorney and representative payee arrangements.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Court that handles adult guardianship
- Adult guardianship petitions are filed in Wisconsin circuit court, usually through the county probate office or register in probate.
- What it's called
- guardian of the person and guardian of the estate; conservator is used for voluntary estate management proceedings.
- Filing fee
- Not published by an official source we could verify. Ask the office.
- Less-restrictive alternatives
- Wisconsin has an official Supported Decision-Making Agreement form (F-02377), and DHS also lists powers of attorney and representative payee arrangements as alternate decision-maker resources.
- Law
- Wis. Stat. ch. 54.
Official resources in Wisconsin
Official circuit court page listing case classifications for guardianships and conservatorships and linking to the current fee tables.
Official DHS page for form F-02377, the state’s Supported Decision-Making Agreement.
Official county probate page explaining how to start an adult guardianship case in Milwaukee County and listing local probate contacts and forms.
Official county probate page explaining guardianship of the person, guardianship of the estate, conservatorship, and protective placement procedures.
Key facts for Wisconsin
- Wisconsin circuit courts require statewide forms for guardianship and conservatorship cases.
- GN-3100 is the Petition for Temporary/Permanent Guardianship Due to Incompetency for adults.
- Wisconsin uses guardian of the person and guardian of the estate for adult guardianships.
- Milwaukee County starts adult guardianship cases through the Probate Office in Room 207.
- Waukesha County says conservatorship is a voluntary guardianship of the estate without a finding of incompetency.
- DHS publishes form F-02377, Supported Decision-Making Agreement.
County court guardianship pages in Wisconsin
| Court | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee County Probate Office Milwaukee | Milwaukee | (414) 278-4444 | County probate office that Milwaukee County directs residents to contact first to start an adult guardianship case. |
| Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court Milwaukee | Milwaukee | (414) 278-5362 | Circuit court clerk office listed on the county adult guardianship page. |
| Milwaukee Justice Center Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Not published* | Official court-help partner page for adult guardianship basics in Milwaukee County. |
| Waukesha County Probate Court Information Line Waukesha | Waukesha | 262-548-7468 | Probate court contact for guardianships, protective placements, powers of attorney, packets, and related probate matters. |
| Dane County Clerk of Courts Dane | Madison | 608-266-4311 | Official clerk of courts contact for the state’s second-largest county; Dane County court materials place guardianship and probate filings with the register in probate office. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Use the statewide guardianship forms page first, then check your county probate page for local procedures.
- Consider less restrictive options such as a Supported Decision-Making Agreement, power of attorney for finances and property, or power of attorney for health care.
- If filing in Milwaukee County, contact the Probate Office before filing because the county directs new adult guardianship filers there.
Not seeing your court or county?
Not every court publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Wisconsin's population center, for comparison only):
- Probate Division, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois · about 147 miles
- Guardianship Assistance Desk for Minors, Illinois · about 147 miles
- Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, Illinois · about 147 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Milwaukee County Probate: Adult Guardianship
Website →Phone: (414) 278-4444 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Wisconsin page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.