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Circuit court eFiling - eFiling an inventory or exhibited inventory

  • Updated

    • Purpose: For all probate and guardianship cases in Wisconsin circuit courts, an official inventory of a party’s assets must be filed. This inventory includes a party's assets, providing detailed descriptions of fair market value real estate, personal property, bank accounts, and debts. 

    When eFiling a probate case, an exhibited inventory allows the Register in probate to review the detailed inventory documentation without making it publicly visible or saving it to the case. This option is typically used when a personal representative wishes to keep the detailed asset information private.

    Applicable Users: eCourts Users

    1. Visit the eFiling website at https://efiling.wicourts.gov/ and log in. For more information see the article Logging into Wisconsin circuit court eFiling.
    2. Select my cases from the main navigation or the [My cases] button from the bottom menu.Wisconsin Circuit court eFiling homepage with attention called to My Cases link and button
    3. Enter the case number or caption in the search filter fields on the My cases page to quickly locate the case you wish to file on. The Case no. filter allows you to enter a complete case number or just a case type abbreviation (CV, FA, SC, etc.). Use the County dropdown list to filter cases by the county in which they are filed. Use the arrows at the top of each column to sort the My cases list alphabetically by county, caption, status, and attorney, and numerically by case number.
      My cases screen with attention called to Click here to search hyperlink and case table with column filters such as County, Case number, Caption, Status and Attorney
      Note: To view closed cases, select the Click here to search link near the top of the page. Cases in Submitted status have not been reviewed or processed by the court. Documents cannot be filed on submitted cases until the case has been accepted. After the court reviews and processes the case, the status for the filing changes to Open and additional documents can then be filed.
    4. Once you’ve located the case, select the File another document link.My Cases screen with attention called to File another document link in Actions column of the case table
    5. Select [Upload documents] to browse for and upload your inventory document. Inventory documents should be filed as PDFs. Review the bulleted specifications list to ensure your documents are properly formatted.
      Additional documents screen with attention called to file requirements list and Upload documents button
      Note: If you need to file a document with your signature on it, that signature must be added before the document is uploaded to the eFiling system. To apply your signature, you can either sign a paper copy of the document by hand and then scan it as a PDF, or you can use document editing software to type the words “Electronically signed by” followed by your name where you would have traditionally signed. This text serves as your official signature on court documents.
    6. From the Document type dropdown menu, select either Inventory (Informal and Formal Administration) or Exhibited Inventory for PR or IN cases, or Guardianship or Conservatorship Inventory for GN cases. Enter a descriptive title in the Document title text entry field. 
      Additional documents screen with uploaded document and attention called to Document type dropdown menu set to Inventory and Document title text field
      Note: An accurate and descriptive title is beneficial for identifying documents. The title entered here displays in the View documents list on the My cases page, and is visible to the courts.
      Select the File name link to view an uploaded document and select the Remove link to delete an uploaded document.
      The Notes to Clerk text entry field functions like a virtual sticky note on your filing. Anything entered in this box displays to the register in probate while they process your filing, but is deleted once your filing is accepted. These notes are not permanently saved to the case.
    7. Select Yes or No in response to the question, Is the inventory amount being amended? If you select No, the system prompts you to enter an amount in the Total inventory amount field. 
      Additional documents screen with attention called to inventory fields including Total inventory amount field
      Note: The eFiling system calculates the inventory filing fee based on the total you enter. Do not include the “$” symbol.
    8. If you select Yes for an amended inventory, you are prompted to enter the original inventory amount previously eFiled with the court in the Original inventory amount field. In the Amended inventory amount field, provide the revised total value inventory. The eFiling system calculates the value difference between the original and amended amounts.
      Inventory fields on Additional documents screen with attention called to original inventory amount field and Amended inventory amount field
      Note: Do not include the “$” symbol.
    9. When your document(s) are uploaded and the required information is entered, select [Continue].
    10. On the Ready to file page, select the checkbox next to the filing(s) you wish to submit, or select the checkbox next to a county name to submit all filings in that county. Choose a payment type (if applicable), and select [File] or [File and Pay].
      Ready to file screen with attention called to selected checkboxes for county filings and individual filing plus File and Pay button
      Note: If the inventory fee should be paid from the estate account, you can pay using an eCheck through US Bank by entering the routing and account numbers of the estate account.
      If you have been provided with an estate check to pay for the inventory filing fee and you wish to utilize a court debit account (CDA), send the check to the register in probate’s office with your CDA account number and request that the check be receipted into the account. After the money has been receipted by the register in probate’s office, file the inventory and pay using the CDA. If you have questions regarding paying the filing fee, contact the respective register in probate for clarification.
      To learn how to set up a CDA, see the Creating and managing a court debit account article. 
      If paying with a credit/debit card or eCheck via the US Bank ePayment website, a transaction fee will be applied to the total.

    11. On the Filings submitted page, select [Make payment with US Bank] to proceed to the US Bank ePayment website and pay the associated filing fees. If fees were not assessed, the [Make payment with US Bank] button displays as [Return to main menu] instead.
      Filings submitted success screen with attention called to Make Payment to US Bank button
      Note: Once you have advanced to this page, do not close out of your browser window or take a break. Selecting the [File and pay] button at the bottom of the previous page initiates a connection with the US Bank ePayment website that exists for 10-15 minutes.

      If you wait longer than that to complete your payment or exit the system before the payment process is complete, you will need to select the $ payment needed link to make payment. Your filing will not be processed by the county until payment has been made. 
      eFiling top navigation with attention called to payment needed link noting one filing in need of payment

      US Bank is the vendor that processes circuit court credit card and electronic check transactions. You do not need a US Bank checking or savings account to pay for filings on the US Bank ePayment website. You can pay using a Visa card, MasterCard, or electronic check.

    12. After you submit your filing, it is transmitted to the courts and processed when both the filing and payment (if fees were assessed) are received. An email confirmation will then be delivered to you and the file-stamped documents will be visible on the My cases page of the eFiling website.
      Note: Submitted documents that have not yet been processed display in Submitted status on the My cases page. They are not visible to other parties until they have been processed.

    Support

    Contact the eFile support center if you have further questions. Staff are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for court holidays.

    Phone: 1-800-462-8843
    Online support form: https://www.wicourts.gov/ecourts/efilesupportform.htm
    Email: efilesupport@wicourts.gov

    Wisconsin Court Systems (Updated: )