Richland County to host Supreme Court’s “Justice on Wheels”; courthouse funding, tech and staffing raise concerns

The Richland County Circuit Court will host the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s Justice on Wheels oral-argument program on Monday, Oct. 27, county officials said at the Aug. 1 committee meeting. County leaders said all seven justices are expected to attend, and the public will be invited to the session and related outreach activities, including an elementary-school essay contest.

The announcement matters because the event brings statewide attention and additional security and logistical needs to the Richland County Courthouse. Circuit court leaders said they plan to use the visit to honor retired Chief Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, a Richland Center native, and to hang a portrait in the courthouse.

Circuit Court Judge (unnamed in transcript) told the committee: "It's called Justice on Wheels. They're slated to come to Richland County on Monday, October 27." The judge said the visit will include oral argument and a judicial conference and called the event “a big deal” for the county.

Clerk of Courts Stacy Cleist briefed the committee on court operations, budget work and technology. Cleist said a recent budget process produced an increase in court funding at the state level: an additional $20 million for counties in the current budget cycle, allocated as $10 million per year over two years. She said the state director’s office will determine how that money is distributed to counties and that Richland County’s share is “not specified” at this point. Cleist also described an ongoing effort with county and state associations to pursue a comprehensive fee bill that could add an estimated $30 million a year for counties statewide if enacted.

Cleist warned that courtroom remote-appearance technology (Polycom) is aging and causing repeated issues. "We are just having more repetitive issues with the Polycom system in the courtroom," she said, noting the system was purchased before the COVID-19 pandemic and has been in use for several years. She said the system is used by multiple agencies and reduces transports and security risks, but that parts are failing and replacements are costly.

Court staff and clerks outlined heavy caseloads and staffing pressures. The circuit court recorded about 3,000 cases in 2024 — roughly 600 cases a week, the judge said — and the Register and Probate office requested a permanent increase in weekly hours from 35 to 37.5 for two positions to address workload that includes juvenile, probate and judicial assistant duties. The Register and Probate speaker said the increase was requested because more roundtable meetings and reimplemented processes have increased office workload.

The county’s criminal-justice coordinating committee has approved updated treatment-court policies and a new phasing structure, the judge said, describing it as a “major shift” and signaling an implementation and training period ahead. Court leaders also said they plan more emergency-management training and will discuss bail-monitoring approaches in later meetings.

Why this matters: the combination of a high-profile statewide event, aging courtroom technology, rising case volumes and staff shortages could affect court operations, public access and county budgeting decisions in the months ahead. County staff said they are working with fiscal staff on the 2026 budget and with state partners on funding and fee reforms.

Officials expect to share more specifics about the Supreme Court visit and about how state funding will be allocated as the director’s office finishes its calculations. In the interim, court staff will continue assessing Polycom replacement options and internal staffing needs.