Dane County Sheriff's Office

Civil Process

The Civil Process Unit is a sub-division of the Support Services Division of the Dane County Sheriff's Office.

The Civil Process Unit is comprised of three civilian staff members and seven deputies. Two deputies are assigned to evictions/executions. Five deputies are assigned to serve legal papers within the City of Madison and throughout Dane County.

We cannot provide legal advice. Please contact the The Law Library or The Legal Assistance Center for assistance with your documents

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Time Requirements

TRO Information

Civil Process FAQ

Submitting Papers

Papers can be submitted to our Civil Process window at the Public Safety Building. Papers can also be mailed to:

Dane County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Civil Process
115 W. Doty St
Madison, WI 53703

Business Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (excluding holidays)
Civil Process Phone - 608-284-6824

Fax Number- 608-284-6156
Deputy Service Hours are Monday – Friday 7:00 am to 10:00 pm (dependent on staffing)

Submission Requirements

Provide one copy for each person/company that is to be served.
Provide ONE ADDITIONAL copy for office use that will be returned with affidavit(s) of service.
Please include the Aid In Serving Form OR a cover sheet with all pertinent information that is asked on the Aid in Serving Form.
If receiving your affidavit via mail, provide a self-addressed envelope with postage. If you wish to have your copy of the documents returned via mail, ensure enough postage is included. If you wish to have your affidavit emailed back to you or not have your copy returned, you may skip the self-addressed envelope. These return options are listed on our Aid in Serving Form.

**The Dane County Sheriff’s Office cannot guarantee service especially on short notice or rush papers**

**We will not accept papers that do not meet the Court's time requirements. Papers that do not meet the time requirements will be returned to the sender. Please visit Clerk of Court's Office to review all document requirements.**

Service Fees

We accept a $40 prepayment for papers submitted. If serving multiple people, we will accept a prepayment of $40 per person or entity to be served. We ask you do not attempt to calculate mileage charges.

Per the Dane County Board of Supervisors, the following fees are charged for service of process:

Our Notice of Fees can be found here

Additional Information:

If you are seeking fee exemption, please refer to the FAQ section or the Dane County Clerk of Courts website. Clerk of Courts Forms
Checks or money orders can be made payable to Dane County Sheriff.
Please refer to our Notificacion de Honorarios for fee information in Spanish.