Panel votes to purge cases from state online court database

MADISON — A state committee is recommending shortening the period dismissed and acquitted felony and misdemeanor cases remain in Wisconsin's popular online court database.

The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Oversight Committee adopted a number of recommendations Tuesday on how long to retain records in the database. The recommendations call for erasing records of felony cases that resulted in a dismissal or an acquittal after one to two years as determined by the state court director. The retention period for dismissed and acquitted misdemeanors would be shortened to half of the dismissed and acquitted felony retention period.

Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council President Bill Lueders says the changes would result in thousands of online records disappearing.

The recommendations are subject to Court Director J. Denis Moran's approval.