An old eviction can make it hard to rent another home. An unpaid balance to an old landlord can do the same. This guide explains how to check your court record and what to do if you have paid or settled a judgment.
Know the Strong Blocks rule before you apply.
We cannot approve an application if an eviction was filed against anyone in your household in the past 3 years. The result of the case does not change that rule. An unpaid landlord from the past 7 years can also block approval unless you have proof of an acceptable payment plan.
This page is about Milwaukee County. Other counties may use a different process. This is general information, not legal advice.
How to deal with an old eviction judgment
1. Check your court record
Start with Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (opens in a new tab). Many people call it CCAP. Search your name and open each case marked as a small-claims eviction.
Make sure each case is really yours. People can share the same name. Check the date, address, birth date if shown, and the names of the people or companies in the case. If a case is not yours, gather proof of where you lived at that time. Ask the clerk or a legal-aid attorney what to do next.
Some eviction cases should come off CCAP sooner now.
Wisconsin changed its court-record rules on July 1, 2025.
- An eviction with no money judgment should come off CCAP 2 years after the final order or judgment.
- If the court granted a writ of restitution and no money judgment, the case should stay for 10 years. A writ of restitution is the court order that lets the sheriff remove a renter.
- Other small-claims cases can stay for 20 years.
Coming off CCAP does not erase every copy of the case. A tenant-screening company may already have a copy. If a case is still online after it should be gone, call the clerk and ask about it.
2. Find the person or company you owe
The court record names the plaintiff. That is usually the old landlord or property company. It may also name the lawyer who handled the case.
Ask for the current balance in writing. If you cannot find the old landlord, the lawyer listed in the case may know who now owns the debt. If you think the amount is wrong, get legal help before you pay.
3. Pay the balance or agree on a settlement
You may pay the full balance. You may also ask the creditor to accept less. The creditor does not have to agree to a lower amount.
Get any deal in writing before you pay. The paper should name the court case, the amount you will pay, and whether that payment fully settles the judgment. Keep proof of the payment. Do not give anyone your online banking password or other account login.
4. Get the court form completed
After the judgment is paid or settled, ask the creditor or the creditor's lawyer to complete Wisconsin form GF-129, Satisfaction of Judgment (opens in a new tab). The current form can show a judgment as fully or partly satisfied.
Use the current form from the Wisconsin Court System. Do not change the form. Make sure the case number, names, and payment amount match your case and your written deal.
5. File the form with the clerk
For a Milwaukee County case, the county says the form can be filed at:
Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court
901 N. 9th Street, Room 104
Milwaukee, WI 53233
(414) 278-5362
Before you go, check the county's current Civil Court page (opens in a new tab) or call. Ask about current office hours, the filing fee, what payment methods they take, and whether your form needs anything else. These details can change.
Ask for a receipt that shows your name and case number. Keep copies of the form, the payment proof, and the receipt together.
6. Check the record again
Give the court time to process the form. Then check CCAP again. The judgment should show as satisfied. If it does not, call the clerk and have your case number and receipt ready.
If a landlord turned you down because of the unpaid judgment, you may ask the landlord to look at your application again after the record changes. The landlord does not have to change the decision.
Get help if the case is not simple
A dismissal, a wrong balance, identity theft, a missing creditor, or a screening report that does not match CCAP can make this harder. Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee (opens in a new tab) helps Milwaukee residents with civil legal problems. The Rental Housing Resource Center (opens in a new tab) can also connect renters with local help.
If you want a Strong Blocks home, read what we look at before you apply. That can help you avoid paying an application fee before you are ready.
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