To cite a Wisconsin statute, write “Wis. Stat. §” followed by the chapter and section number, and add the biennial edition year in parentheses. A full citation looks like this: Wis. Stat. § 940.01 (2023-24). That format is what Wisconsin courts and the Bluebook both expect, and knowing how to cite Wisconsin statutes correctly comes down to getting each piece of that template right: the abbreviation, the section symbol, the section number, any subdivisions, and the edition year.
The Standard Format
Every Wisconsin statute citation has the same structure. “Wis. Stat.” identifies the code, the § symbol marks the specific section, the number gives the chapter and section, and the parenthetical identifies the published edition. Using the homicide statute as an example:
Wis. Stat. § 940.01 (2023-24).
A frequent error is dropping the section symbol. Some older Wisconsin documents omit it, but standard practice under both the Bluebook and Wisconsin court filings keeps the § between “Wis. Stat.” and the number.1University of Wisconsin Law School. Wisconsin State Citation Rules
Pointing to a Subsection, Paragraph, or Subparagraph
Wisconsin statutes break down into layers beneath the main section number, and each layer has its own marker. Cite to the most specific subdivision that supports your point.
- Subsection: a number in parentheses. Wis. Stat. § 940.01(1) refers to subsection 1.
- Paragraph: a lowercase letter in parentheses. Wis. Stat. § 940.01(2)(a) narrows the reference to paragraph (a) of subsection (2).
- Subparagraph: a number without parentheses followed by a period, appearing in heavily subdivided sections.
Wis. Stat. § 940.01 references the entire homicide statute. Wis. Stat. § 940.01(2)(a) targets a specific mitigating circumstance within it. The difference matters when a court is reading your brief.
The Year Parenthetical
Wisconsin publishes its official statutes on a biennial cycle tied to the legislative session, so the year parenthetical is a two-year range: (2023-24), not (2023) or (2024) alone. The most recently completed official edition is 2023-24.1University of Wisconsin Law School. Wisconsin State Citation Rules
This trips up attorneys accustomed to federal citations with a single year. A filing submitted in 2026 that relies on the last completed official edition uses “(2023-24),” or “(2025-26)” once that edition publishes.
If you’re citing a historical version of a statute because the law has changed since the events in your case, use the year parenthetical from the edition that was in effect at the relevant time. This matters most in criminal cases, where penalty ranges can shift between sessions. Flag any amendment when you cite the older version.
Short Form and Id.
After giving the full citation once, later references can drop the year parenthetical:
Wis. Stat. § 940.01.
If the immediately preceding citation was to the same statute, use “Id.” and add a new subdivision if needed: Id. § 940.01(2)(a).2LexisNexis. A Uniform System of Citation Wisconsin The short form only works when there’s no ambiguity about which statute you mean. In a document citing multiple statutes from the same chapter, reintroduce the full citation whenever a reader might lose track. Restating the full citation at the start of each major section of a long brief is a practical habit.
What Wisconsin Courts Expect
Two sources govern statute citation format in Wisconsin filings, and they largely agree. The Bluebook, formally “A Uniform System of Citation,” is the default for law review articles and federal filings. Under Bluebook Rule 12, you cite the current official code for any statute in force, and Table 1 gives the Wisconsin abbreviation as “Wis. Stat.” A year parenthetical reflecting the edition is required.3Georgetown Law Library. Citing Statutes
For Wisconsin appellate briefs, the controlling rule is Wis. Stat. § 809.19(1)(e), which requires citations to authorities and statutes “as set forth in the Uniform System of Citation and SCR 80.02.”4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 809.19(1)(e) A common misconception is that SCR 80.02 tells you how to cite statutes. It doesn’t. SCR 80.02 governs the citation of published court opinions, requiring references to the public domain citation, Wisconsin Reports, and the North Western Reporter.5Wisconsin Court System. Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 80 – Publication of Opinions – Section: SCR 80.02 Proper Citation In practice, Wisconsin appellate courts expect statutory citations in the general Bluebook format using “Wis. Stat. §” with the biennial edition year.
When you file a motion, brief, or pleading, cite the most recent official edition unless you’re arguing about a prior version. A brief filed in 2026 typically cites “Wis. Stat. § 802.05 (2023-24),” or “(2025-26)” once that edition is available. Appellate briefs also require a table of authorities listing statutes in ascending numerical order.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 809.19(1)(e)
Citing the Wisconsin Constitution
Constitutional provisions use a different format. The abbreviation is “Wis. Const.,” followed by the article in Roman numerals and the section symbol:
Wis. Const. art. I, § 3.
No year parenthetical is needed for the current version of the constitution. If you’re citing an amended or repealed provision, include the effective date or indicate that the provision has been superseded.
Citing Session Laws
Legislation that hasn’t been codified into the Wisconsin Statutes yet is cited by its Act number from the session in which it passed:
2025 Wis. Act 39.
The year reflects the legislative session, and “Act” followed by the number identifies the piece of legislation. Session laws appear in the “Laws of Wisconsin,” maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau.6Wisconsin State Legislature. Legislative Reference Bureau You’ll typically cite a session law when a new statute hasn’t appeared in the biennial compilation yet, or when you need to reference transitional or effective-date provisions that don’t carry over into the codified statutes.
Citing the Wisconsin Administrative Code
Agency rules live in the Wisconsin Administrative Code, not the statutes. The citation uses “Wis. Admin. Code” followed by the § symbol, the agency abbreviation, the section number, and a year parenthetical for the chapter’s most recent amendment:
Wis. Admin. Code § DWD 220.01 (2013).
The agency abbreviation (here “DWD” for the Department of Workforce Development) appears as printed on the chapter’s first page.2LexisNexis. A Uniform System of Citation Wisconsin Some practitioners also include the month of the most recent amendment. Administrative code citations come up often in licensing, employment, and environmental matters where the governing rule sits in agency regulation rather than statute.
Official Edition, Annotated Edition, and Online Sources
The official version of the Wisconsin Statutes is published by the Legislative Reference Bureau as the Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations.6Wisconsin State Legislature. Legislative Reference Bureau Courts treat this as authoritative. Cite it unless you have a specific reason to reference a commercial edition. West’s Wisconsin Statutes Annotated adds case summaries and editorial commentary, which is useful for research but is not itself law. Cite the official code unless you’re specifically discussing material that only appears in the annotated edition.
The Wisconsin Legislature maintains the current text of codified statutes at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Courts accept citations to statutes found there without any special notation about the digital source; the standard “Wis. Stat. §” format works the same whether the text came from a bound volume or the website. Commercial platforms like Westlaw, LexisNexis, and Fastcase host Wisconsin statutes as well, and in court filings no retrieval note is needed as long as the citation uses the correct edition year.
Timeliness is where the source matters. Online databases often reflect legislative changes faster than the bound biennial volumes. If a statute was amended during the current session and the amendment affects your case, check the legislature’s website for the enrolled version and cite the session law if the change hasn’t been incorporated into the official compilation yet.