801.54.Discretionary transfer of civil actions to tribal court.

Ch. 801: Commencement of Action and Venue · Last amended 2009 · Last verified July 15, 2026

In one sentenceSection 801.54 lets a Wisconsin circuit court transfer a civil case to a tribal court that shares concurrent jurisdiction, after weighing factors like tribal law, tribal membership, and where the case can be decided most appropriately, while retaining jurisdiction under a stay for up to five years.

Full Text of Section 801.54

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(1) SCOPE. In a civil action where a circuit court and a court or judicial system of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in Wisconsin (“tribal court”) have concurrent jurisdiction, this rule authorizes the circuit court, in its discretion, to transfer the action to the tribal court under sub. (2m) or when transfer is warranted under the factors set forth in sub. (2). This rule does not apply to any action in which controlling law grants exclusive jurisdiction to either the circuit court or the tribal court.

(2) DISCRETIONARY TRANSFER. When a civil action is brought in the circuit court of any county of this state, and when, under the laws of the United States, a tribal court has concurrent jurisdiction of the matter in controversy, the circuit court may, on its own motion or the motion of any party and after notice and hearing on the record on the issue of the transfer, cause such action to be transferred to the tribal court. The circuit court must first make a threshold determination that concurrent jurisdiction exists. If concurrent jurisdiction is found to exist, unless all parties stipulate to the transfer, in the exercise of its discretion the circuit court shall consider all relevant factors, including but not limited to:

(a) Whether issues in the action require interpretation of the tribe’s laws, including the tribe’s constitution, statutes, bylaws, ordinances, resolutions, or case law.

(b) Whether the action involves traditional or cultural matters of the tribe.

(c) Whether the action is one in which the tribe is a party, or whether tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, or territory is an issue in the action.

(d) The tribal membership status of the parties.

(e) Where the claim arises.

(f) Whether the parties have by contract chosen a forum or the law to be applied in the event of a dispute.

(g) The timing of any motion to transfer, taking into account the parties’ and court’s expenditure of time and resources, and compliance with any applicable provisions of the circuit court’s scheduling orders.

(h) The court in which the action can be decided most expeditiously.

(i) The institutional and administrative interests of each court.

(j) The relative burdens on the parties, including cost, access to and admissibility of evidence, and matters of process, practice, and procedure, including where the action will be heard and decided most promptly.

(k) Any other factors having substantial bearing upon the selection of a convenient, reasonable and fair place of trial. (2m) TRIBAL CHILD SUPPORT PROGRAMS. The circuit court may, on its own motion or the motion of any party, after notice to the parties of their right to object, transfer a post-judgment child support, custody or placement provision of an action in which the state is a real party in interest pursuant to s. 767.205 (2) to a tribal court located in Wisconsin that is receiving funding from the federal government to operate a child support program under Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 654 et al.). The circuit court must first make a threshold determination that concurrent jurisdiction exists. If concurrent jurisdiction is found to exist, the transfer will occur unless a party objects in a timely manner. Upon the filing of a timely objection to the transfer the circuit court shall conduct a hearing on the record considering all the relevant factors set forth in sub. (2).

(3) STAY OF PROCEEDING IN CIRCUIT COURT. When a circuit court transfers an action to tribal court under this rule, the circuit court shall enter an order to stay further proceedings on the action in circuit court. Jurisdiction of the circuit court continues over the parties to a proceeding in which a stay has been ordered under this section until a period of 5 years has elapsed since the last order affecting the stay was entered in the court. At any time during which jurisdiction of the court continues over the parties to the proceedings, the court may, on motion and notice to the parties, subsequently modify the stay order and take any further action in the proceeding as the interests of justice require. When jurisdiction of the court over the parties and the proceeding terminates by reason of the lapse of 5 years following the last court order in the action, the clerk of the court in which the stay was granted shall without notice enter an order dismissing the action.

(4) APPEALS. The decision of a circuit court to transfer an action to tribal court may be appealed as a matter of right under s. 808.03 (1).

(5) EFFECT OF TRANSFER. When a circuit court orders the transfer of an action to tribal court under this rule, the circuit court shall retain the circuit court filing fee and shall transmit to the tribal court a copy of all circuit court records in the action.

(6) POWERS, RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNAFFECTED. Nothing in this rule is intended to alter, diminish, or expand the jurisdiction of the circuit courts or any tribal court, the sovereignty of the state or any federally recognized American Indian tribe or band, or the rights or obligations of parties under state, tribal, or federal law.

End

Official Notes

NOTE: Sup. Ct. Order No. 07-11 states: “The following Comment to Wis. Stat. s. 801.54 is not adopted, but will be published and may be consulted for guidance in interpreting and applying the statute:”

Comment, 2008: The purpose of this rule is to enable circuit courts to transfer civil actions to tribal courts in Wisconsin as efficiently as possible where appropriate. In considering the factors under sub. (2), the circuit court shall give particular weight to the constitutional rights of the litigants and their rights to assert all available claims and defenses.

Plain-English Summary

Section 801.54 addresses the overlap between Wisconsin circuit courts and the courts of federally recognized tribes within the state. Where a circuit court and a tribal court have concurrent jurisdiction over a civil case, this section lets the circuit court, in its discretion, transfer the action to the tribal court. It doesn’t apply where controlling law gives exclusive jurisdiction to one court or the other — the transfer option only exists when both courts have jurisdiction to hear the case.

Before transferring, the circuit court must first find that concurrent jurisdiction exists, on its own motion or a party’s motion, with notice and a hearing on the record. Unless every party stipulates to the transfer, the court then weighs a list of factors: whether the case requires interpreting tribal law, whether it involves traditional or cultural tribal matters, whether the tribe is a party or tribal sovereignty is at issue, the parties’ tribal membership, where the claim arose, any contractual forum selection, the timing of the transfer request, which court can resolve the case most efficiently, each court’s institutional interests, the relative burdens on the parties, and any other factor bearing on a fair and convenient forum. A related provision allows transfer of post-judgment child support, custody, or placement matters to a tribal court that operates a federally funded child support program, once the parties have been notified of their right to object.

Once a case is transferred, the circuit court stays its own proceedings rather than dismissing outright, and it keeps jurisdiction over the parties for five years after the last order affecting that stay, so it can modify the stay or take further action if needed during that window. If five years pass without another order, the case is dismissed automatically. A decision to transfer can be appealed as of right, and once transferred, the circuit court keeps its filing fee and sends a copy of its records to the tribal court. The section is careful to say it doesn’t change the underlying jurisdiction, sovereignty, or legal rights of either court system.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can a Wisconsin circuit court transfer a civil case to a tribal court?

Section 801.54 allows the transfer when the circuit court and a tribal court in Wisconsin have concurrent jurisdiction over the matter, after the circuit court makes a threshold finding that concurrent jurisdiction exists and, unless the parties stipulate, weighs the factors the section lists.

What factors does the circuit court weigh before transferring a case to tribal court?

Section 801.54 lists factors including whether the case requires interpreting tribal law, whether it involves traditional or cultural tribal matters, the parties’ tribal membership, where the claim arose, any contractual forum selection, and which court can resolve the case most efficiently and equitably.

What happens to the case in circuit court after it is transferred to tribal court?

Section 801.54 requires the circuit court to stay its own proceedings, and the circuit court retains jurisdiction over the parties for five years after the last order affecting the stay, after which the clerk dismisses the action automatically if nothing further has happened.

Can a party appeal a circuit court’s decision to transfer a case to tribal court?

Yes. Section 801.54 allows the decision to transfer to be appealed as a matter of right.

Does this section apply to post-judgment child support or custody matters?

Yes, through a related provision. Section 801.54 allows transfer of a post-judgment child support, custody, or placement matter to a tribal court operating a federally funded child support program, after notifying the parties of their right to object, with a hearing if a party objects.

Amendment History

History: Sup. Ct. Order No. 07-11, 2008 WI 114, 307 Wis. 2d xvii; Sup. Ct. Order No. 07-11A, 2009 WI 63, 307 Wis. 2d xxi.

Source & verification. Section text and official notes are reproduced verbatim from the Wisconsin Statutes, published by the Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau). Last verified July 15, 2026. · Official source

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