Frequently Asked Questions
| What will happen if I do not appear on my court date? |
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If your appearance was required on your citation or ticket a default judgment will be entered against you and the judge may order a warrant for your arrest. If your appearance was not required a default judgment will be entered against you, and if the forfeiture has not been paid, the judge will order the payment of the forfeiture. Depending on the nature of the charges, the judge may also order a driver's license suspension or revocation in addition to any forfeiture. If the forfeiture is not paid, the judge may enter an order suspending your driver’s license, suspending your vehicle registration, referral of the matter to a collection agency, interception of your tax refund, or issue a warrant for your arrest. The sanction(s) ordered by the judge for not paying a forfeiture depends upon the nature of the charges. |
| I missed my Court date and really wanted to appear. Can I get it reopened? |
| To have a citation reopened, you must write a letter to the Judge explaining why you missed your Court date and asking that it be reopened. The reopening fee is $50. |
| What if I don’t pay my fine? |
Failure to pay your fine by the due date will result in one or
more of the following actions being taken:
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| I didn't pay my fines and now my driver's license is suspended. What do I do now? |
| If this is the only suspension/revocation on your driving record, you must first pay your fine to the Court. Once paid, we will give you paperwork to take to DMV. You will pay them a reinstatement fee in order to have your privilege to drive in Wisconsin reinstated. |
| Can I get an extension to pay my fines? |
| See the Payment link. |
| How long will this traffic charge remain on my record? |
| The points will remain on your record for one year from the date of the violation. The actual charge will remain on your record for five years, unless the charge is Operating While Intoxicated. That will remain on your record for 10 years or more. |
| What should I do when I receive a citation? |
| Each citation or ticket tells you the nature of the violation charged against you and whether a court appearance is required. It also tells you the date and time when you can appear in court if you wish to contest the charge. Some citations require you to appear in court even if you want to plead guilty or no contest, but the majority of cases do not require an appearance in court if you are not disputing the charge. |
| What are the different pleas I may enter? |
| When you enter a please of Guilty, you are admitting that you committed the office. In most case, a penalty will be imposed immediately. When you enter a plea of No Contest, you are not contesting that you committed the offense. The Court will find you guilty and impose the appropriate penalty. However, you will not be admitting your civil liability and No Contest plea cannot be used against you in any other action or in any other Court. When you enter a plea of Not Guilty, you deny committing the offense and the case will be scheduled for a trial at a later date. You must also initiate a pretrial conference with the prosecuting attorney prior to trial in an attempt to settle the case. |
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How do I enter a plea? |
| You may enter a plea by either mailing, emailing or faxing your plea to the Municipal Court at least one week prior to the court date or by making a personal appearance in court on your scheduled court date. If you decide to mail, email or fax your plea, please include your name, date of birth, citation number, type of violation and court date. |
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What will happen after I plead NOT GUILTY? |
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The court will notify you of your pretrial date if you plead not guilty. On your pretrial date you will meet with the village attorney. If you do not attend, you will be found guilty as charged. At the pretrial you and/or your attorney will meet with your opponent, the village attorney. The village attorney does not represent you or the court. The judge will not hear any testimony that day. You and/or your attorney will discuss your case with the village attorney. It is up to you and/or your attorney to decide what evidence or facts you want to share with the village attorney concerning your case in the hopes of reaching an agreement. If you reach an agreement, the village attorney will submit it in writing to the judge. The judge does not have to accept the agreement, but often does. If you do not reach an agreement with the village attorney, the case will be set for a trial. |
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