| Are Municipal violations criminal
matters? |
| |
No. Municipal Ordinance violations are civil forfeiture
actions and are noncriminal in nature. |
| Do I need a lawyer in Municipal
Court? |
| |
No, you do not. You are entitled to a lawyer at
your own expense. However, you are not required to hire a lawyer,
and most municipal defendants appear without attorneys. |
| Can a lawyer be appointed for
me if I cannot afford one? |
| |
No. Public Defendants do not appear in noncriminal
matters in Municipal Court. |
| What if I plead not guilty to
a violation? |
| |
If you plead Not Guilty , you will be given a
date and time for Pretrial. At the Pretrial, you will meet with
an Assistant City Attorney to discuss the charge and attempt
to reach a resolution. If the matter cannot be resolved, a Trial
is scheduled. |
| What if I have a complaint regarding
a Police Officer? |
| |
Complaints of this nature should be reported to
the Police Department for investigation and resolution |
| If I have an attorney, can I
still talk with the City Attorney's Office? |
| |
Generally, no. It is an ethical violation for
an attorney to communicate directly with a defendant who is
represented by counsel. If you choose to hire a lawyer, the
City Attorney's Office will direct all communication to your
counsel |
| What type of advice or counsel
can I get from the City Attorney's Office? |
| |
The City Attorney can provide factual information
and procedural guidance regarding the handling and disposition
of municipal citations. The Office cannot, however, provide
legal advice on these matters. The City Attorney does provide
legal advice regarding other Municipal matters involving the
interpretation and enforcement of Municipal Ordinances. |
| What is the distinction between
the City Attorney and the District Attorney? |
| |
Generally, the District Attorney prosecutes criminal
matters under State Statutes. The City Attorney is employed
by the City to provide legal advice and guidance on municipal
matters and to prosecute Municipal Ordinance violations in the
City's Municipal Court. |
| Frequently Requested Phone Numbers: |
| |
| District Attorney |
(262) 653-2400 |
| Public Defender |
(262) 653-6404 |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin |
(262) 635-8836 |
| Lawyer Referral & Information Service of
Wisconsin |
1-800-362-9082 |
| Consumer Protection Agent [Sheriff's Department] |
(262) 605-5103 |
| Board of Attorney's Professional Responsibility
[Complaints] |
(414) 227-4623 |
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