Racine Municipal Court
Mission of the Municipal Court
Your Municipal Court provides a place to decide disputes fairly, and in a manner which is understood to be fair. Due Process is the first obligation of any court. It is our goal to make sure that each person is treated with dignity while seeing to it that the law is enforced.
Matters Heard in Municipal Court
The municipal court is primarily concerned with enforcing rules of safety and civility in the City of Racine, Wisconsin. This court deals with violations of the Ordinances of the City of Racine. This includes such things as 1st Offense Operating Under the Influence, traffic tickets, alcohol violations, housing code violations, disorderly conduct, obstructing, truancy and business licensing violations.
The Court Process
Each case begins with the issuance of a citation or complaint accusing someone of violating the law. The defendant is given a first appearance date to come to court. If the defendant does not come to court, they will be found guilty. If the defendant comes to the court appearance, the defendant will have the charge explained to him or her and will enter a plea. If the plea is “Guilty” or “No Contest” the defendant will be found guilty and the court will impose a sentence, normally a money penalty, and will be given time to pay. If the plea is “Not Guilty” a pretrial meeting with the City Attorney will be scheduled. If the charge is worked out at the pretrial, that will be end of it. If it cannot be worked out, a trial will be scheduled.