Tickets & Citations

Tickets & Citations
What do I do if I have received a traffic ticket or a citation for a violation of an ordinance?

Check to see if the case will be prosecuted in municipal court. The District Attorney's Office will play no role. In municipal cases the City Attorney's Office or another legal office would be the prosecutor for the City or Village in the event that you contest the ticket.

If you have been cited by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, or the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Office, a contested case would be prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office.

The District Attorney's Office does not get involved unless you have entered a plea of not guilty at the Initial Appearance or in writing with the Clerk of Court before your court date.

Your ticket should reflect a court date for an Initial Appearance. You can write to the Clerk of Courts Office (Trempealeau County Clerk of Circuit Court, 36245 Main Street, P.O. Box 67, Whitehall, WI 54773) with a plea of not guilty or a plea of guilty.

If you plead not guilty, you will be given a court date for a Pre-Trial Conference. You must contact this office on the date and time of your pretrial. If you fail to enter a not guilty plea on or before your Initial Appearance, the Court will enter a default judgment against you. If you fail to appear at your Pre-Trial Conference, the Court will enter a default judgment against you.