Welcome to the Walworth Municipal Court.  This page is designed to help you answer basic questions about court procedures.  For further information, contact the Court Clerk at 262-275-2125.
 
Monday - Thursday: 8:00am – 4:00pm and Friday: 8:00am - 1:00pm
Court is held on Wednesday afternoons. See calendar on home page for specific dates.

General Rules
This is a court of law.  We request that you remove your hat, turn off electronic devices, and refrain from smoking.  Village ordinance prohibits bringing firearms or other weapons into the village hall.

You may not speak to the judge prior to court. Inquiries for the judge should be directed to the Clerk.  Because offenses heard in municipal court are not criminal in nature, there is no availability of a public defender (however, you may hire an attorney on your own).

Citations
When you receive a citation (ticket), you will be informed of a date and time for your Initial Court Appearance.  The purpose for this initial appearance is to give you an opportunity to enter a plea (see below).  On your citation, it will indicate whether or not your appearance is mandatory.

Payments
Cash, check, money order, and on-line payments are acceptable.  To pay online, go to govpaynow.com and enter the  Pay Location Code 6432.  Follow directions for entering the remaining information.  There is a 3.5% fee for online processing.

Continuance
You have a right to request ONE continuance (postponement) of your initial appearance date.  Contact the court clerk for more information.

Initial Appearances
Even if an appearance is not mandatory, you may choose to enter your plea in court in front of the judge.  Your name will be called, the court will inform you of the charge(s) against you, and will request that you enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or no contest.

Entering a Plea
If you enter a plea of:
GUILTY: you are admitting that you committed the offense.
NO CONTEST: you are not admitting guilt, but you wish to have the matter resolved and pay the penalty. A plea of guilty or no contest may not be appealed.
NOT GUILTY: you deny committing the offense, and your case will be scheduled for further proceedings.  These pleas must be made in writing or in person.

Time to Pay
Once a plea agreement is reached, the Court will grant you time to pay your fine.  Payment plans are available but you must sign a written contract in person stating that payments will be made on a timely basis, otherwise a warrant will be issued without further warning.

Failure to Pay
If payment is not received within 60 days, you will be summoned into court for a mandatory appearance (Indigency Hearing) to explain to the judge why your fine has not been paid.  You may not reschedule an Indigency Hearing date.  Failure to appear may result in a suspension of your driving privileges, a warrant for arrest, or your debt may be turned over to a state-run collection agency that has the ability to seize bank accounts, tax returns, or other assets.

Re-Opening a Judgment
Once a plea has been entered on the record, you have the right to request a reopening of any matter before the court.  This written motion can be obtained from the Court Clerk, but must be submitted within 6 months of the original finding.  There is a $50 reopen fee.

Appeals
All municipal matters must be heard at the municipal level, other than OWI’s, which may be sent to Circuit Court on the defendant’s request.  Contact the court for appeal information.

Community Service
The Village of Walworth does not offer a Community Service program at the present time.

Juvenile Appearances
Most non-traffic offenses require a mandatory appearance.  Parents and/or guardians may not call the court to discuss pending cases.