Court & Citations

Court - Information

The City of Waterloo does not have a Municipal Court at the present time. All citations and summons are scheduled for one of the circuit courts at Jefferson, WI. Depending on the type of violation that occurs the arresting Police Officer will include on the citation and summons the proper court and time that an arrestee must appear, or will include the amount of the fine if the violation does not demand a personal appearance. If you have received a citation and have questions that are not addressed here, please contact the Waterloo Police Department or the Jefferson County Clerk of Courts.

Citations - Questions That You Might Have

Before you vent your frustrations on the arresting officer, pause a moment and reflect on your driving conduct which led to your arrest. The officer is only doing the job for which he/she was trained--trying to save you and others from unnecessary property damage, injury or death. Over 56,000 Americans are needlessly killed each year on our highways. His/her job is to insure that you are not one of them.

NOTE - This information applies only to forfeiture actions not requiring personal appearance.

Must I appear in court on the date set forth on my citation? 

You may avoid appearing in court by sending the bail amount prior to your court date. If the bail is posted and you do not appear in court, you will be found guilty, and the bail money will be forfeited.

If you wish to plead not guilty, you may do this by mail without appearing in court on the date set forth on your citation. Mail the plea to: Clerk of Circuit Court, 311 S Center Ave,, Jefferson, WI 53549.

Include: 
  • The charge
  • The date you were scheduled to appear 
  • The name of the police agency that issued your ticket 
  • The ticket number 
  • Your current mailing address and phone number 

This must be received by the date on the citation. A court date for a pretrial conference will be mailed to you. You will have to appear in person, or call by telephone. If you do not post bail money and you also fail to appear in court, a judgment will be entered against you for the amount of the ticket. You will be allowed 60 days to pay. If you do not pay within 60 days either a warrant will be issued for your arrest or your license will be suspended for failure to pay. 

What will happen if I appear in court on the day of my citation?

The date on your citation is the date of your initial appearance. An initial appearance is your opportunity to enter a plea to the charge. You may plead guilty, no contest, or not guilty. The initial appearance is not the trial date. If you plead guilty or no contest, the court will find you guilty and the matter will be resolved at the initial appearance. If you plead not guilty, your case will be scheduled for a pretrial conference at a later date. 

Trial

After the pretrial conference, the case will be scheduled for final conference or trial. You have the right to a jury trial. If you want to preserve this right to a jury trial, you must make a written demand for a jury trial and post jury fees within ten (10) days following the date of your initial appearance. Otherwise the judge will decide the case should you go to trial.

I'm worried about the points to be assessed against my driving record. How do I know if I'm in point trouble? 

If you are found guilty of a traffic violation, your driving record may be charged with demerit points. The court will report the conviction to the Division of Motor Vehicles and the Division will assess the number of points against your record, depending on the charge. If you accumulate 12 points against your driving record within a one-year period by date of violations, your license will be suspended or revoked. Contact the Drivers License Bureau in Madison, Wisconsin for information.

If you still have questions please contact the Jefferson County Clerk of Courts Office or the Waterloo Police Department.