Kenosha County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Kenosha County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Kenosha County.
What is Jury Deliberation?
After both the prosecution and defense have presented their cases, the judge in the case will provide instructions to the jury about what they must decide. The jury will be dismissed to the jury room where they will deliberate about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. After reaching a unaminous decision, they return their decision to the court where it is read aloud in the courtroom. If the jury is unable to reach a unaminous decision, the jury is deadlocked, also known as a hung jury, in which a mistrial will be declared.
Right to Jury Trial
For “Serious Crimes”, those that can have a potential penalty of 6 months in jail OR a minimum $500 penalty, the US Constitution guarantees a right to trial by jury. This is guaranteed by Article III of the Constitution and the 6th Amendment. The accused has the ability to waive their right to trial by jury.
Kenosha County Criminal Court
What is the Burden of Proof?
The term “Burden of Proof” means that the prosecutor is required to prove the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecutor cannot provide proof of the defendants guilt, then the judge or jury in a trial must find the defendant not guilty. In the United States the principle innocent until proven guilty derives from this that the defendant is assumed innocent and the prosecution has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty.
Who is the prosecutor for Kenosha County?
Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Kenosha County criminal cases will either be a representative of Kenosha County or a representative from Wisconsin. After reviewing evidence it is the prosecutor’s decision whether to file charges or drop a case. Most prosecutors have the ability to negotiate plea bargains, and determine how the case will be prosecuted.
Kenosha County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Kenosha County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
Arraignments in Kenosha County
During an arraignment in Kenosha County, a defendant appears before the court and the judge reads the charges that have been filed against the accused and also informs the defendant of his/her rights. During the arraignment in Kenosha County, the defendant can choose to plead one of the following 1) Guilty 2) Not Guilty or 3) No Contest. If the defendant enters a plea of Not Guilty, a date for trial is set. In the event of a Guilty or No Contest Plea in Kenosha County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
Who can help me in Kenosha County?
For general information about your case the Kenosha County court clerk will be able to provide legal information about your specific criminal case. Legal information is not legal advice though, the court clerk will only be able to provide information about your case, like date/time of hearings what will occur at the hearing and what you may be required to do in the hearing. They cannot provide advice about what you should do or what the best legal options may be for your particular case. Only an attorney can provide legal advice and this is your best place for information about your specific criminal proceeding. If you cannot afford to hire a private attorney to represent you, a judge will appoint an attorney to represent you, this is most often a public defender.
What is a Plea Agreement?
A plea agreement is a deal made between the prosecution and the defendant in a case, where the defendant agrees to plea guilty to a particular charge in exchange for some concession from the prosecutor. In practice, more than 90% of criminal cases end with a plea agreement.
Can I appeal a guilty verdict?
If found guilty, a defendant may decide to appeal his case to an appelate court. The appellate court will not retry the case, they will examine the proceedings in the lower court to make sure they were done in a legal manner. The appellate court can either uphold the original conviction, or determine that due to errors made in the original trial, that there must be a retrial, resentencing or a complete dismissal of the charges.
What if I can’t afford an attorney?
The 6th Amendment guarantees you the right to an attorney whether or not you can afford one. If you cannot afford one, a public defender will be appointed by the court to represent you.
If guilty, who sentences the defendant?
If the defendant is found guilty after the trial, the defendent will be sentenced. In some cases, this can occur at the same hearing the defendant is found guilty in court, in other cases a separate hearing will be required. Often the prosecution will request a particular sentence for the defendant and the judge will determine whether to enforce this sentence or impose a different sentence for the defendant.
Mandatory Appearances in Kenosha County Criminal Court
At a mandatory or required court appearance in Kenosha County, the defendant must appear before the court. In the event of a “Failure to Appear” the judge may issue a warrant for the arrest of the defendant. Note: not all criminal hearings are mandatory, in a non-mandatory hearing an attorney may appear on your behalf without you being in court.
Kenosha County Criminal Court Locations
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Kenosha County Circuit Court
Address: 912 56th Street, Kenosha WI 53140
Phone: 262-653-2664 Fax: 262-653-2435 -
City of Kenosha Municipal Court
Address: 625 52nd Street, Room 97, Kenosha WI 53140
Phone: 262-653-4224 Fax: 262-653-4222 -
Town of Bristol Municipal Court
Address: 19801 83rd Street, PO Box 187, Bristol WI 53104
Phone: 262-857-2368 Fax: 262-857-2136 -
Town of Randall Municipal Court
Address: 34530 Bassett Road, PO Box 116, Bassett WI 53101
Phone: 262-877-2165 Fax: 262-877-9032 -
Town of Salem Municipal Court
Address: 9814 Antioch Road, PO Box 443, Salem WI 53168
Phone: 262-843-2759 Fax: 262-843-1468 -
Town of Somers Municipal Court
Address: 7511 12th Street, PO Box 197, Somers WI 53171
Phone: 262-859-2822 Fax: 262-859-2331 -
Town of Wheatland Municipal Court
Address: 34315 Geneva Road, PO Box 797, New Munster WI 53152
Phone: 262-537-4340 Fax: 262-537-4261 -
Village of Paddock Lake Municipal Court
Address: 6969 236th Avenue, Paddock Lake WI 53168
Phone: 262-843-9314 Fax: 262-843-3409 -
Village of Pleasant Prairie Municipal Court
Address: 9915 39th Avenue, Pleasant Prairie WI 53158
Phone: 262-694-8923 Fax: 262-694-1401 -
Village of Silver Lake Municipal Court
Address: 113 South 1st Street, PO Box 1233, Silver Lake WI 53170
Phone: 262-889-8513 Fax: 262-889-8874 -
Village of Twin Lakes Municipal Court
Address: 108 East Main Street, PO Box 549, Twin Lakes WI 53181
Phone: 262-877-2269 Fax: 262-877-2699