Manitowoc County Criminal Court

Manitowoc County Criminal Court handles all criminal cases that are filed in Manitowoc County. See below for more information about criminal cases in Manitowoc County.

Manitowoc County Criminal Court locations

Criminal proceedings take place in the Manitowoc County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.

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.

Manitowoc County Criminal Court

Manitowoc County Criminal Court

Who is the prosecutor for Manitowoc County?

Depending upon the case, the prosecutor for Manitowoc County criminal cases will either be a representative of Manitowoc 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.

Manitowoc County Required Court Appearances

In Manitowoc County, there are both required and non-required court appearances for the defendant. At a required or mandatory appearance hearing, the defendant is required to appear in person before the court. Failing to appear at your required hearing may result in a bench warrant being issued for your arrest by the judge.

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.

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.

The Right to Counsel

The Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the U.s. Constitution give defendants in criminal cases the right to counsel/attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to represent you. Like other rights a defendant has, this one can be waived as well and alternatively you can choose to represent yourself.

I need help for my Manitowoc County criminal case

The best place to get information about your criminal case is from an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one to represent you which will assist in your case. For general information about your case the Manitowoc County court clerk is able to provide general information about your specific case (e.g. date/time hearings, mandatory appearance, what will take place and what you will be required to do). The court clerk for Manitowoc County will NOT be able to provide legal advice for your case, only an attorney can provide legal advice. The court clerk can provide legal information (like the information found on this website) about your case but cannot provide advice about what you should do in your legal manner.

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.

The Right to Trial by Jury

The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.

Arraignments in Manitowoc County

During an arraignment in Manitowoc 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 Manitowoc 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 Manitowoc County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.

Burden of Proof Requirement

In a criminal case in the United States, the burden of proof always requires the prosecutor to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. This is a high threshold that must be met by the prosecution when presenting evidence in a case. If the prosecution fails in it’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt the judge must find the defendant not guilty. In a jury trial, the judge will inform the jury what this burden is and their obligation to find the defendant not guilty if they feel the prosecution did prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Manitowoc County Criminal Court Locations

  • Manitowoc County Circuit Court

    Address: 1010 South 8th Street, PO Box 2000, Manitowoc WI 54221
    Phone: 920-683-4030 Fax: 920-683-2733

  • City of Kiel / Town of Schleswig Municipal Court

    Address: 621 6th Street, PO Box 98, Kiel WI 53042
    Phone: 920-894-2211 Fax: 920-894-2585

  • City of Manitowoc Municipal Court

    Address: 900 Quay Street, Manitowoc WI 54220
    Phone: 920-686-6920 Fax: 920-686-6929

  • City of Two Rivers / Village of Mishicot Municipal Court

    Address: 1717 East Park Street, PO Box 87, Two Rivers WI 54241
    Phone: 920-793-5507 Fax: 920-793-5500

  • Village of Cleveland Municipal Court

    Address: 1150 West Washington Avenue, PO Box 87, Cleveland WI 53015
    Phone: 920-693-3442 Fax: 920-693-3876

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