A municipal court is a court with limited area of authority over criminal charges and civil disputes inside its location. These courts can be located at the county or city level.
Village of Greendale Municipal Court INformation
Court: Village of Greendale Municipal Court
Address: “Greendale Safety Center 5911 West Grange Avenue, Greendale, WI 53129”
Phone: 414-423-2127
City: Greendale
County: Milwaukee
State: Wisconsin
What is the role of the Village of Greendale Municipal Court?
Municipal Courts are commonly called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” This means that they deal with minor criminal charges, civil cases, and traffic tickets. Courts like Village of Greendale Municipal Court are the first level of court for these types of cases.
In other situations, the purpose of a county court is to deal with a large number of civil disputes within the respective region. Most cases involve family matters, personal injury, more serious criminal infractions, or breaches of contract.
County courthouses have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that won’t exceed the amount of $15,000.00, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and larger civil matters.
TYPES OF CASES adjudicated IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Greendale, Wisconsin
Municipal courts are the entry level of courthouses in the U.S.. They are usually found within the jurisdiction where they are located, but some jurisdictions share municipal courts with other municipalities.
This can be done to better help their citizens or to save money on overhead costs. The matters that could be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic crimes, low level criminal charges and code violations.
There is no set definition for what constitutes a misdemeanor versus a felony charge, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor charges and fines may also be higher for felonies. Traffic violations usually result in points against your driver’s license as well
What’s the process for cases in the municipal court in Greendale?
Magistrates manage hearings to determine:
- Probable cause for arrest
- Set bail amounts and terms of release
- Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against individuals by police officers
- Distribute search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to protect evidence from crime locations
- start preliminary inquiries to learn if there is enough evidence to mount a charge
The common process of a Municipal Court matter
First Step: Issuance of Summons
Second Step: Show Up before Judge or Magistrate
Municipal Court Penalties in Greendale, WI
Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed attorney. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Village of Greendale Municipal Court.
A violation is an offense that carries a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor can have penalties up to $1000 or one year in jail. A person’s driving privileges may be suspended for six months if they receive three speeding tickets within 12 months.
The penalties for different offenses in municipal courts vary depending on the severity of an charges. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a prescription for it then you could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.
Village of Greendale Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records from a municipal government could be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one place or system. The records that a person might need to depend on the type of charge they have in front of the court, what stage it is at in the process, and what kind of of information is needed by law to be available.
FAQs ABOUT the Village of Greendale Municipal Court
What is municipal court in Greendale, Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal matters within a city or municipality. Municipal courts have a small jurisdiction and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty offenses and misdemeanors.
What does the municipal court handle in Greendale, Wisconsin?
Depending on the scope of the municipality, a municipal court can handle a civil division (cases with less than $15,000 at issue), a traffic/criminal division, or a housing and environmental division. More serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.
How many judges does the Village of Greendale Municipal Court have?
The count of judges depends on the municipality’s size.
How are cases heard in municipal courts in Wisconsin?
A municipal courthouse judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set term of years or until retirement. Judges are sometimes elected by the people with each precinct’s results evaluated based on population. Municipal magistrates are often not attorneys but have some legal training and must finish multiple hours of ongoing material every year to maintain their licenses.