What to Do If You’ve Lost Your Wisconsin Traffic Ticket

According to the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles, there are a few steps you need to take if you misplace your traffic ticket.

First, you need to verify from which county you received your ticket, specifically which Municipal or Circuit Court would have been listed on it. You can call the court closest to the location you were ticketed to confirm this information. The correct one will have your citation on record.

Take action quickly. Regardless of the county, you’re required to issue your plea on or before the ticket’s appearance date in Wisconsin. Since you don’t have written documentation of that date, it’s best to play it safe and take action quickly to avoid suspension of your driver’s license–or even arrest. The simple fact that you’ve lost your ticket will not earn any lenience from the powers that be.

Decide on your plea. For Wisconsin traffic violations, you have three options. You can plead guilty or no contest and pay the fine posted on the citation in both situations, or you can plead not guilty and proceed to a trial that will determine if you’re eligible to have the charges dropped or the fine reduced. Whatever you decide, the court must have your decision on or before the date listed on your ticket.

If you have a traffic violation in Milwaukee or Southeast Wisconsin, the attorneys of Huppertz & Powers, S.C., have over 40 years of combined experience protecting their clients’ rights. Contact us now at 262-549-5979 to discuss your case — the first meeting is on us.