Frequently Asked Questions

No. Municipal Ordinance violations are civil forfeiture actions and are noncriminal in nature.

No, you do not. You are entitled to a lawyer at your own expense. However, you are not required to hire a lawyer, and most municipal defendants appear without attorneys.

No. Public Defenders do not appear in noncriminal matters in Municipal Court.

If you plead “Not Guilty” to a violation, you will be given a date and time to call for your Pretrial Conference.  At the Pretrial Conference, you will talk with the City Attorney to discuss the citation(s) and attempt to reach a resolution.  If the matter cannot be resolved, a Trial will be scheduled.

Complaints of this nature should be reported to the Police Department for investigation and resolution.

Generally, no. It is an ethical violation for an attorney to communicate directly with a defendant who is represented by counsel. If you choose to hire a lawyer, the City Attorney's Office will direct all communication to your counsel.

The City Attorney is the attorney for the corporate entity of the City of Marinette. The City Attorney may provide factual information and procedural guidance regarding the handling and disposition of municipal citations. The Office cannot, however, provide legal advice on these or other matters.

Generally, the District Attorney prosecutes criminal matters under State Statutes. The City Attorney is employed by the City to provide legal advice and guidance on municipal matters and to prosecute Municipal Ordinance violations in the City's Municipal Court.