Preparing for your pretrial

PRETRIAL INFORMATION 

As a result of your "Not Guilty" plea, your case has been scheduled for a pretrial conference with the City Attorney, Rory O’Sullivan. You will receive your notice of pretrial at the address you indicated on your not guilty plea form.

The following information may be of assistance to you in the preparation of your defense:

The purpose of the pretrial conference is to give you the opportunity to meet and informally discuss your case with the prosecutor, to explore the possibility of reaching an agreement and thus avoiding a trial. You are not required to reach an agreement; you may and should insist on your right to proceed to trial if that is your desire.

If you are unable to appear at the scheduled date and time, you will be rescheduled for a different date and time if you call the court clerk, Delaina Bacon, at (715) 386-5929 ext. 170 within 48 hours of your pretrial. Please note, only one continuance will be granted.

You must notify the court clerk, directly, of any address changes that occur while your case is still pending. DO NOT simply rely on a notice filed with the post office. If mail addressed to you is returned to the court while your case is pending, you may be found guilty by default, a warrant may be issued for your arrest, or other action may be taken against you or your driving privileges. Submit a change of address form to the clerk.

Since this is not a criminal matter, you are not entitled to have an attorney provided at the public’s expense. However, you have the right to hire an attorney at your own cost to represent you at pretrial. If you decide to do so, you should retain an attorney as soon as possible so that he/she will have sufficient time to properly prepare your defense.

The City Attorney/Prosecutor, Mr. Rory O’Sullivan, has the burden of proving the charge against you by presenting clear, convincing, and satisfactory evidence.

If you are interested in obtaining copies of the police reports, witness reports, etc., please contact the Hudson Police Department directly at (715) 386-4771. A fee of $.25 per page plus sales tax will be assessed, which must be paid prior to receiving the records. All records MUST be picked up in person at the Police Department, 101 Vine Street, Hudson, WI.

If damage to property occurred, the matter of restitution may also be addressed at the pretrial.

Defendants who fail to appear at a pretrial will have a default judgment entered against them and will be granted sixty (60) days to pay the forfeiture and costs imposed by the Court. Failure to pay the judgment within that time may result in a loss of driving privileges for up to one (1) year, or issuance of an arrest warrant.

If you are found guilty of a traffic offense, the State Department of Transportation (DOT) may assess demerit points against your driving record, and your license may be revoked or suspended. The assessment of 12 points within a 12-month period would result in a revocation of driving privileges. If your driving privileges are in jeopardy, the DOT will advise you of the number of points assessed as a result of a conviction and the present status of your driving record.

If you are in need of special services, such as foreign language interpreter, interpreter for hearing impaired, etc., please contact the court immediately so arrangements can be made to provide those services.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the clerk of court, Delaina Bacon at (715) 386-5929 ext. 170.