Kenosha County Criminal Defense Attorney
Kenosha County criminal defense, circuit court practice, municipal court matters, Illinois border enforcement, UW-Parkside student cases. Since 1994.
Kenosha County, Criminal Defense Since 1994
Kenosha County sits on the Wisconsin-Illinois border, making it a high-enforcement county for traffic, OWI, drug-interdiction, and cross-border matters. Cafferty & Scheidegger maintains a Kenosha office at 7001 30th Avenue and has defended clients throughout Kenosha County since 1994.
Three things shape Kenosha County criminal practice:
- I-94 is an enforcement funnel. Wisconsin State Patrol and Kenosha County Sheriff deputies patrol the I-94 corridor between the Illinois line and Racine County. Speeding, OWI, and drug-investigation stops are common on that stretch.
- UW-Parkside and the lakeshore generate student-population and tourist-enforcement cases (underage drinking, disorderly conduct, OWI).
- The retail corridor on Highway 50 drives high retail-theft volume.
Where Your Case Is Heard
- Kenosha County Circuit Court (8 branches) for all felonies and most misdemeanors
- City of Kenosha Municipal Court for city-ordinance violations
- Village/town municipal courts (Pleasant Prairie, Somers, Twin Lakes, etc.) for their respective ordinance cases
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) for federal matters
Our Kenosha County Practice
- OWI/DUI including cross-border cases where Illinois priors are in play. See OWI practice and racineowi.com.
- Drug charges, I-94 interdiction cases and UW-Parkside investigations. See drug defense.
- Underage drinking and absolute-sobriety violations. See underage possession.
- Weapons, state § 941.29 and federal § 922(g). See felon in possession.
- Disorderly conduct and DV, see disorderly conduct.
- Traffic, all violations, including CDL. Dedicated microsite: racineticket.com.
- Federal defense, Eastern District of Wisconsin practice. See federal defense.
Most Common Criminal Charges in Kenosha County
- OWI/DUI, high volume from I-94 stops and Illinois-resident arrests
- Underage possession of alcohol, UW-Parkside and beach enforcement
- Drug possession, I-94 cross-border smuggling cases
- Reckless driving and speeding
- Disorderly conduct, concentrated downtown Kenosha and around Harbor Park
- Domestic violence / DC with DV modifier
- Weapons charges, including federal § 922(g) cases from joint state-federal investigations
- Retail theft, concentrated along Highway 50 retail corridor
Kenosha County by the Numbers
Verified statistics from official state and county sources.
How criminal cases move through Kenosha County court
Kenosha County criminal practice is shaped by the courthouse downtown, an eight-branch circuit bench, the District Attorney's office, and the Illinois border. The first strategic question is whether the case is a county circuit-court prosecution, a municipal forfeiture, or a federal matter tied to I-94, firearms, drugs, immigration, or financial allegations.
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Charging and first appearance
A criminal complaint, citation, arrest, or law-enforcement referral starts the court track. At the first appearance, the court addresses the charge, bond, release rules, no-contact conditions, and scheduling under § 970.01.
§ 970.01 → -
Felony preliminary hearing
Felony cases usually require a preliminary hearing under § 970.03 unless the hearing is waived. In a border county with frequent I-94 stops, this is where stop facts, witness availability, and probable cause can matter early.
§ 970.03 → -
Arraignment, discovery, and motions
After arraignment or bindover, defense work moves into discovery, suppression issues, statements, search warrants, lab evidence, and motions under § 971.31. Branch assignment matters because each branch controls scheduling and conference cadence.
§ 971.31 → -
Municipal court versus circuit court
City, village, and town municipal courts handle many ordinance citations and traffic forfeitures. Kenosha County Circuit Court handles felonies, criminal misdemeanors, criminal traffic, sheriff cases, State Patrol cases, and county-filed matters.
Wisconsin municipal courts → -
Resolution, trial, or sentencing
Kenosha cases can resolve by dismissal, amendment, deferred posture, plea, trial, or sentencing. Border-county cases also need early review of Illinois records, immigration exposure, CDL effects, firearm rights, and license reporting.
Wis. Stat. ch. 972 →
Courts in Kenosha County
Kenosha County Courthouse
912 56th Street, Kenosha, WI 53140
Phone: (262) 653-2664
Kenosha County Circuit Court has 8 branches. Criminal cases are filed through the Kenosha County District Attorney and Clerk of Courts.
Sitting Kenosha County Circuit Court judges
- Hon. Gerad T. Dougvillo · Branch 1
- Hon. Jason A. Rossell · Branch 2 Former 2nd Judicial District Chief Judge
- Hon. Heather Iverson · Branch 3
- Hon. Anthony Milisauskas · Branch 4
- Hon. David P. Wilk · Branch 5
- Hon. Angelina Gabriele · Branch 6
- Hon. Jodi L. Meier · Branch 7
- Hon. Chad G. Kerkman · Branch 8
Law Enforcement Agencies Serving Kenosha County
Kenosha County Sheriff's Department
Unincorporated townships, I-94 support, county jail operation
Non-emergency: (262) 605-5100
Wisconsin State Patrol, Post 4
Interstate enforcement (I-94, I-894), commercial-vehicle inspections
Non-emergency: (262) 544-0441
Primary state-level OWI and speeding enforcement on I-94 from the Illinois line north through Pleasant Prairie and Kenosha.
High-Enforcement Corridors
- I-94 from the Illinois state line through Pleasant Prairie to Racine County, a major cross-border corridor for speeding, OWI, and drug-investigation stops.
- Highway 50 (75th St), east-west artery from Kenosha to Twin Lakes and the Walworth County line.
- Highway 158 (52nd St), Kenosha to Pleasant Prairie, high pedestrian-crash area.
- Highway 32 (Sheridan Rd), lakeshore corridor from Kenosha north through Somers.
- Highway 31 (Green Bay Rd), north-south behind Highway 32.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Kenosha County criminal cases heard?
What cities are in Kenosha County?
Does Kenosha County have heavy cross-border drug enforcement?
What about UW-Parkside student cases?
OWI / DUI defense
Facing an OWI in Kenosha County?
We run a dedicated site for OWI/DUI defense in Kenosha County: statutes, courthouse, and county-specific defense strategy.
Visit the Kenosha County OWI guideCharged in Kenosha County? We defend across Kenosha County.
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