Services & Staff

Mission

The Madison Municipal Court represents the judicial branch of government. We inform those who have cases before the court of their legal rights and the applicable legal procedures. We also provide a neutral and impartial forum for resolving alleged city ordinance violations.

Staff

• Honorable Daniel Koval, Judge
• Christie Z., Court Administrator
• Kelly M., Judicial Support Clerk 2
• Lori D., Judicial Support Clerk 2
• Erin N., Judicial Support Clerk 2
  Bilingual in English & Spanish

Services

Daily Court Sessions

The Municipal Court hears cases about violations of City ordinances. Common cases include:

• Traffic and parking
• Drunk driving (first offense)
• Disorderly conduct
• Trespassing
• Building and health codes
• Animal control violations
• Juvenile offenses, like truancy, curfew, and underage drinking or smoking

The judge sets the penalty (for example, a payment or jail sentence). In some cases, the judge can also order a driver's license to be suspended. The court handles about 26,000 cases per year, including both adult and juvenile cases.

Hearings & Trials

If defendants decide to contest a violation, cases go to a hearing or trial. At the trials, the City has to prove that the defendant is guilty of the violations. The City has to provide evidence that:

• Is clear
• Is satisfactory
• Convinces the judge to a reasonable certainty that the defendant is guilty

Habitual Truancy Court Sessions

The court has sessions about habitual truancy at Madison high schools. These sessions happen every other week during the school year. Sessions can include:

• The students
• Their parents or guardians
• School officials, including principals, teachers, social workers, counselors, psychologists, and the school nurse

Requests on Court Cases

Every year, the court processes thousands of requests on court cases. We also issue thousands of orders about a wide variety of legal matters, including:

• Payment plans
• Driver's license and vehicle registration suspensions and reinstatements
• Tax interceptions
• Inspections
• Arrest warrants

The judge will issue these orders if people do not make payments or do not appear in court.