1. Resources for the Madison Community

    Madison stands with the families of Abundant Life community. This page is dedicated to connecting victims and the broader community to resources and accurate information about the tragic events that happened on December 16.

City-county building
Municipal Court
Honorable Judge Daniel P. Koval

Reopen a Case

You can request the court to reopen your case if you want the court to reconsider their ruling or if you missed a court date.

Reopening Process

  1. Request to Reopen

    You can request that the judge reopen your case online or by email, mail, or fax.

    Request to Reopen

    The court will schedule a hearing and contact you with instructions.

  2. Reopening Status Conference with City Attorney

    The reopening status conference will happen over the phone. You will negotiate with your opponent, the City Attorney.

    • If you reach an agreement, the City Attorney will send the agreement to the judge. The judge does not have to accept the agreement, but usually does.
    • If you do not reach an agreement, you will have a hearing with the Judge.

  3. Reopening Hearing with Judge

    The reopening hearing with the judge will happen online over Zoom, unless the judge orders you to appear in person or by phone. We'll give you information about how to use Zoom when you get your court hearing notice.

    The judge will hear from both sides and decide whether or not to reopen the case.

    • If the judge does not allow the reopening, the original judgment will stay in place.
    • If the judge allows the reopening, you will get a trial date.

This is not a criminal case, so the court cannot appoint a lawyer to represent you. However, you may hire an attorney to represent you if you wish.

Your Responsibilities

You must call the City Attorney on your on your court date. If you do not call within five minutes of your hearing time, your request will be denied. The status of your case will not change.

If your address changes during the case, you must notify the court of the change in writing within five days.

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Hearings & Trials