Municipal Court

Municipal Court Judge - Peter Kastenholz

The Wisconsin Rapids Municipal Court handles cases of alleged violations of municipal ordinances for which the penalty is a forfeiture. The court was created by the common council in 1995 and began operation in the spring of 1996. The court is located in the first floor of the city hall in offices shared with the police department. The court has a part-time elected judge and a full-time municipal court clerk. It conducts hearings and trials in the council chambers. Hearing dates are the first and third Wednesdays of each month and trials are on the second Friday of each month. The types of cases heard by the court include civil traffic actions in which there is no possibility of the accused going to jail, with the most serious of these offenses being the first offense (within 10 years) of drunk driving; ordinance violations such as shoplifting, disorderly conduct and parking citations; and juvenile offenses such as underage drinking and smoking. The court has established a first offender juvenile alcohol diversion program in conjunction with the Wood County Unified Services Department. Although seldom used, the court has the authority to hear truancy cases, conduct marriages, and hear alleged violations of the building, electrical, plumbing, fire, and zoning codes. Municipal court trials are tape recorded for appeal purposes. Other proceedings are not recorded. The court is less formal than circuit court, particularly in actions involving juveniles.

If you have any questions concerning the operations of the municipal court, contact the municipal court clerk at 421-6212. The court clerk's public office hours are Monday through Thursday from 7AM - 3PM.

Court Handout for information

The Wisconsin Rapids Municipal Court now offers the option to pay fines and
costs online through Government Payment Services.

Please have the citation available when making a payment. The following
basic information is needed when completing a payment online.

1: Pay location Code: 1647
2: Date of Issue
3: Case/Ticket Number
4: License Plate Number
5: Offense (speeding, Parking, Red Light, etc...)
6: Date of Birth
7: Drivers License Number
8: The Amount Owed
9: A valid MasterCard, VISA, Discover, or American Express Card.

If you have any questions please call 1-888-604-7888. (Live operators are
available 24 hours a day/7 days a week to help you!)

Click here to make your payment. This will take you outside the Wisconsin
Rapids Municipal Court website and into the GPS website.

Note: Government Payment Services (GPS) is an independent company that
charges a fee for its services. The court receives no part of that fee.