INITIAL APPEARANCE: JUVENILES Initial appearances for juveniles charged with violating a City of Middleton ordinance generally are held one Thursday night per month, commencing at 6:00 p.m. The citation will indicate the specific date. All juvenile proceedings are confidential. Typically, only the juvenile and his/her parents are permitted in the courtroom. When you arrive at the Court office, you should register with the Court Clerk. Names will be called in the order in which people have registered, with the possibility of exceptions as determined by the Court. The Judge will read the pertinent parts of the citation, such as the charge, date of the alleged violation, and other key information. Then, you will be asked to enter a plea of not guilty, no contest, or guilty. You can request a continuance, if you need additional time to consult an attorney or someone else. If you enter a not guilty plea, the next stage of the legal process is a Pre-Trial Conference. Please see the Pre-Trial Conferences page on the Municipal Court website. If you wish to enter a not guilty plea without appearing in Court for your initial appearance, you must mail, fax, or email your not guilty plea to the Court prior to the scheduled date. If you enter a not guilty plea by mail, fax or email, provide your name, current mailing address, current telephone number, and the citation number. If you plead either no contest or guilty, the Judge will find you guilty and impose a sentence. Usually, the sentence will be imposed the same night as the initial appearance. However, sometimes the Judge will schedule a sentencing hearing for a separate date. A plea of no contest means you are telling the Court that you are not admitting you are guilty but there is enough evidence to find you guilty. A plea of guilty means that you are telling the Court you are guilty as charged. If you are found guilty after entering a no contest plea, that finding cannot be used against you as an admission of guilt if you appear in any other court action. If you fail to appear in Court for your initial appearance, and you have not entered a written plea of not guilty, paid the deposit amount of your citation, or obtained a continuance for another date, the Court will enter a default judgment against you. You will receive a notice of default judgment in the mail. If you fail to comply with the sentence imposed by the Court, a non-compliance hearing will be scheduled. You will have an opportunity to explain your failure to comply with the Court's order. Failure to comply with a Court order may lead to a suspension of your driver's license or other consequences. You may have an attorney assist you, but you will have to provide your own attorney. The Court will not appoint an attorney for you.
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