Lake Country Municipal Court: judge reports $2.3M in fines processed, notes $10 ticket cost increase

Municipal Judge Tim K delivered the Lake Country Municipal Court’s 2025 annual report to the Delafield Common Council on April 20, reporting caseload and revenue details and describing courtroom staffing and procedures.

Key items from the judge’s presentation: the village of Palmyra is scheduled to join the court effective May 1, an addition that the judge estimated would add about 80–90 tickets per month. The judge said a recent change in state law permits adding $10 to each ticket’s court cost; he used the example that 'the old tickets of $124 will now be $134 and we get to keep that extra $10,' and said the additional revenue will help cover rising operating expenses such as healthcare costs for court staff.

Fiscal figures the judge cited for the prior year included about $2,300,000 in fines processed, approximately $1,300,000 returned to municipalities, and roughly $49,000 retained by the court for operating expenses (clerks, rent, insurance, etc.). The judge also described operational practices: use of two bailiffs to manage staggered calendars, a restitution-first approach on retail-theft cases to ensure restitution can be collected, and options for reduced fines or payment plans for young defendants who appear and engage in review hearings.

Council members asked questions about juvenile and retail-theft handling and about seasonal spikes in specific fines (e.g., overweight vehicle citations in spring months). The judge described standard practices for reducing fines when defendants appear and explained how overweight routes and seasonal restrictions contribute to higher fine totals in certain months.