66.119 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: As to (3) (d), see s.
800.093 regarding municipal court authority to order restitution.
66.119 Annotation
Circuit court may not issue bench warrant for violator of county ordinance who has received citation under this section and who neither posts deposit nor appears at citation return date. 70 Atty. Gen. 280.
66.119 Annotation
Sub. (3) (b) only authorizes use of citations for violations of ordinances other than those for which a statutory counterpart exists.
76 Atty. Gen. 211.
66.119 Annotation
A judgment for payment of a forfeiture can be docketed, accumulates interest at 12% and may be enforced through collection remedies available in other civil proceedings.
OAG 2-95.
66.12
66.12
Actions for violation of ordinances. 66.12(1)
(1)
Collection of forfeitures and penalties. 66.12(1)(a)(a) An action for violation of an ordinance or bylaw enacted by a city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district is a civil action. All forfeitures and penalties imposed by any ordinance or bylaw of the city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district, except as provided in
ss. 345.20 to
345.53, may be collected in an action in the name of the city or village before the municipal court or in an action in the name of the city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district before a court of record. If the action is in municipal court, the procedures under
ch. 800 apply and the procedures under this section do not apply. If the action is in a court of record, it shall be commenced by warrant or summons under
s. 968.04 or, if applicable, by citation under
s. 778.25 or
778.26. A law enforcement officer may arrest the offender in all cases without warrant under
s. 968.07. The affidavit where the action is commenced by warrant may be the complaint. The affidavit or complaint shall be sufficient if it alleges that the defendant has violated an ordinance or bylaw, specifying the ordinance or bylaw by section, chapter, title or otherwise with sufficient plainness to identify the ordinance or bylaw. The judge may release a defendant without bail or may permit him or her to execute an unsecured appearance bond upon arrest. In arrests without a warrant or summons a statement on the records of the court of the offense charged shall stand as the complaint unless the court directs that formal complaint be issued. In all actions under this paragraph the defendant's plea shall be guilty, not guilty or no contest and shall be entered as not guilty on failure to plead, which plea of not guilty shall put all matters in the case at issue, any other provision of law notwithstanding.
66.12(1)(b)
(b) Local ordinances, except as provided in this paragraph or
ss. 345.20 to
345.53, may contain a provision for stipulation of guilt or no contest of any or all violations under those ordinances, and may designate the manner in which the stipulation is to be made and fix the penalty to be paid. When a person charged with a violation for which stipulation of guilt or no contest is authorized makes a timely stipulation and pays the required penalty and pays the penalty assessment imposed by
s. 165.87, the jail assessment imposed by
s. 302.46 (1) and any applicable domestic abuse assessment imposed by
s. 973.055 (1) to the designated official, the person need not appear in court and no witness fees or other additional costs may be taxed unless the local ordinance so provides. A court appearance is required for a violation of a local ordinance in conformity with
s. 346.63 (1). The official receiving the penalties shall remit all moneys collected to the treasurer of the city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district in whose behalf the sum was paid, except that all jail assessments shall be remitted to the county treasurer, within 20 days after its receipt by him or her; and in case of any failure in the payment, the treasurer may collect the payment of the officer by action, in the name of the office, and upon the official bond of the officer, with interest at the rate of 12% per year from the time when it should have been paid. In the case of the penalty assessment imposed by
s. 165.87, the driver improvement surcharge imposed by
s. 346.655 (1) and any applicable domestic abuse assessment imposed by
s. 973.055 (1), the treasurer of the city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district shall remit to the state treasurer the sum required by law to be paid on the actions so entered during the preceding month on or before the first day of the next succeeding month. The governing body of the city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district shall by ordinance designate the official to receive the penalties and the terms under which the official shall qualify.
66.12(1)(c)
(c) If the circuit court finds a defendant guilty in a forfeiture action based on a violation of an ordinance, the court shall render judgment as provided under
ss. 800.09 and
800.095. If the court finds the violation meets the conditions in
s. 800.093 (1) (a) and
(b), the court may hold a hearing to determine if restitution shall be ordered under
s. 800.093.
66.12(1)(d)
(d) If the defendant desires to enter a not guilty plea, such plea may be entered by certified mail.
66.12(2)
(2) Appeals. Appeals in actions in courts of record to recover forfeitures and penalties imposed by any ordinance or bylaw of a city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district may be taken either by the defendant or by the city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district. Appeals from circuit court in actions to recover forfeitures for ordinances enacted under
ch. 349 shall be to the court of appeals. An appeal by the defendant shall include a bond to the city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district with surety, to be approved by the judge, conditioned that if judgment is affirmed in whole or in part the defendant will pay the judgment and all costs and damages awarded against the defendant on the appeal. If the judgment is affirmed in whole or in part, execution may issue against both the defendant and the surety.
66.12(3)
(3) Costs and fees; forfeitures to go to treasury. 66.12(3)(a)(a) Fees in forfeiture actions in circuit court for violations of ordinances are prescribed in
s. 814.63 (1) and
(2).
66.12(3)(b)
(b) All forfeitures and penalties recovered for the violation of any ordinance or bylaw of any city, village, town, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district shall be paid into the city, village, town, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district treasury for the use of the city, village, town, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district, except as otherwise provided in
par. (c),
sub. (1) (b) and
s. 165.87. The judge shall report and pay into the treasury, quarterly, or at more frequent intervals if so required, all moneys collected belonging to the city, village, town, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district, which report shall be certified and filed in the office of the treasurer; and the judge shall be entitled to duplicate receipts for such moneys, one of which he or she shall file with the city, village or town clerk or with the town sanitary district or the public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district.
66.12(3)(c)
(c) The entire amount in excess of $150 of any forfeiture imposed for the violation of any traffic regulation in conformity with
ch. 348 shall be transmitted to the county treasurer if the violation occurred on an interstate highway, a state trunk highway or a highway over which the local highway authority does not have primary maintenance responsibility. The county treasurer shall then make payment to the state treasurer as provided in
s. 59.25 (3) (L).
66.12 History
History: 1971 c. 278;
1973 c. 336;
1975 c. 231;
1977 c. 29,
182,
269,
272,
305,
418,
447,
449;
1979 c. 32 s.
92 (17);
1979 c. 110 s.
60 (13);
1979 c. 331;
1981 c. 20,
317;
1983 a. 418 s.
8;
1987 a. 27,
389; Sup. Ct. Order, 146 W (2d) xiii (1988);
1989 a. 107;
1991 a. 39,
40,
189;
1993 a. 16,
167,
246,
491;
1995 a. 201,
349.
66.12 Annotation
Costs should be awarded a defendant who prevails in a municipal ordinance violation case. Milwaukee v. Leschke, 57 W (2d) 159, 203 NW (2d) 669.
66.12 Annotation
The simultaneous sale of 4 different magazines by the same seller to the same buyer may give rise to separate violations of the obscenity ordinance. Madison v. Nickel, 66 W (2d) 71, 223 NW (2d) 865.
66.12 Annotation
Under the rationale of the Pedersen Case, 56 W (2d) 286, (1) (c) is constitutional except in the instance where imprisonment under the statute is used as a means of collection from an indigent defendant. West Allis v. State ex rel. Tochalauski, 67 W (2d) 26, 226 NW (2d) 424.
66.12 Annotation
Sub. (1) (a) does not authorize the issuance of arrest warrants without a showing of probable cause. State ex rel. Warrender v. Kenosha County Ct. 67 W (2d) 333, 231 NW (2d) 193.
66.12 Annotation
Under 968.07 (1) (d) and 66.12 (1) (a), officer may make warrantless arrest for ordinance violation if statutory counterpart of ordinance exists. City of Madison v. Ricky Two Crow, 88 W (2d) 156, 276 NW (2d) 359 (Ct. App. 1979).
66.12 Annotation
Defendant has burden to raise and prove indigency where imprisonment is ordered for failure to pay fine under (1) (c). 64 Atty. Gen. 94.
66.12 Annotation
A judgment for payment of a forfeiture can be docketed, accumulates interest at 12% and may be enforced through collection remedies available in other civil proceedings.
OAG 2-95.
66.121
66.121
Inspection of property. A county or a city authorized to act under
s. 74.87 may enter any real property for which a tax certificate has been issued under
s. 74.57, or may authorize another person to enter the real property, to determine the nature and extent of environmental pollution, as defined in
s. 299.01 (4).
66.121 History
History: 1993 a. 453;
1995 a. 227.
66.122
66.122
Special inspection warrants. 66.122(1)(a)(a) Any state, county, city, village, town, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district officer, agent or employe charged under statute or municipal ordinance with powers or duties involving inspection of real or personal property, including buildings, building premises and building contents, is deemed a peace officer for the purpose of applying for, obtaining and executing special inspection warrants under
s. 66.123 for inspection purposes.
66.122(1)(b)
(b) "Inspection purposes" include, without limitation because of enumeration, such purposes as building, housing, electrical, plumbing, heating, gas, fire, health, safety, environmental pollution, water quality, waterways, use of water, food, zoning, property assessment, meter and obtaining data required to be submitted in an initial site report or feasibility report under
subch. III of ch. 289 or
s. 291.23,
291.25,
291.29 or
291.31 or an environmental impact statement related to one of those reports.
66.122(2)
(2) Except in cases of emergency where no special inspection warrant shall be required, special inspection warrants shall be issued for inspection of personal or real properties which are not public buildings or for inspection of portions of public buildings which are not open to the public only upon showing that consent to entry for inspection purposes has been refused. The definition of "public building" under
s. 101.01 (12) applies to this section.
66.122 Annotation
See note to 141.05, citing 63 Atty. Gen. 337.
66.123
66.123
Special inspection warrant forms. The following forms for use under
s. 66.122 are illustrative and not mandatory:
Affidavit
STATE OF WISCONSIN
.... County
In the .... court of the .... of ....
A. F., being duly sworn, says that on the .... day of ...., 19.., in said county, in and upon certain premises in the (city, town or village) of .... and more particularly described as follows: (describe the premises) there now exists a necessity to determine if said premises comply with (section .... of the Wisconsin statutes) or (section .... of ordinances of said municipality) or both. The facts tending to establish the grounds for issuing a special inspection warrant are as follows: (set forth brief statement of reasons for inspection, frequency and approximate date of last inspection, if any, which shall be deemed probable cause for issuance of warrant).
Wherefore, the said A. F. prays that a special inspection warrant be issued to search such premises for said purpose.
...(Signed) A. F.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this .... day of ...., 19..
.... Judge of the .... Court.
Special Inspection Warrant
STATE OF WISCONSIN
.... County
In the .... court of the .... of ....
The State of Wisconsin, To the sheriff or any constable or any peace officer of said county:
Whereas, A. B. has this day complained (in writing) to the said court upon oath that on the .... day of ...., 19.., in said county, in and upon certain premises in the (city, town or village) of .... and more particularly described as follows: (describe the premises) there now exists a necessity to determine if said premises comply with (section .... of the Wisconsin statutes) or (section .... of ordinances of said municipality) or both and prayed that a special inspection warrant be issued to search said premises.
Now, therefore, in the name of the state of Wisconsin you are commanded forthwith to search the said premises for said purposes.
Dated this .... day of ...., 19..,
.... Judge of the .... Court.
Indorsement on Warrant
Received by me ...., 19.., at .... o'clock .... M.
.... Sheriff (or peace officer).
Return of Officer
STATE OF WISCONSIN
.... Court
.... County.
I hereby certify that by virtue of the within warrant I searched the named premises and found the following things (describe findings).
Dated this .... day of ...., 19...
.... Sheriff (or peace officer).
66.123 History
History: 1983 a. 36.
66.124
66.124
Order authority. 66.124(1)(1) An employe or agent of a local health department designated by the department of health and family services under
s. 254.69 (2) or the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under
s. 97.41 may enter, at reasonable hours, any premises for which the local health department issues a permit under
s. 97.41 or
254.69 (2) to inspect the premises, secure samples or specimens, examine and copy relevant documents and records or obtain photographic or other evidence needed to enforce
subch. VII of ch. 254,
ch. 97 or
s. 254.47, relating to those premises. If samples of food are taken, the local health department shall pay or offer to pay the market value of those samples. The local health department, department of health and family services or department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall examine the samples and specimens secured and shall conduct other inspections and examinations needed to determine whether there is a violation of
subch. VII of ch. 254,
ch. 97 or
s. 254.47, rules adopted by the departments under those statutes, ordinances adopted by the village, city or county or regulations adopted by the local board of health under
s. 97.41 (7) or
254.69.
66.124(2)(a)(a) Whenever, as a result of an examination, a village, city or county has reasonable cause to believe that any examined food constitutes, or that any construction, sanitary condition, operation or method of operation of the premises or equipment used on the premises creates an immediate danger to health, the administrator of the village, city or county agency responsible for the village's, city's or county's agent functions under
s. 97.41 or
254.69 (2) may issue a temporary order and cause it to be delivered to the permittee, or to the owner or custodian of the food, or to both. The order may prohibit the sale or movement of the food for any purpose, prohibit the continued operation or method of operation of specific equipment, require the premises to cease any other operation or method of operation which creates the immediate danger to health, or set forth any combination of these requirements. The administrator may order the cessation of all operations authorized by the permit only if a more limited order does not remove the immediate danger to health. Except as provided in
par. (c), no temporary order is effective for longer than 14 days from the time of its delivery, but a temporary order may be reissued for one additional 14-day period, if necessary to complete the analysis or examination of samples, specimens or other evidence.
66.124(2)(b)
(b) No food described in a temporary order issued and delivered under
par. (a) may be sold or moved and no operation or method of operation prohibited by the temporary order may be resumed without the approval of the village, city or county, until the order has terminated or the time period specified in
par. (a) has run out, whichever occurs first. If the village, city or county, upon completed analysis and examination, determines that the food, construction, sanitary condition, operation or method of operation of the premises or equipment does not constitute an immediate danger to health, the permittee, owner or custodian of the food or premises shall be promptly notified in writing and the temporary order shall terminate upon his or her receipt of the written notice.
66.124(2)(c)
(c) If the analysis or examination shows that the food, construction, sanitary condition, operation or method of operation of the premises or equipment constitutes an immediate danger to health, the permittee, owner or custodian shall be notified within the effective period of the temporary order issued under
par. (a). Upon receipt of the notice, the temporary order remains in effect until a final decision is issued under
sub. (3), and no food described in the temporary order may be sold or moved and no operation or method of operation prohibited by the order may be resumed without the approval of the village, city or county.
66.124(3)
(3) A notice issued under
sub. (2) (c) shall be accompanied by notice of a hearing as provided in
s. 68.11 (1). The village, city or county shall hold a hearing no later than 15 days after the service of the notice, unless both parties agree to a later date. Notwithstanding
s. 68.12, a final decision shall be issued under
s. 68.12 within 10 days of the hearing. The decision may order the destruction of food, the diversion of food to uses which do not pose a danger to health, the modification of food so that it does not create a danger to health, changes to or replacement of equipment or construction, other changes in or cessations of any operation or method of operation of the equipment or premises, or any combination of these actions necessary to remove the danger to health. The decision may order the cessation of all operations authorized by the permit only if a more limited order will not remove the immediate danger to health.
66.124(4)
(4) A proceeding under this section, or the issuance of a permit for the premises after notification of procedures under this section, does not constitute a waiver by the village, city or county of its authority to rely on a violation of
ch. 97,
s. 254.47 or
subch. VII of ch. 254 or any rule adopted under those statutes as the basis for any subsequent suspension or revocation of the permit or any other enforcement action arising out of the violation.
66.124(5)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), any person who violates this section or an order issued under this section may be fined not more than $10,000 plus the retail value of any food moved, sold or disposed of in violation of this section or the order, or imprisoned not more than one year in the county jail, or both.
66.124(5)(b)
(b) Any person who does either of the following may be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than one year in a county jail, or both:
66.124(5)(b)1.
1. Assaults, restrains, threatens, intimidates, impedes, interferes with or otherwise obstructs a village, city or county inspector, employe or agent in the performance of his or her duties under this section.
66.124(5)(b)2.
2. Gives false information to a village, city or county inspector, employe or agent engaged in the performance of his or her duties under this section, with the intent to mislead the inspector, employe or agent.
66.125
66.125
Orders; action; proof of demand. No action shall be brought upon any city, village, town or school district order until the expiration of 30 days after a demand for the payment of the same shall have been made. If an action is brought and the defendant fails to appear and defend the action, judgment shall not be entered without affirmative proof of the demand. If judgment is entered without proof of the demand, the judgment shall be void.
66.125 History
History: 1993 a. 246;
1995 a. 225.
66.13
66.13
Limitation of action attacking contracts. Whenever the proper officers of any city, village or town enter into any contract in manner and form as prescribed by statute, and either party to the contract has procured or furnished materials or expended money under the terms of the contract, no action or proceedings may be maintained to test the validity of the contract unless the action or proceeding is commenced within the time limited by
s. 893.75.
66.13 History
History: 1979 c. 323;
1993 a. 246.
66.14
66.14
Official bonds, premium. Any city, however incorporated, may pay the cost of any official bond furnished by an officer thereof, pursuant to law or any rules or regulations requiring the same, if said officer shall furnish a bond with a surety company or companies authorized to do business in this state, said cost not to exceed the current rate of premium per year on the amount of said bond or obligation by said surety executed. The cost of any such bond in such city shall be charged to the fund appropriated and set up in the budget for the department, board, commission or other body, the officer of which is required to furnish a bond.
66.14 History
History: 1979 c. 110 s.
60 (13).
66.144
66.144
Residency required for public officials in 1st class cities. Any public official, as defined in
s. 66.146 (1) (b), may not serve more than 180 days after his or her confirmation unless he or she resides within the boundaries of the 1st class city by which he or she is employed.
66.144 History
History: 1987 a. 289.
66.145
66.145
Requirements for surety bonds of officers and employes in cities of the first class. When any office or position in the service of any city of the first class involves fiduciary responsibility or the handling of money, the appointing officer may require the appointee to furnish a bond or other security to such officer and the said city for the faithful performance of the appointee's duty, the amount to be fixed by the appointing officer, with the approval of the mayor, and notice of the mayor's approval shall be given to the city clerk by the mayor. Each bond shall be approved by the city attorney as to the form and execution thereof, and by the common council as to the sufficiency of the sureties therein; provided, however, that any surety company, the bonds of which are accepted by the judge of any court of record in this state, or which is approved by the comptroller of the said city, shall be sufficient security on any such bond, and that the premium on such bond, within the limits fixed by law, shall be paid out of the city treasury. The appointing officer shall immediately after the execution of such bond file the same with the city clerk, and it shall be the duty of the city clerk to require compliance with the terms of this section requiring the filing of bonds with the city clerk by officers and employes, and all such bonds of city officers and employes, duly witnessed and acknowledged, after being approved by the common council, shall be delivered to the city comptroller, who shall have them recorded in the office of the register of deeds and, after such recording by the city comptroller in the office of the register of deeds, the said bonds shall be returned to the city clerk, who shall keep them on file in the city clerk's office; except that after the recording of the bond of the city clerk by the city comptroller, said bond shall remain on file in the office of the city comptroller. Each bond filed by any surety company shall be accompanied by a duplicate of said bond, which duplicate shall be filed by the clerk with the city comptroller.
66.145 History
History: 1991 a. 316.
66.146
66.146
Mayoral appointments in 1st class cities. 66.146(1)(a)
(a) "Public office" means the following positions or their equivalent: city engineer; city purchasing agent; commissioner of building inspection, of city development, of health or of public works; director of administration, of budget and management, of community development agency, of employe relations, of office of telecommunications, or of safety; emergency management coordinator; employe benefits administrator; executive director of the commission on community relations; municipal port director; commissioner of assessments; director of liaison; city personnel director; executive director of the retirement board; executive director of the city board of election commissioners; city librarian; city labor negotiator; executive secretary of the board of fire and police commissioners; and supervisor of the central electronics board.
