Racine County Juvenile Detention Center Criminal Court Process

Local courts in Racine County (circuit court and municipal courts)

Two kinds of courts handle cases that begin with a Racine County arrest or citation. The circuit court, a branch of the statewide court system, hears every crime and many traffic forfeitures. Municipal courts are created by individual cities, villages and towns and hear only violations of local ordinances, which are civil matters punished by forfeitures (money penalties). A municipal judge cannot send anyone to jail as a sentence; jail or a license suspension can follow only when a person fails to pay a forfeiture. In some situations a defendant can ask to have an ordinance case moved to the circuit court, for example by requesting a jury, so anyone thinking about that should check the deadline printed on the citation or ask the court clerk.

Racine County Circuit Court

• Racine County Courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403; Clerk of Circuit Court (262) 636-3333
• Criminal and traffic clerk offices in the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Avenue: felony (262) 636-3291; misdemeanor and juvenile (262) 636-3844; traffic court (262) 636-3468

Municipal courts serving Racine County communities

• Racine Municipal Court (City of Racine), 800 Center Street, Room 115, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 636-9263
• Burlington City Municipal Court (City of Burlington), 300 N. Pine Street, Burlington, WI 53105, (262) 342-1129
• Burlington Town Municipal Court (Town of Burlington), 32288 Bushnell Road, Burlington, WI 53105, (262) 763-8591
• Caledonia Municipal Court (Village of Caledonia), 5043 Chester Lane, Racine, WI 53402, (262) 835-6467
• Dover/Yorkville Municipal Court (joint court listed by the state for Dover and Yorkville; Yorkville has since become a village, so confirm the court named on the citation), 4110 S. Beaumont Avenue, Kansasville, WI 53139, (262) 497-8860
• Mount Pleasant Municipal Court (joint court for the villages of Mount Pleasant and Elmwood Park), 8811 Campus Drive, Mount Pleasant, WI 53406, (262) 664-7831
• Norway Municipal Court (Town of Norway), 6411 Heg Park Road, Wind Lake, WI 53185, (262) 895-3652
• Raymond Municipal Court (Village of Raymond), 2255 76th Street, Franksville, WI 53126, (262) 835-1651
• Sturtevant Municipal Court (Village of Sturtevant), 2801 89th Street, Sturtevant, WI 53177, (262) 886-7207
• Union Grove Municipal Court (Village of Union Grove), 925 15th Avenue, Union Grove, WI 53182, (262) 878-2668
• Waterford Municipal Court (Village of Waterford), 123 N. River Street, Waterford, WI 53185, (262) 534-3980
• Waterford Town Municipal Court (Town of Waterford), 415 N. Milwaukee Street, Waterford, WI 53185, (262) 534-4880
• Wind Point/North Bay Municipal Court (joint court for the villages of Wind Point and North Bay), 215 E. Four Mile Road, Racine, WI 53402, (262) 898-7071

The Village of Rochester does not appear in the state's municipal court directory, so ordinance and first-OWI citations written there are generally heard in the circuit court's traffic division at the Law Enforcement Center.

Prosecution, defense and juvenile intake

• Racine County District Attorney, 730 Wisconsin Avenue, 9th floor, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 636-3172
• State Public Defender, Racine Trial Office, 212 4th Street, Suite 200, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 638-7530
• Racine County Human Services Department, Youth and Family Division, 1717 Taylor Avenue, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 638-7720; general information (262) 638-6353

Sheriff, jail and police departments

• Racine County Sheriff's Office, 717 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 636-3822
• Racine County Jail, 717 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 636-3929
• Racine Police Department, 730 Center Street, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 635-7700
• Mount Pleasant Police Department, 8811 Campus Drive, Mount Pleasant, WI 53406, (262) 884-0454
• Caledonia Police Department, 5045 Chester Lane, Caledonia, WI 53402, (262) 835-4423
• Burlington Police Department (city), 224 E. Jefferson Street, Burlington, WI 53105, (262) 342-1100
• Town of Burlington Police Department, 32288 Bushnell Road, Burlington, WI 53105, (262) 763-9558
• Sturtevant Police Department, 2801 89th Street, Sturtevant, WI 53177, (262) 886-7222
• Raymond Police Department, 2255 76th Street, Franksville, WI 53126, (262) 835-4426
• Norway Police Department, 6419 Heg Park Road, Wind Lake, WI 53185, (262) 895-2195
• Waterford Police (town and village), 415 N. Milwaukee Street, Waterford, WI 53185, (262) 534-2119
• Union Grove Police, 925 15th Avenue, Union Grove, WI 53182, (262) 878-1818
• Wind Point Police Department, 4725 Lighthouse Drive, Wind Point, WI 53402, (262) 639-3022

The Sheriff's deputies patrol the communities that have no department of their own and the county's stretch of Interstate 94, and the Wisconsin State Patrol also writes tickets on the interstate. No matter which agency makes a criminal arrest, the case ends up before the same circuit court. Someone who cannot afford a lawyer on a criminal charge should contact the Racine Trial Office of the State Public Defender as soon as possible.

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The courthouse, the Law Enforcement Center and the 10 circuit court branches

Racine County's justice buildings sit side by side in downtown Racine. The Racine County Courthouse at 730 Wisconsin Avenue holds courtrooms, the main Clerk of Circuit Court office and, on its 9th floor, the District Attorney. Directly across the avenue, the Law Enforcement Center at 717 Wisconsin Avenue contains the Sheriff's Office, the Racine County Jail, the traffic court and the clerk's criminal counters: felony files are kept on the lower level, and misdemeanor, juvenile and traffic files on the main level. Because people in custody are already inside the Law Enforcement Center, many in-custody hearings happen without a long transport.

How the branches are divided

• Felony division: three judges hear felony cases, from preliminary hearings that are not handled by a commissioner through trial and sentencing.
• Misdemeanor and traffic division: two judges handle misdemeanors, criminal traffic offenses and the busy forfeiture calendar.
• Juvenile division: one judge hears delinquency cases and related juvenile matters.
• Civil, family and probate: the remaining four branches take civil, family and probate work, although any judge may be assigned criminal cases when calendars require it.

The court's own listing notes that some judges rotate to a different division in early August of even-numbered years. A judicial court commissioner and a group of supplemental commissioners handle many first appearances, bail settings and other routine hearings, and their rulings can be reviewed by a judge.

Traffic court sessions

The traffic court at 717 Wisconsin Avenue processes hundreds of first appearances in a session, taken first come, first served; people should check in with the bailiff when they arrive. A not-guilty plea on a forfeiture can be filed before the date shown on the citation, and anyone who wants a jury trial on a traffic forfeiture must pay a nonrefundable jury fee within 10 days of the initial appearance. The court treats a missed appearance as a plea of no contest, which can mean a guilty finding and the maximum penalty.

Appeals from the Racine County Circuit Court go to District II of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, based in Waukesha, and then, if the Wisconsin Supreme Court agrees to hear them, to that court in Madison.

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What happens after an arrest in Racine County (booking, the first hearing and release terms)

Officers from Racine, Mount Pleasant, Caledonia or any of the county's other departments bring adults they arrest to the Law Enforcement Center, where deputies book them into the Racine County Jail. Booking means a records check, fingerprints, a photograph, a property inventory and a health screening. For many lower-level arrests the person is given a citation or released on a signature bond within hours and told when to come to court.

Release on a set amount or a promise

A person who is not released after booking sees a circuit court judge or court commissioner at an initial appearance, normally within 48 hours of the arrest and often by video from the jail. The judge or commissioner reviews whether there is probable cause, informs the defendant of the charge and sets release conditions. The two main forms are:

• a signature bond, which is a written promise to appear, sometimes with a dollar amount that becomes owed only if the defendant misses court (a co-signer may be required);
• cash bail, which must be posted in full, together with conditions such as no contact with an alleged victim, no alcohol or drugs, or staying away from a particular address.

Since a 2023 amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution, a judge setting cash bail and conditions for someone charged with a violent crime may weigh the risk of serious bodily harm to the community, among other factors.

Posting money and getting it back

Racine County accepts cash posted at the jail or with the court. Anyone posting should know that the clerk can apply that cash to restitution, fines, fees or court costs at the end of the case without further notice to the person who paid it. Any balance is refunded by mail, usually four to six weeks after the case is resolved. Because Wisconsin bans commercial bail bonding, there are no bondsmen to call; family members post the money themselves.

Domestic abuse arrests

When officers have probable cause to believe domestic abuse occurred, Wisconsin law often requires an arrest. A person released on a domestic abuse charge must avoid the alleged victim's residence and avoid contacting the alleged victim for 72 hours unless the alleged victim signs a waiver, and courts usually extend a no-contact order for the life of the case.

A person who wants a lawyer from the State Public Defender can ask to be screened while still in the jail; the Racine Trial Office's number is (262) 638-7530.

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The jail on Wisconsin Avenue

The Racine County Jail occupies much of the Law Enforcement Center at 717 Wisconsin Avenue, Racine, WI 53403, and the Sheriff's Office runs it. Its rated capacity of roughly 876 beds puts it among the larger jails in Wisconsin. It holds men and women awaiting trial on Racine County charges, people serving county jail sentences, people held on probation or extended supervision holds, and some inmates held for other agencies.

Calling about an inmate

• Jail: (262) 636-3929
• Sheriff's Office at the Law Enforcement Center: (262) 636-3822
• Non-emergency dispatch: (262) 886-2300

Staff can confirm whether someone is in custody, the charges on file and the bail or release conditions a court has set. They cannot give legal advice or predict how a case will turn out.

Huber release and sentenced inmates

When a Racine County judge imposes a jail sentence, the judgment can grant Huber privileges, which let an inmate leave the jail for work, school, treatment or child care and return afterward. The Sheriff decides how Huber privileges are carried out, including any daily fee and whether electronic monitoring is used. A defendant should ask the defense lawyer before sentencing whether to request Huber privileges, because the request is made to the judge.

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The State Public Defender's Racine Trial Office

Indigent defendants in Racine County are represented by the Wisconsin State Public Defender, whose Racine Trial Office serves only this county. The office is at 212 4th Street, Suite 200, Racine, WI 53403, (262) 638-7530. Staff attorneys take many cases themselves, and the agency assigns others to private lawyers who accept public defender appointments.

Applying

1. If you are held in the Racine County Jail, tell jail staff or the court that you want to apply; public defender staff screen people in custody, often before the initial appearance.
2. If you are out of custody, call or visit the Racine Trial Office as soon as you receive a summons or a court date. Waiting until the day of court can mean appearing alone.
3. Bring or be ready to describe your income, savings, property, debts and household expenses. The agency applies a financial eligibility test set by state law, and that test is strict.
4. If you are found eligible, the office tells you which lawyer has the case. Keep that lawyer informed of any new address or phone number, especially if you are out on bond.

A person whom the public defender turns down but who still cannot afford a private lawyer can ask the judge to appoint counsel. The court may appoint a lawyer at county expense in that situation, and it may later order repayment if the person's finances allow. The public defender also handles many juvenile delinquency cases and certain appeals.

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The District Attorney, deferred prosecution and other diversion in Racine County

The Racine County District Attorney is elected countywide and, with a staff of assistant district attorneys, decides which charges to file in every adult criminal case in the county; the office also prosecutes juvenile delinquency cases. It is located on the 9th floor of the courthouse, 730 Wisconsin Avenue, (262) 636-3172. In Wisconsin, a police arrest does not by itself create a criminal case: the prosecutor reviews the reports and either files a criminal complaint, asks for more investigation or declines to charge. Someone booked into the Racine County Jail may therefore be released if no complaint is filed in time.

Routes to a dismissal or a reduced charge

• Deferred prosecution agreement. The prosecutor agrees to hold the case, or to hold off entering a conviction, while the defendant completes conditions such as counseling, restitution, community service or staying out of trouble; if the conditions are met the charge is dismissed or reduced. These agreements are most common for first offenders and lower-level charges.
• Deferred entry of judgment. The defendant enters a plea, but the court withholds the conviction while the agreement runs.
• Amended or dismissed charges. Many Racine County cases resolve through negotiation, with a felony reduced to a misdemeanor or some counts dismissed and "read in" for sentencing.
• Treatment-based options. Wisconsin's Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) approach supports diversion and treatment courts for people whose offenses are linked to substance use or mental illness; Racine County's treatment courts are described in the next section.

Victims

Crime victims have rights under Marsy's Law, the 2020 amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution, including notice of hearings, the chance to be heard at plea and sentencing, and a voice on bail and release. The District Attorney's victim-witness staff explain those rights and the court process.

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Racine County treatment courts (alcohol and drug court, veterans court)

Treatment courts replace part of an ordinary sentence with close supervision by a judge and a team that includes a prosecutor, a defense lawyer, a coordinator and treatment providers. Participants appear in court often, take frequent drug and alcohol tests and earn rewards or sanctions based on their progress.

• Alcohol and Drug Treatment Court. Racine County's program is for convicted, non-violent offenders whose crimes are tied to alcohol or drug use. It is a post-conviction program, so participants have already entered a plea, and successful completion can shape the final sentence.
• Veterans Treatment Court of the Second Judicial District. This court serves U.S. military veterans who have an alcohol or drug dependence or a treatable mental health diagnosis, and it pairs court supervision with veterans' benefits and mentoring. Racine coordinates it for the judicial district, which also includes Kenosha and Walworth counties.

Both programs are coordinated from 1717 Taylor Avenue, Racine, WI 53403; the treatment court coordinator can be reached at (262) 638-6719. Admission depends on a screening of the charge, criminal history and treatment needs, and on agreement by the District Attorney and the judge. A defendant who is interested should raise it with the defense lawyer early, ideally while released on bond, because screening takes time. Someone who is removed from a treatment court can face the sentence the program was meant to replace, including time in the Racine County Jail or prison.

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Misdemeanor (for example, theft, battery, disorderly conduct, a second OWI)

Retail theft at stores along Highway 20 and Green Bay Road, domestic disturbances, bar fights in downtown Racine and repeat drunk-driving stops on Interstate 94 make up a large share of the county's misdemeanor calendar. These cases are filed in the Racine County Circuit Court and assigned to the misdemeanor and traffic division.

From arrest to the first court date

Most people charged with a misdemeanor in Racine County are released with a citation, a summons or a signature bond. Someone kept at the Racine County Jail appears before a judge or commissioner, usually within 48 hours, where release conditions are set and the defendant can enter a plea of not guilty, guilty or no contest. People who want a public defender should apply right away, because the first appearance moves quickly.

What the listed charges can bring in Racine County

• Theft of property worth $2,500 or less, including shoplifting, is a Class A misdemeanor: up to 9 months in the county jail, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
• Battery, meaning intentionally causing bodily harm, is also a Class A misdemeanor, as is criminal trespass to a dwelling.
• Disorderly conduct is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days and a $1,000 fine. In family or household disputes it is often charged with a domestic abuse modifier, which triggers the 72-hour no-contact rule and can raise penalties on repeat offenses.
• Second OWI within 10 years of the first is a criminal misdemeanor with a mandatory jail term of 5 days to 6 months, a fine, license revocation, an alcohol and drug assessment and, in many cases, an ignition interlock device.
• Class C misdemeanors carry up to 30 days and a $500 fine.

Pretrial, plea or trial

After the first appearance, the case goes to pretrial conferences where the prosecutor and defense talk about a resolution. Most Racine County misdemeanors end with dismissal, a deferred prosecution agreement, a plea to a reduced charge, or a plea with a fine or probation. A defendant who goes to trial is entitled to a jury of six, and the verdict must be unanimous. A defendant who demands a speedy trial in a misdemeanor case is generally entitled to have the trial start within 60 days, subject to exceptions. A jail sentence is served in the county jail, often with Huber privileges for work. Typical misdemeanors take two to six months from charge to resolution.

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Felony (for example, burglary, felony theft, drug possession with intent to deliver, substantial battery)

Felony charges in Racine County are investigated by the city and village police departments, the Sheriff's detectives and, in drug cases, task forces that can include state and federal agents. The District Attorney files the criminal complaint, and the case is assigned to one of the felony-division judges.

The steps of a Racine County felony

1. Complaint and initial appearance. The judge or commissioner explains the charges and maximum penalties, addresses counsel and sets bail and conditions. A defendant who cannot post the amount stays in the Racine County Jail.
2. Preliminary hearing. A Racine County prosecutor has to persuade the judge or commissioner that probable cause exists to believe the defendant committed a felony. When the defendant is in custody and bail is more than the defendant can pay, the hearing is generally due within 10 days of the initial appearance; otherwise within 20 days. Many defendants waive this hearing, sometimes as part of negotiations.
3. Information and arraignment. If the case is bound over, the District Attorney files an information, the formal felony charge, and the defendant is arraigned and pleads.
4. Motions, plea or trial. Most cases resolve by plea agreement. At trial, 12 jurors decide, and they must agree unanimously. A defendant may demand a speedy trial, which generally requires a felony trial within 90 days, subject to exceptions. Grand juries are rarely used in Wisconsin.
5. Sentencing. The judge often orders a presentence investigation by the Department of Corrections before imposing sentence.

Penalty ranges for the listed charges

• Burglary (entering a building or dwelling intending to steal or commit a felony): Class F, up to 12.5 years and $25,000.
• Felony theft: more than $2,500 up to $5,000 is Class I (up to 3.5 years); more than $5,000 up to $10,000 is Class H (up to 6 years); more than $10,000 is Class G (up to 10 years).
• Possession with intent to deliver: the class depends on the drug and the amount, from Class I for small amounts of marijuana up to Class C, with up to 40 years, for large quantities of drugs such as fentanyl, heroin or cocaine.
• Substantial battery in Racine County is charged as a Class I felony, exposing the defendant to as much as 3.5 years and $10,000. Aggravated battery is Class H, or Class E (up to 15 years) when great bodily harm was intended.

Truth in sentencing

A Wisconsin prison sentence has two parts: a term of initial confinement served in prison and a term of extended supervision in the community. There is no parole for crimes committed after 1999, although a judge may find a defendant eligible for the Challenge Incarceration Program or the Substance Abuse Program, which can shorten confinement. A Racine County judge who imposes a year or less sends the defendant to the county jail, while anything longer is served in the state Department of Corrections. Probation is also common, sometimes with conditional jail time. A Racine County felony usually takes six months to a year from charge to sentencing.

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Violent felony (for example, homicide, sexual assault, armed robbery)

The most serious Racine County prosecutions, including homicides in the City of Racine and sexual assault and robbery cases across the county, go through the same felony-division process, but they move more slowly and draw the most attention from prosecutors and the court. At the initial appearance, the court often sets high cash bail with strict conditions, and under the 2023 constitutional amendment the judge may consider the risk of serious harm to the public in setting it. Many defendants charged with these crimes remain in the Racine County Jail until trial.

Wisconsin penalties

• First-degree intentional homicide is a Class A felony with a mandatory life sentence. The judge decides whether the defendant may petition for release to extended supervision after a set number of years or must serve life without that possibility.
• Second-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless homicide are Class B felonies, with up to 60 years.
• First-degree sexual assault is a Class B felony, up to 60 years; some offenses against young children carry mandatory minimum terms of confinement, and convictions generally require sex offender registration.
• Armed robbery is a Class C felony with up to 40 years and a $100,000 fine; robbery without a weapon is Class E, up to 15 years.

Wisconsin abolished the death penalty in 1853, and no sentence of death can be imposed in state court.

Timeline and lawyers

These cases commonly take one to two years. Forensic analysis, expert witnesses, competency evaluations and the volume of evidence all add time, and defense lawyers often waive speedy-trial demands to prepare. The State Public Defender's Racine Trial Office assigns experienced attorneys to homicide and other serious cases for eligible defendants. Victims and their families have rights under Marsy's Law, including the right to attend hearings and to speak at sentencing.

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Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Racine County

Wisconsin's juvenile court covers children from age 10 through 16. A 17-year-old charged with a crime in Racine County is prosecuted as an adult in the regular criminal courts. Delinquency cases are heard by the Racine County Circuit Court sitting as the juvenile court, with one branch assigned to the juvenile division; the clerk's juvenile records line is (262) 636-3844.

Intake at Human Services

When police take a young person into custody, the case goes to juvenile intake at the Racine County Human Services Department, Youth and Family Division, 1717 Taylor Avenue, (262) 638-7720. An intake worker decides whether the youth goes home to a parent, goes home under conditions, or is held in secure detention or another placement. The worker also recommends whether the case should be closed, handled informally through a deferred prosecution agreement, or referred to the District Attorney, who files a delinquency petition when the case goes to court.

Secure detention

Racine County runs its own secure juvenile center, the Jonathan Delagrave Youth Development and Care Center, at 1717 Taylor Avenue, (262) 898-6000. The county describes it as a secure facility of about 121 beds that also takes youth from Kenosha County and other southeastern Wisconsin counties. Medical and mental health assessments happen in the first 24 hours, and Racine Unified School District teachers provide classes inside. If a child is held, Wisconsin law generally requires a custody hearing before a judge or juvenile court commissioner within 24 hours after the end of the day the decision to hold was made, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.

How Racine County juvenile cases end

• dismissal, or a deferred prosecution agreement with conditions such as restitution, counseling or community service;
• a consent decree, which suspends the case for up to six months while the youth follows a plan;
• an adjudication of delinquency with in-home supervision by the county, electronic monitoring or a short stay in detention;
• placement outside the home, such as a group home or residential treatment;
• a Type 2 placement or, for serious offenses, a Type 1 commitment to the state's Lincoln Hills School for boys or Copper Lake School for girls, or the Serious Juvenile Offender program.

Racine County has for years tried to keep more of its youth in local programs rather than sending them to state juvenile corrections.

When a juvenile can be tried as an adult

The District Attorney may ask the juvenile court to waive jurisdiction so that a child 14 or older can be tried in adult court for certain felonies, and in rare, very serious cases a younger child may be waived. Separately, the adult court has original jurisdiction when a child 10 or older is accused of attempted or completed first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide or felony murder, and over some juveniles who were previously adjudicated delinquent and are charged with certain new crimes. A child in adult court may still be held in juvenile detention in some cases. Juvenile court records in Wisconsin are generally confidential, although some information can be shared with schools, victims and law enforcement. The State Public Defender represents many children in delinquency cases regardless of the parents' income.

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Federal cases (U.S. District Court) from Racine County

Racine County belongs to the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and its federal criminal cases are assigned to the Milwaukee Division. The courthouse is about 25 miles north of downtown Racine, an easy trip up Interstate 94 for defendants, witnesses and families.

• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), U.S. Courthouse, 517 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202; Clerk of Court (414) 297-3372
• U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 517 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 530, Milwaukee, WI 53202, (414) 297-1700
• Federal Defender Services of Wisconsin, Milwaukee office, 411 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2310, Milwaukee, WI 53202; if that office has a conflict, the court appoints a private lawyer from its Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel
• U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 517 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Room 001, Milwaukee, WI 53202, (414) 297-1425

Which Racine County cases become federal

A Racine County case becomes federal when a federal agency investigates it or federal prosecutors decide to charge it, often after a joint investigation with local police. Typical examples are drug trafficking along the Interstate 94 corridor between Milwaukee and Chicago, illegal gun possession by people with felony convictions, bank robbery, child exploitation offenses and large fraud schemes. Because state and federal law overlap, one set of facts can occasionally lead to charges in Racine County Circuit Court and in federal court. No tribal reservation lies within Racine County, so the tribal jurisdiction questions that arise in some northern Wisconsin counties do not usually come up here.

How a federal case proceeds

Someone arrested by federal agents in Racine County is driven north for a first court hearing before a U.S. magistrate judge. When the government asks to keep the defendant locked up, the detention hearing generally takes place within three court days. Money bail plays a much smaller role than in state court: under the Bail Reform Act, the magistrate judge either releases the defendant on conditions supervised by Pretrial Services or orders detention. If the case began with a complaint, a grand jury must return an indictment within 30 days, and the Speedy Trial Act generally calls for trial within 70 days, though continuances are common.

Most federal defendants plead guilty. For a Racine County defendant who chooses trial in Milwaukee, the verdict requires agreement by all 12 jurors. Before sentencing, a probation officer writes a presentence report, and the district judge considers the advisory federal Sentencing Guidelines along with any mandatory minimum sentence. There is no parole in the federal system; prisoners typically serve about 85 percent of their sentence in the Bureau of Prisons and then a term of supervised release. A defendant who loses can appeal to the Chicago-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Locating a federal prisoner

Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator and search by name or BOP register number. Racine-area families should know that a person held for a federal case in a local jail, under that jail's contract with the U.S. Marshals Service, may also be listed on the jail's own roster. Federal charges against juveniles are rare, and Racine County youth cases almost always stay in the county's juvenile court.

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