Sauk County Underage Alcohol Citation Procedures

If you received an underage possession or consumption of alcohol ticket in Sauk County and are 17-20 years of age, your court date is NOT mandatory.  Below are some options you may wish to consider prior to the court date:

1.  If you do nothing, a No Contest plea will be entered on your behalf at the court date on your ticket and you will be granted 60 days after the court date to pay the fine in full or set up a payment plan with the Clerk of Courts Office.
2. If you wish to contest the citation, you may appear on your court date to enter a Not Guilty Plea, or you may provide that to our office in writing prior to the court date on the citation.  You will then be noticed of a pre-trial conference in writing which you would be required to attend in person, unless you make arrangements to appear for that by telephone.  The pre-trial conference is an informal meeting between the defendant and the prosecuting attorney to discuss the matter.
3. On a first offense underage possession/consumption of alcohol citation, you may opt to complete a first offenders program in lieu of a conviction being entered and a fine being assessed. 

   You would need to either appear in person on your court date to request this of the Court, or you may provide us with a written request prior to the court date.  That letter will be shown to the Court and the issuing agency on the court date, and barring any objections, the request would be approved. 

   The Court will then email the defendant explaining what he/she would need to do to meet the Court’s requirements as far as what is necessary to be in compliance.  All persons are given 6 months to complete any assessments and its requirements.

   Complete the on-line class at www.3rdmilclassrooms.com (see link below).  (Please refer to attached instructions.  Please make sure you choose the appropriate class for your age since there is one class for 17 and under and one for 18 and over).  This is a pre-approved program that anyone can do and which meets the requirements of the programming.

   Anyone who completes the approved program and receives no further drug or alcohol violations for one year would have their citation dismissed and no fine would have to be paid.  If they fail to meet the requirements, the fine would be assessed and they would be granted 60 days to pay that fine in full or set up a payment plan with the Clerk of Courts Office.

4. If this is NOT a first offense, there is a mandatory suspension of driving privileges.  Anyone wishing to do so, can complete one of the above mentioned programs to simply reduce the length of any suspension.  All fines would still need to be paid within 60 days of the Court date or you would need to set up a payment plan.

   Suspensions are as follows:

   • 2nd offense Underage Drinking – 9 months (may reduce to 3 months w/assessment)
   • 3rd offense Underage Drinking – 18 months (may reduce to 9 months w/assessment)
   • 4th and subsequent offenses – 24 months (may reduce to 12 months w/assessment)

Any questions may be directed to our office at (608) 355-3287 ext. 3405 or you may email me at kris.fisher@wicourts.gov