Speeding violations are the most common traffic offense our firm handles. Wisconsin’s basic speeding law (Wis. Stat. § 346.57) prohibits driving faster than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions, even when you’re under the posted limit. Add a work-zone multiplier, a school-zone enhancer, or a 20-over allegation and the stakes climb quickly.
The three real costs of every speeding conviction
Every speeding ticket carries three separate costs: demerit points against your Wisconsin driving record, a fine and court surcharge, and possible insurance-premium impact.
The insurance hit often becomes the real expense of a ticket, and it can continue long after the citation is paid and forgotten. The amount depends on the carrier, policy, driving history, violation type, and final disposition.
When the stakes climb further
The consequences compound for drivers who already carry points, hold a commercial driver’s license, or are within the first two years of licensure. A 20-over citation adds six demerit points under Wis. Admin. Code Trans 101; two such tickets in a twelve-month window can trigger a WisDOT point suspension.
For CDL holders, speeding 15+ mph over is a serious traffic violation under 49 CFR § 383.51(c) even when driving a personal vehicle. Two serious violations in a rolling three-year window triggers a 60-day CDL disqualification, which typically means a lost job, not just a traffic ticket.
How we investigate and defend your case
We review the citation, the officer’s radar or LIDAR calibration and training records, any dashcam or body-camera footage, and every discrepancy between the ticket and the underlying probable cause. Wisconsin case law (State v. Hanson, 85 Wis. 2d 233) permits radar evidence only when the operating officer was properly trained on the unit and the device was calibrated before and after the stop.
When any of those elements are missing from the discovery file, the State’s case is vulnerable to suppression or outright dismissal. In most Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth County cases we appear in court so you don’t have to. Our goal on every speeding case is the same: reduce points, reduce the fine, and keep the conviction off your insurance record whenever the facts allow.
Should you hire a lawyer for a speeding ticket?
If the ticket has points, a 15 mph over allegation, a work-zone issue, a CDL concern, or a real insurance risk, talk to us before you pay it. The goal is not just a smaller fine. The goal is preventing the conviction that follows you.
- The ticket is 11 mph over or more, which usually means 4 or 6 points.
- You were cited by State Patrol, a sheriff, or in a work or school zone.
- You hold a CDL or your job checks your driving record.
What a speeding conviction costs in Wisconsin
- Demerit points
- 3 · 4 · 6 1-10 over · 11-19 over · 20+ over (Wis. Admin. Code Trans 101)
- Fine + surcharge
- $175 - $295+ Plus $93 court surcharge; doubled in work and school zones (Wis. Stat. § 346.57(5)(f))
- Insurance increase
- Carrier-specific Moving convictions can affect renewal pricing; impact varies by policy and record
- License suspension
- 12 points in 12 months Can trigger a 2-12 month WisDOT point suspension
- CDL impact
- Serious violation at 15+ over Two in 3 years = 60-day disqualification (49 CFR § 383.51(c))
- Record duration
- 5 years Wis. Admin. Code Trans 101; expungement not available (civil forfeiture)
Our speeding defense playbook
Radar & LIDAR calibration challenge
We subpoena the calibration log for the specific unit used on your stop, along with the officer’s training certification on that model. State v. Hanson, 85 Wis. 2d 233 requires both pre- and post-stop calibration and operator training for radar evidence to be admissible, a missing entry in either record routinely suppresses the speed reading.
Probable-cause and stop-basis review
Wisconsin officers must have articulable probable cause for the stop itself. We pull the dashcam, body-cam, and CAD dispatch records and compare the officer’s written basis against what the video actually shows. Pacing errors, sight-line obstructions, and misidentified vehicles are all recurring weak points.
Negotiated reduction to a non-moving violation
Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth County prosecutors routinely amend speeding citations to zero-point ordinance violations (defective equipment, non-registration) when the underlying facts support it. A non-moving reduction preserves your insurance record entirely, zero points, no MVR entry a carrier will rate on.
Unwinding a 100-MPH or reckless-driving pairing
Speed 25+ mph over is frequently charged alongside reckless driving (Wis. Stat. § 346.62), a criminal misdemeanor. We negotiate the reckless charge down to imprudent speed or inattentive driving to keep the matter civil and off your criminal record, often the most consequential piece of a high-speed case.
Signal-timing, signage, and survey-speed defenses
Wisconsin requires posted speed limits to be supported by an engineering survey for the roadway segment. For out-of-town stops on less-traveled roads we verify the survey exists and is current, and we challenge stops where construction signage was inconsistent or the zone transition was not properly marked.
Racine, Kenosha & Walworth county courts
Your speeding case is heard in one of three forums depending on who wrote the ticket: a municipal court (for city or village police citations), a county circuit court (for sheriff and Wisconsin State Patrol citations), or (when criminally charged alongside the speeding) the county circuit court.
Our attorneys appear regularly in Racine County Circuit Court (730 Wisconsin Ave., Racine), Kenosha County Courthouse (912 56th Street, Kenosha), Walworth County Judicial Center (1800 County Road NN, Elkhorn), and the municipal courts of Racine, Mt. Pleasant, Caledonia, Sturtevant, Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Lake Geneva, Delavan, Burlington, Union Grove, and surrounding jurisdictions. In the overwhelming majority of speeding cases you do not have to appear. We enter a not-guilty plea on your behalf at the first appearance, set the matter for trial, and handle every subsequent court date.
Traffic-ticket outcomes depend on what we can protect
For speeding cases, the defense target is usually one of four things: points, insurance premiums, license status, or a criminal/CDL consequence hidden behind the citation.
See the traffic-ticket case-results hub for anonymized examples and related service links. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome on any individual case.
The municipal-court judges who hear most speeding cases
Most ordinance-level traffic citations are heard at the municipal-court level, not circuit court. Below are the currently sitting municipal court judges across our 3-county service area, verified against each municipality's own court page or the county's official roster. The list omits 3 municipalities (Caledonia, Whitewater, Sturtevant) where we are still re-verifying the current judge by phone before publishing.
Racine County municipal courts
- City of Racine Hon. Rob Weber Official City notice identifies Judge Rob Weber as the sole municipal-judge candidate for the April 2026 election. verify source →
- Village of Mount Pleasant Hon. Michael R. Phegley verify source →
- City of Burlington Hon. Kelly Iselin City staff directory lists Kelly Iselin as Municipal Court Judge. verify source →
- Village of Union Grove Hon. Scott Kasprowicz Term 2025-2027 (special election after Judge Reichert retired Dec 2024). verify source →
- Village of Waterford Hon. Robert J. Jones Village court; the Town of Waterford has a separate court with a different judge. verify source →
Kenosha County municipal courts
- City of Kenosha Hon. Michael M. Easton City Municipal Court records form lists Judge Michael Easton and the court contact information. verify source →
- Village of Pleasant Prairie Hon. Richard "Dick" Ginkowski Village court page lists Richard Alan Ginkowski as Municipal Judge. verify source →
- Village of Twin Lakes Hon. Bruce Goodnough Shared court covering Village of Twin Lakes + Town of Randall Serving since 1989. verify source →
- Village of Salem Lakes Hon. Patrick Dunn verify source →
Walworth County municipal courts
- City of Lake Geneva Hon. Henry A. Sibbing Term May 2023 - May 2027. verify source →
- City of Elkhorn Hon. Lori Domino Term ends April 2027. verify source →
- City of Delavan Hon. Michael Rhyner City court; Town of Delavan has a separate court with Judge Edward F. Thompson. verify source →
- Village of Fontana Hon. Thomas E. Sullivan verify source →
Who hears speeding cases in our service area
Speeding cases prosecuted at the criminal level (not municipal-court ordinance) are heard at the county circuit court level. Below are the currently sitting circuit court judges and elected District Attorneys for each of the three counties we serve. Source metadata now feeds a monthly re-check so the roster on this page stays accurate without adding duplicate date stamps.
Racine County
District Attorney: Tricia Hanson DA source →
Sitting circuit court judges (9):
- Hon. Wynne P. Laufenberg · Branch 1 · Chief Judge
- Hon. Eugene A. Gasiorkiewicz · Branch 2
- Hon. Jessica E.H. Lynott · Branch 3
- Hon. Scott P. Craig · Branch 4
- Hon. David W. Paulson · Branch 6
- Hon. Jamie M. McClendon · Branch 7
- Hon. Faye M. Flancher · Branch 8
- Hon. Robert S. Repischak · Branch 9
- Hon. Timothy D. Boyle · Branch 10
Kenosha County
District Attorney: Xavier Solis DA source →
Sitting circuit court judges (8):
- Hon. Gerad T. Dougvillo · Branch 1
- Hon. Jason A. Rossell · Branch 2
- Hon. Heather Iverson · Branch 3
- Hon. David O. Hughes · Branch 4
- Hon. David P. Wilk · Branch 5
- Hon. Angelina Gabriele · Branch 6
- Hon. Jodi L. Meier · Branch 7
- Hon. Chad G. Kerkman · Branch 8
Walworth County
District Attorney: Zeke Wiedenfeld DA source →
Sitting circuit court judges (4):
- Hon. Estee E. Scholtz · Branch 1
- Hon. Daniel S. Johnson · Branch 2
- Hon. Kristine E. Drettwan · Branch 3
- Hon. Samuel T. Berg · Branch 4
Speeding enforcement and traffic-stop volume by county
Verified statistics from official Wisconsin and county sources.