Fontana-on-Geneva-Lake sits at the western end of Geneva Lake on Highway 67. Summer boating and resort traffic drive the local citation volume, and many Fontana stops are written by the Walworth County Sheriff rather than the village police. We defend Fontana drivers in municipal court and in the Walworth County Circuit Court in Elkhorn.
If the traffic stop also involved suspected impairment, pair this page with the Fontana OWI/DUI guide. For broader local criminal-defense context, see the Fontana criminal-defense page on racinelaw.com.
Fontana traffic court facts that affect the defense strategy
The first question is not just what you were cited for. It is who wrote the ticket, which court is printed on the citation, which prosecutor path applies, and whether the stop happened on a corridor where points, CDL reporting, or insurance exposure can get expensive quickly.
Village of Fontana-on-Geneva Lake Municipal Court
Village ordinance matters, including the citations written by the Fontana Police Department, in a court the village describes as a separate entity from the police department. Sheriff and State Patrol citations, and every criminal traffic charge, go to the Walworth County Circuit Court in Elkhorn.
- Address
- Fontana Village Hall, 175 Valley View Drive, Fontana, WI 53125
- Phone
- (262) 275-5633
Hon. Thomas Sullivan
Municipal court handles forfeiture-level local ordinance citations. A municipal conviction can still create DOT points, insurance consequences, and license issues.
Thorpe & Christian, S.C., the village prosecuting attorney
Criminal traffic, sheriff citations, and State Patrol citations move through Zeke Wiedenfeld, Walworth County District Attorney.
Do not let default judgment decide it
Court sits on the second and fourth Thursday evening of the month at 5:00 pm, except in November and December when it sits only on the second Thursday. Your citation is marked either "appearance required" or "appearance NOT required", and if it is not required you still have to pay it or tell the court you want a trial date: failing to do either brings a default finding of guilt and can bring a warrant, a license suspension, or both. The clerk of courts takes questions at (262) 275-5633, Monday to Friday from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm.
Pre-trials here are held only by phone and are no longer offered in person on the initial court date. To get one you contact the village prosecuting attorney, Thorpe & Christian, S.C., at (262) 740-1971, and the call has to be made more than 48 hours before the time printed on the citation, with your full name, citation number and contact details.
Enforcement concentrates on the Highway 67 west-shore corridor, where a 55 mph rural limit drops to 35 mph at the village line and again at Williams Bay, and on the Highway B lake loop through the summer season.
- Highway 67 Western shore corridor around Geneva Lake; 35 mph through Fontana center.
- Highway B Lake-loop road; heavy summer enforcement.
Official sources: Village of Fontana Municipal Court
Where your Fontana ticket will be heard
Village of Fontana Municipal Court hears civil traffic citations written by local Fontana police, including ordinary speeding, stop-sign and stoplight violations, equipment tickets, and seat-belt citations.
Walworth County Circuit Court (1800 County Road NN, Elkhorn) hears all criminal traffic charges and civil citations written by the Walworth County Sheriff or Wisconsin State Patrol.
Check the upper-right corner of your citation for the court name before assuming which rules apply. Fines, plea options, and collateral consequences differ between the two.
Law enforcement that commonly cites in Fontana
- Fontana Police Department
- Walworth County Sheriff
- Wisconsin State Patrol
Common traffic stops in Fontana
- Highway 67, Western shore corridor around Geneva Lake; 35 mph through Fontana center.
- Highway B, Lake-loop road; heavy summer enforcement.
Fontana’s speed limits drop sharply at the village line, a 55 mph zone on Highway 67 becomes a 35 mph zone inside Fontana, and again at Williams Bay. Drivers unfamiliar with the area are frequently cited for "speeding in a zone 1-10 over" or "11-19 over," both of which carry different point totals under Wisconsin Admin Code Trans 101. We will tell you exactly what the realistic amendment options are before you pay the ticket.
Fontana-area traffic enforcement by the numbers
Verified statistics from official state and county sources.
Fontana traffic cases: who hears them
Criminal traffic charges from Fontana are heard at the Walworth County Circuit Court and prosecuted by the Walworth County District Attorney's office.
Sitting Walworth County circuit court judges
- Hon. Estee E. Scholtz · Branch 1 County staff directory uses 'Scholtz' spelling; wicourts.gov has a typo.
- Hon. Daniel S. Johnson · Branch 2
- Hon. Kristine E. Drettwan · Branch 3
- Hon. Samuel T. Berg · Branch 4
Fontana traffic defense services
Every practice area below is flat-fee. If your citation lists an offense not shown here, call. We defend the full Wisconsin Vehicle Code.