Salem Lakes (the village formed from the merger of Silver Lake and Salem) sits in western Kenosha County and straddles Highway 50, a busy east-west route that sees heavy enforcement. We defend Salem Lakes drivers in municipal court and in Kenosha County Circuit Court.
If the traffic stop also involved suspected impairment, pair this page with the Salem Lakes OWI/DUI guide. For broader local criminal-defense context, see the Salem Lakes criminal-defense page on racinelaw.com.
Salem Lakes 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 Salem Lakes Municipal Court
Village of Salem Lakes ordinance violations, traffic among them, alongside building-code, property-maintenance and burning violations. Kenosha County Sheriff and State Patrol citations, and all criminal traffic charges, are heard at the Kenosha County Circuit Court in Kenosha.
- Address
- 9814 Antioch Road (STH 83), Salem, WI 53168 (mail to P.O. Box 443)
- Phone
- (262) 843-2759
Hon. Patrick Dunn
Municipal court handles forfeiture-level local ordinance citations. A municipal conviction can still create DOT points, insurance consequences, and license issues.
Municipal prosecutor path
Criminal traffic, sheriff citations, and State Patrol citations move through Xavier Solis, Kenosha County District Attorney.
Do not let default judgment decide it
Court is held on the second Tuesday of the month, and only then, so a missed date costs you four weeks. Office hours shift around it: Tuesday and Wednesday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and Thursday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm ordinarily, but 11:00 am to 6:00 pm on court days. The village asks that questions about a pending case go to the court office and never directly to the judge.
Enforcement concentrates on the Highway 83 and Highway 50 crossroads, the Highway C and Highway F lake roads around Camp and Center Lakes, and the Illinois line approaches on Antioch Road.
- Highway 50 Main east-west corridor; speed-limit drop from 55 to 35 mph at Silver Lake is a common citation spot.
- Highway 83 North-south route through the western edge of the village.
- Highway C Local route connecting Salem Lakes to Twin Lakes and Paddock Lake.
Official sources: Village of Salem Lakes Municipal Court
Where your Salem Lakes ticket will be heard
Village of Salem Lakes Municipal Court hears civil traffic citations written by local Salem Lakes police, including ordinary speeding, stop-sign and stoplight violations, equipment tickets, and seat-belt citations.
Kenosha County Circuit Court (912 56th Street) hears all criminal traffic charges and civil citations written by the Kenosha 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 Salem Lakes
- Salem Lakes Police Department
- Kenosha County Sheriff
- Wisconsin State Patrol
Common traffic stops in Salem Lakes
- Highway 50, Main east-west corridor; speed-limit drop from 55 to 35 mph at Silver Lake is a common citation spot.
- Highway 83, North-south route through the western edge of the village.
- Highway C, Local route connecting Salem Lakes to Twin Lakes and Paddock Lake.
The speed transition on Highway 50 coming into Silver Lake catches a large share of drivers unfamiliar with the area. Wisconsin’s basic speeding law (Wis. Stat. § 346.57) allows officer discretion on the exact charged speed, and there is often room to negotiate the cited speed down in municipal court. Reducing both the fine and the demerit points.
Salem Lakes-area traffic enforcement by the numbers
Verified statistics from official state and county sources.
Salem Lakes traffic cases: who hears them
Criminal traffic charges from Salem Lakes are heard at the Kenosha County Circuit Court and prosecuted by the Kenosha County District Attorney's office.
Sitting Kenosha County circuit court judges
- 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
Salem Lakes 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.