City Attorney

What is an Initial Appearance for traffic or ordinance violation?

The initial appearance is primarily for the purpose of taking your pleas to an alleged violation of the law. The exact charge against you will be read and you will be expected to enter a plea. You will enter a plea of guilt, not guilty or no contest. If you enter a plea of GUILTY, you are admitting that you committed the offense and you will be found guilty and a fine imposed. If you enter a plea of NO CONTEST, you are neither pleading guilty or not guilty, but merely want to get the matter resolved and pay the forfeiture. The effect of this plea is that you will be found guilty, but it cannot be used against you as an admission of fact in some other court proceeding. If you enter a plea of NOT GUILTY, you deny committing the offense, and the matter will be adjourned to a later date for a pretrial conference and perhaps a trial, at which time all witnesses including the arresting officer, must be present.

Can I get legal advice from the City Attorney's office?

The City Attorney cannot provide legal advice to the general public and is limited to provide advice and counsel only to the City of Merrill as a governmental entity. Who can I call for legal advice and/or representation? Referrals for legal assistance concerning private or personal matters may be obtained from the Attorney Information & Referral Service of the State Bar of Wisconsin at 608-257-4666 or toll free at 1-800-362-9082.

I don't understand what an ordinance means; can the City Attorney's office explain it to me?

Yes, the City Attorney’s office can provide an explanation of the city’s ordinances so that citizens may be assured they are in compliance with the Code. The City Attorney will be able to answer a question regarding the Code or direct you to an office in City Hall most familiar with the question to assist you.

My neighbor's tree limbs/shrubs grow over the property line, into my property? What am I allowed to do about this?

As a general rule, you can remove growth which extends over your property line. The City encourages you to discuss such an issue with your neighbors. These issues are private, between neighbors, and generally do not involve City ordinances or similar regulations.