23.66 Deposit.
(1) If under the procedure of s. 23.62 a person is cited or arrested, the person may make a deposit as follows:
(a) By mailing the amount of money the enforcing officer directs and a copy of the citation to the office of the clerk of courts in the county where the offense allegedly occurred or to the office of the municipal court having jurisdiction, or by going to the office of the clerk of courts or municipal court, the office of the sheriff, or any city, village or town police headquarters; or
(b) If the enforcing officer permits, by placing the amount of money the enforcing officer directs in a serially numbered envelope addressed to the clerk of courts in the county where the offense allegedly occurred or to the office of the municipal court having jurisdiction, sealing the envelope, signing a statement on the back of the envelope stating the amount of money enclosed and returning the envelope to the enforcing officer. The officer shall deliver the envelope and a copy of the citation to the office of the clerk of courts in the county where the offense allegedly occurred or to the office of the municipal court having jurisdiction. The officer shall note on the face of the citation the serial number of the envelope used in making a deposit under this paragraph.
(1m) The enforcing officer or the person receiving the deposit may allow the alleged violator to submit a check, share draft or other draft for the amount of the deposit or make the deposit by use of a credit card.
(2) The person receiving the deposit shall prepare a receipt in triplicate showing the purpose for which the deposit is made, stating that the defendant may inquire at the office of the clerk of court or municipal court regarding the disposition of the deposit, and notifying the defendant that if he or she fails to appear in court at the time fixed in the citation he or she will be deemed to have tendered a plea of no contest and submitted to a forfeiture, plus costs, fees, and surcharges imposed under ch. 814, not to exceed the amount of the deposit which the court may accept. The original of the receipt shall be delivered to the defendant in person or by mail. If the defendant pays by check, share draft, or other draft, the check, share draft, or other draft or a microfilm copy of the check, share draft, or other draft shall be considered a receipt. If the defendant makes the deposit by use of a credit card, the credit charge receipt shall be considered a receipt.
(3) If the court does not accept the deposit as a forfeiture for the offense, a summons shall be issued. If the defendant fails to respond to the summons, an arrest warrant shall be issued.
(4) The basic amount of the deposit shall be determined in accordance with a deposit schedule that the judicial conference shall establish. Annually, the judicial conference shall review and may revise the schedule. In addition to the basic amount determined according to the schedule, the deposit shall include costs, fees, and surcharges imposed under ch. 814.
History: 1975 c. 365; 1977 c. 29, 449; 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 317, 391; 1983 a. 368, 456; 1985 a. 29, 36, 332; 1987 a. 27, 399; 1991 a. 39; 1997 a. 27; 2003 a. 139.