IOLA – Municipal court will be held every two months in Manawa.

The Northern Waupaca County Joint Municipal Court (NWCJMC) was previously held monthly for the city of Manawa and the village of Iola.

The change to every other month is an effort to “save some money,” according to Manawa Police Chief David Walker.

After the Jan. 10 session, the NWCJMC will not meet until March 14. It will continue meeting on the two-month schedule until the Wisconsin lawmakers approve an increase in municipal fines.

According to Walker, the pending bill moved through committee hearings and then was attached to another Assembly bill that requires all municipal court judges to be certified Wisconsin attorneys.

Currently, only half of the municipal court judges qualify, including Judge James Jueds, who presides over the NWCJMC.

The Northern Waupaca County Joint Municipal Court is a multi-jurisdictional municipal court. It serves the cities of Clintonville, Manawa and Marion, and the village of Iola.

In municipal court, there are no jury trials; all cases are decided by the municipal judge. Exceptions are those cases involving first offense operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a drug, and operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol or drug concentration.