Dane County Criminal Defense
Dane County Criminal Defense Attorney for Juveniles, Students, and Adults
Avena Law Office LLC represents clients facing criminal charges in Dane County, Wisconsin, including juvenile defense, student defense, OWI/DUI, drug charges, domestic allegations, misdemeanors, and felony cases.
Local Criminal Defense Help
Charged With a Crime in Dane County, Wisconsin?
A Dane County criminal case can move quickly. Whether the accusation involves a juvenile matter, University of Wisconsin student arrest, OWI/DUI, drug charge, domestic violence allegation, misdemeanor, or felony, early legal strategy can help protect the record, reputation, education, and future at stake.
Avena Law Office LLC helps juveniles, students, young adults, families, and adults understand the process, protect their rights, and pursue the best available outcome. Learn more about criminal defense in Madison, read about Attorney Glenn E. Avena, follow current criminal defense topics in Wisconsin, or contact the firm through the contact page.
Madison-Area Defense
Madison-Based. Dane County Focused.
Avena Law Office LLC provides strategic criminal defense for clients facing juvenile matters, student charges, OWI/DUI, drug allegations, domestic accusations, misdemeanor charges, felony cases, and urgent court concerns in Dane County.
Dane County circuit court cases are heard at the Dane County Courthouse, 215 S. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI 53703. The Clerk of Circuit Court is in Room 1000 (608-266-4311, Monday to Friday, 7:45 am to 4:30 pm), and the county has 17 circuit court branches. Courthouse contact page · Court records
The Dane County District Attorney’s office, in Room 3000 of the courthouse, prosecutes the criminal and OWI cases filed in the county. Phone: 608-266-4211. Official page
The jail is downtown: the Public Safety Building at 115 W. Doty Street (booking and the bail window) and the City-County Building at 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Jail phone: 608-284-6100. A South Tower is being added to the Public Safety Building and the City-County Building jail is expected to be vacated afterward, so confirm the location before you go. Sheriff’s jail page
Madison Municipal Court (210 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, 608-264-9282) hears City of Madison ordinance cases, and municipal courts also operate in Fitchburg, Middleton, Monona, Verona, Sun Prairie, DeForest, Oregon, McFarland, Mount Horeb and Waunakee. A first-offense OWI or a disorderly conduct ticket may be heard in a municipal court instead of at the courthouse.
Dane County also runs an OWI treatment court, a drug court and a veterans treatment court. Each program sets its own eligibility, so whether a client qualifies depends on the charge, the record and the program’s criteria.
Court details were checked against official court and county sources on October 8, 2026. Hours and room numbers change, so confirm them with the clerk before you go.
Related Defense Resources
Charges and Questions Families Ask About
Early Defense Matters
A Dane County Criminal Case Can Affect School, Work, Housing, and Your Future
A criminal case can create consequences far beyond the courtroom. For juveniles, students, and young adults, the impact may reach school discipline, scholarships, background checks, employment, housing, driving privileges, licensing, and future applications.
Serving Dane County Communities
Criminal Defense Across Madison and Dane County
Avena Law Office LLC represents clients across Dane County, including Madison, Fitchburg, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee, Stoughton, Monona, DeForest, Oregon, McFarland, and Mount Horeb.
Defense for juvenile matters, student charges, OWI/DUI, drug allegations, domestic accusations, misdemeanors, felonies, and urgent criminal cases. Most cases are heard at the Dane County Courthouse, about ten minutes from Glenn's office, and ordinance cases, including a first-offense OWI, can be heard in Madison Municipal Court or another municipal court in the county.
Municipal court phone numbers: Madison 608-264-9282, Fitchburg 608-270-4200, Middleton 608-824-7370, Monona 608-216-7422, Verona 608-848-9938, Sun Prairie 608-837-9541, DeForest 608-846-6782, Oregon 608-835-2206, McFarland 608-838-3764, Mount Horeb 608-437-7748 and Waunakee 608-849-4573.
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Dane County FAQ
Questions About Criminal Defense in Dane County
Do I need a lawyer for a Dane County misdemeanor?
Yes. Even misdemeanor charges can affect employment, school, housing, driving privileges, licensing, and background checks.
Can a juvenile charge in Dane County affect school or future opportunities?
Yes. Juvenile matters can affect education, school discipline, scholarships, employment, and future applications.
What should parents do if their child is charged?
Parents should avoid letting the child discuss case facts with police, school officials, or others without legal advice. Save all paperwork and contact a defense attorney quickly.
Does Avena Law Office handle OWI/DUI cases in Dane County?
Yes. Avena Law Office handles OWI/DUI, underage OWI, refusal allegations, drugged driving, traffic-related criminal matters, and license consequences. For how a first offense moves through the county’s courts, see the Dane County first OWI court guide.
Does Avena Law Office offer free consultations?
Yes. You can request a free consultation to discuss the situation and learn what options may be available.
Local Defense, Local Courts
Your case is heard here, by people who work here
Avena Law Office, LLC runs a Madison criminal defense practice from one office and appears in the courthouses of Dane, Columbia, and the surrounding South-Central Wisconsin counties. Knowing the courtroom, the prosecutors, and how a county actually handles a charge is not a detail. It changes what can be negotiated.
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Contact a Dane County Criminal Defense Attorney
If you or your child has been charged, cited, arrested, or questioned in Dane County, contact Avena Law Office LLC now.
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Dane County Criminal Defense Starts Now
Act early. Protect the record, reputation, education, and future at stake.
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Related pages: Wisconsin Criminal Defense Homepage • Contact Avena Law Office • Avena Law Office en Español