Debbie Mills is the Misdemeanor Division Supervisor for the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.  Debbie received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse and her law degree from DePaul University College of Law.

 

She began her legal career as a law clerk with the Brown County Circuit Courts in Green Bay, Wisconsin prior to taking a position with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office in 1997 where she prosecuted misdemeanor, criminal traffic, felony drug, and general felony offenses. Ms. Mills has also presented to law enforcement and prosecutors on DUI and criminal traffic matters.

 

Debbie left Milwaukee to take a position with the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office in 2002 as an Assistant State’s Attorney and was assigned to various misdemeanor and felony courtrooms. She was Supervisor of the Complaint/Grand Jury Division from May of 2004 to December 2004 and became the Misdemeanor Division Supervisor in December of 2004.

 

A misdemeanor is a lesser offense that carries a maximum sentence of time in the county jail and fines upon conviction.

 

In a misdemeanor case, the defendant will plead Guilty or Not Guilty during the first court appearance.  If the defendant enters a Not Guilty plea, a judge will set a date for a pre-trial hearing or a trial itself.

 

Many cases are resolved at the pre-trial hearing stage.  If the parties do not resolve the issue, however, the case will move to trial and any witnesses will be notified to appear.