
(Photo of Judge, Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye - Brandes, Kenosha County Sheriff's Office)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Every day in Kenosha County, parents, grandparents, spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends and other loved ones put up thousands of dollars of their own money to get someone out of jail. But posting cash bail comes with significant financial risks. Those who post the money are warned that it may ultimately be used to pay fines, court costs, restitution and other financial obligations. They also risk losing the money if the defendant violates certain court requirements. For someone facing a felony fifth-offense drunken driving charge, which ordinarily carries a mandatory minimum of 18 months of initial confinement upon conviction, those risks can be particularly significant. In a somewhat unusual development Thursday morning, October 8, 2026, Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Jason Rossell (D) allowed a person who had posted $7,500 cash bail for a repeat OWI defendant with a violent criminal past to get the money back and ordered the defendant taken into custody.

(Kenosha County and Lake County Sheriff's Office)
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