CHAPTER 939
CRIMES — GENERAL PROVISIONS
SUBCHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
939.01 Name and interpretation.
939.03 Jurisdiction of state over crime.
939.10 Common-law crimes abolished; common-law rules preserved.
939.14 Criminal conduct or contributory negligence of victim no defense.
939.20 Provisions which apply only to chapters 939 to 951.
939.22 Words and phrases defined.
939.24 Criminal recklessness.
939.25 Criminal negligence.
SUBCHAPTER II
INCHOATE CRIMES
SUBCHAPTER III
DEFENSES TO CRIMINAL LIABILITY
939.44 Adequate provocation.
939.48 Self-defense and defense of others.
939.49 Defense of property and protection against retail theft.
SUBCHAPTER IV
PENALTIES
939.50 Classification of felonies.
939.51 Classification of misdemeanors.
939.52 Classification of forfeitures.
939.60 Felony and misdemeanor defined.
939.61 Penalty when none expressed.
939.615 Lifetime supervision of serious sex offenders.
939.62 Increased penalty for habitual criminality.
939.621 Increased penalty for certain domestic abuse offenses.
939.623 Increased penalty; repeat serious sex crimes.
939.624 Increased penalty; repeat serious violent crimes.
939.63 Penalties; use of a dangerous weapon.
939.632 Penalties; violent crime in a school zone.
939.645 Penalty; crimes committed against certain people or property.
SUBCHAPTER V
RIGHTS OF THE PROSECUTION
939.65 Prosecution under more than one section permitted.
939.66 Conviction of included crime permitted.
SUBCHAPTER VI
RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED
939.70 Presumption of innocence and burden of proof.
939.71 Limitation on the number of convictions.
939.72 No conviction of both inchoate and completed crime.
939.73 Criminal penalty permitted only on conviction.
939.74 Time limitations on prosecutions.
939.75 Death or harm to an unborn child.
Ch. 939 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See definitions in s.
939.22.
Ch. 939 Note
NOTE: 1987 Wis. Act 399 included changes in homicide and lesser included offenses. The sections affected had previously passed the senate as 1987 Senate Bill 191, which was prepared by the Judicial Council and contained explanatory notes. These notes have been inserted following the sections affected and are credited to SB 191 as "Bill 191-S". These notes do not appear in the 1987-88 edition of the Wisconsin Statutes.
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
939.01
939.01
Name and interpretation. Chapters 939 to
951 may be referred to as the criminal code but shall not be interpreted as a unit. Crimes committed prior to July 1, 1956, are not affected by
chs. 939 to
951.
939.01 History
History: 1979 c. 89;
1987 a. 332 s.
64.
939.03
939.03
Jurisdiction of state over crime. 939.03(1)
(1) A person is subject to prosecution and punishment under the law of this state if any of the following applies:
939.03(1)(a)
(a) The person commits a crime, any of the constituent elements of which takes place in this state.
939.03(1)(b)
(b) While out of this state, the person aids and abets, conspires with, or advises, incites, commands, or solicits another to commit a crime in this state.
939.03(1)(c)
(c) While out of this state, the person does an act with intent that it cause in this state a consequence set forth in a section defining a crime.
939.03(1)(d)
(d) While out of this state, the person steals and subsequently brings any of the stolen property into this state.
939.03(1)(e)
(e) The person violates
s. 943.201 or
943.203 and the victim, at the time of the violation, is an individual who resides in this state, a deceased individual who resided in this state immediately before his or her death, or an entity, as defined in
s. 943.203 (1) (a), that is located in this state.
939.03 Annotation
Jurisdiction over a crime committed by a Menominee Indian while on the Menominee Indian Reservation is discussed. State ex rel. Pyatskowit v. Montour,
72 Wis. 2d 277,
240 N.W.2d 186 (1976).
939.03 Annotation
Treaties between the federal government and Menominee tribe do not deprive the state of criminal subject matter jurisdiction over a crime committed by a Menominee outside the reservation. Sturdevant v. State,
76 Wis. 2d 247,
251 N.W.2d 50 (1977).
939.03 Annotation
Trial courts do not have subject matter jurisdiction to convict defendants under unconstitutionally vague statutes. State ex rel. Skinkis v. Treffert,
90 Wis. 2d 528,
280 N.W.2d 316 (Ct. App. 1979).
939.03 Annotation
A fisherman who violated Minnesota and Wisconsin fishing laws while standing on the Minnesota bank of the Mississippi River was subject to Wisconsin prosecution. State v. Nelson,
92 Wis. 2d 855,
285 N.W.2d 924 (Ct. App. 1979)
939.03 Annotation
The state has exclusive jurisdiction over 2nd offense drunk driving. A 2nd offender may not be charged as a 1st offender under a local ordinance. County of Walworth v. Rohner,
108 Wis. 2d 713,
324 N.W.2d 682 (1982).
939.03 Annotation
An unlawful arrest does not deprive a court of personal jurisdiction over a defendant. State v. Smith,
131 Wis. 2d 220,
388 N.W.2d 601 (1986).
939.03 Annotation
Jurisdiction in a criminal nonsupport action under s. 948.22 does not require that the child to be supported be a resident of Wisconsin during the charged period. State v. Gantt,
201 Wis. 2d 206,
548 N.W.2d 134 (Ct. App. 1996),
95-2469.
939.03 Annotation
Objections to subject matter jurisdiction that turn on a question of law may not be waived by a guilty plea, but objections to subject matter jurisdiction based on a factual dispute do not survive. State v. Bratrud,
204 Wis. 2d 445,
555 N.W.2d 662 (Ct. App. 1995).