In order to establish that the state suppressed exculpatory or impeaching evidence in violation of Brady, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), there is no requirement to show that the evidence was in the state's exclusive possession and control, and it is not necessary to establish that the suppression of evidence imposes an intolerable burden on the defense. State v. Wayerski, 2019 WI 11, 385 Wis. 2d 344, 922 N.W.2d 468, 15-1083.
A funding statute for drug court programs did not create a fundamental liberty interest and did not need to provide expulsion procedures to survive a procedural due process challenge. State v. Keister, 2019 WI 26, 385 Wis. 2d 739, 924 N.W.2d 203, 17-1618.
A circuit court is not required at the guilt phase to inform a defendant who has pled not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect (NGI) of the maximum possible term of civil commitment because: 1) a defendant who prevails at the responsibility phase of the NGI proceeding has proven an affirmative defense in a civil proceeding, avoiding incarceration, and is not waiving any constitutional rights by so proceeding in that defense; and 2) an NGI commitment is not punishment but, rather, is a collateral consequence to one who successfully mounts an NGI defense to criminal charges. State v. Fugere, 2019 WI 33, 386 Wis. 2d 76, 924 N.W.2d 469, 16-2258.
An undisclosed social media connection between the judge and a litigant that was formed during ongoing litigation created a great risk of actual bias resulting in the appearance of partiality and violated due process. Miller v. Carroll, 2019 WI App 10, 386 Wis. 2d 267, 925 N.W.2d 580, 17-2132.
A circuit court may utilize a waiver of rights form for a defendant who is pleading guilty, but the use of that form does not otherwise eliminate the circuit court's plea colloquy duties. While a circuit court must exercise great care when conducting a plea colloquy so as to best ensure that a defendant is knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily entering a plea, a formalistic recitation of the constitutional rights being waived is not required. State v. Pegeese, 2019 WI 60, 387 Wis. 2d 119, 928 N.W.2d 590, 17-0741.
Under Sell, 539 U.S. 166 (2003), a court may order involuntary medication for the purpose of competency to stand trial only if four factors are met: 1) important governmental interests are at stake; 2) involuntary medication will significantly further the government's interest in prosecuting the offense; 3) involuntary medication is necessary to further those interests; and 4) administration of the drugs is medically appropriate. Section 971.14 (4) (b) does not require the circuit court to determine whether the Sell factors have been met. Rather, it requires circuit courts to order involuntary medication for a defendant who is incapable of expressing an understanding of the proposed medication or treatment or who is substantially incapable of applying an understanding of his or her mental illness in order to make an informed choice regarding medication or treatment. The mere inability of a defendant to express an understanding of medication or to make an informed choice about it is constitutionally insufficient to override a defendant's significant liberty interest in avoiding the unwanted administration of antipsychotic drugs. To the extent that s. 971.14 (3) (dm) and (4) (b) requires circuit courts to order involuntary medication when the Sell standard has not been met, the statute is unconstitutional. State v. Fitzgerald, 2019 WI 69, 387 Wis. 2d 384, 929 N.W.2d 165, 18-1214.
General allegations of physical abuse by a third party against the victim do not provide a sufficient direct connection between the third party and the perpetration of the crime charged to satisfy the legitimate tendency test established under Wilson, 2015 WI 48. State v. Griffin, 2019 WI App 49, 388 Wis. 2d 581, 933 N.W.2d 681, 18-0649.
Dubose, 2005 WI 126, is overturned. Reliability is the linchpin in determining the admissibility of identification testimony. A criminal defendant bears the initial burden of demonstrating that a showup is impermissibly suggestive. If the defendant meets this burden, the state must prove that under the totality of the circumstances the identification was reliable even though the confrontation procedure was suggestive. State v. Roberson, 2019 WI 102, 389 Wis. 2d 190, 935 N.W.2d 813, 17-1894.
Defendants have a due process right to be sentenced based upon accurate information. A defendant who was sentenced based on inaccurate information may request resentencing. The defendant must show by clear and convincing evidence that: 1) some information at the original sentencing was inaccurate; and 2) the circuit court actually relied on the inaccurate information at sentencing. If the defendant meets this burden then the burden shifts to the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the error was harmless. State v. Coffee, 2020 WI 1, 389 Wis. 2d 627, 937 N.W.2d 579, 17-2292.
In Wisconsin, courts employ the guilty plea waiver rule, which states that a guilty, no contest, or Alford plea waives all nonjurisdictional defects, including constitutional claims. An exception to the rule states that a facial constitutional challenge is a matter of subject matter jurisdiction, which cannot be waived, whereas an as-applied challenge is a nonjurisdictional defect that can be waived. State v. Jackson, 2020 WI App 4, 390 Wis. 2d 402, 938 N.W.2d 639, 18-2074.
The defendant's due process rights were not violated by the circuit court's use of the previously unknown information regarding sentences imposed by the court upon similarly situated defendants. State v. Counihan, 2020 WI 12, 390 Wis. 2d 172, 938 N.W.2d 530, 17-2265.
In this case, when the judge served as both the presiding judge in the drug court program in which the defendant participated and as the sentencing judge in the defendant's criminal case, the defendant met his burden to demonstrate objective judicial bias based on the combined effect of 1) the judge's comments indicating he had determined before the sentencing-after-revocation hearing that the defendant would be sentenced to prison if he did not succeed in drug court; and 2) the judge's dual role as the presiding judge in the drug court proceedings and as the judge who sentenced the defendant after the revocation of his probation. State v. Marcotte, 2020 WI App 28, 392 Wis. 2d 183, 943 N.W.2d 911, 19-0695.
The court will not exercise its superintending power to require that courts employ a specific procedure to establish a sufficient factual basis when accepting an Alford, 400 U.S. 25 (1970), plea when there is another adequate remedy, by appeal or otherwise, for the conduct of the trial court. State v. Nash, 2020 WI 85, 394 Wis. 2d 238, 951 N.W.2d 404, 18-0731.
Denial of a change of venue due to local prejudice solely because the offense is a misdemeanor is unconstitutional. Groppi v. Wisconsin, 400 U.S. 505.
The retention of 10 percent of a partial bail deposit, with no penalty for release on recognizance or when full bail is given, does not violate equal protection requirements. Schilb v. Kuebel, 403 U.S. 357.
A defendant convicted of selling heroin supplied by undercover police was not entrapped. Hampton v. United States, 425 U.S. 484.
Prisons must provide inmates with a law library or legal advisers. Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817.
Due process was not denied when a prosecutor carried out a threat to reindict the defendant on a more serious charge if the defendant did not plead guilty to the original charge. Bordenkircher v. Hayes, 434 U.S. 357 (1978).
The plaintiff was not deprived of liberty without due process of law when arrested and detained pursuant to a lawful warrant, even though the police mistook the identity of the plaintiff. Baker v. McCollan, 443 U.S. 137 (1979).
The sentencing judge properly considered the defendant's refusal to cooperate with police by naming co-conspirators. Roberts v. United States, 445 U.S. 552 (1980).
The federal constitution does not prohibit electronic media coverage of a trial over the defendant's objections. Chandler v. Florida, 449 U.S. 560 (1981).
Due process does not require police to preserve breath samples in order to introduce breath-analysis test results at trial. California v. Trombetta, 467 U.S. 479 (1984).
After retrial and conviction following the defendant's successful appeal, sentencing authority may justify an increased sentence by affirmatively identifying relevant conduct or events that occurred subsequent to the original sentencing. Wasman v. United States, 468 U.S. 559 (1984). See also Texas v. McCullough, 475 U.S. 134 (1986).
When an indigent defendant's sanity at the time of committing a murder was seriously in question, due process required access to a psychiatrist and the assistance necessary to prepare an effective defense based on the mental condition. Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68 (1985).
A prosecutor's use of a defendant's postarrest, post-Miranda warnings silence as evidence of the defendant's sanity violated the due process clause. Wainwright v. Greenfield, 474 U.S. 284 (1986).
Coercive police activity is a necessary predicate to a finding that a confession was not “voluntary" within the meaning of the due process clause. Colorado v. Connelly, 479 U.S. 157 (1986).
A defendant who denies elements of an offense is entitled to an entrapment instruction as long as there is sufficient evidence from which a jury could find entrapment. Mathews v. United States, 485 U.S. 58 (1988).
Unless the defendant shows bad faith on the part of law enforcement, failure to preserve potentially useful evidence does not violate due process. Arizona v. Youngblood, 488 U.S. 51, 102 L. Ed. 2d 281 (1988).
New constitutional rules announced by the U.S. Supreme Court that place certain kinds of primary individual conduct beyond the power of the states to proscribe, as well as water-shed rules of criminal procedure, must be applied in all future trials, all cases pending on direct review, and all federal habeas corpus proceedings. All other new rules of criminal procedure must be applied in future trials and in cases pending on direct review, but may not provide the basis for a federal collateral attack on a state-court conviction. These rules do not constrain the authority of state courts to give broader effect to new rules of criminal procedure. Danforth v. Minnesota, 552 U.S. 264, 128 S. Ct. 1029, 169 L. Ed. 2d 859 (2008).
Although the state is obliged to prosecute with earnestness and vigor, it is as much its duty to refrain from improper methods calculated to produce a wrongful conviction as it is to use every legitimate means to bring about a just one. Accordingly, when the state withholds from a defendant evidence that is material to the defendant's guilt or punishment, it violates the right to due process of law. Evidence is material when there is a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Evidence that is material to guilt will often be material for sentencing purposes as well; the converse is not always true, however. Cone v. Bell, 556 U.S. 449, 129 S. Ct. 1769; 173 L. Ed. 2d 701 (2009).
The fallibility of eyewitness evidence does not, without the taint of improper state conduct, warrant a due process rule requiring a trial court to screen such evidence for reliability before allowing the jury to assess its creditworthiness. Perry v. New Hampshire, 565 U.S. 228, 132 S. Ct. 716, 181 L. Ed. 2d 694 (2012).
A guilty plea does not bar a claim on appeal where, on the face of the record, the court had no power to enter the conviction or impose the sentence. Class v. United States, 583 U.S. ___, 138 S. Ct. 798, 200 L. Ed. 2d 37 (2018).
Revocation of probation without a hearing is a denial of due process. Hahn v. Burke, 430 F.2d 100.
Pretrial publicity; the Milwaukee 14. 1970 WLR 209.
Due process; revocation of a juvenile's parole. Sarosiek. 1973 WLR 954.
As I See It: Due Process and the Voluntary Intoxication Defense. Larson. Wis. Law. Feb. 2019.
HABEAS CORPUS AND BAIL
Habeas corpus is a proper remedy with which to challenge the personal jurisdiction of a trial court over a criminal defendant and to challenge a ruling on a motion to suppress evidence when constitutional issues are involved. State ex rel. Warrender v. Kenosha County Court, 67 Wis. 2d 333, 227 N.W.2d 450.
The scope of inquiry in extradition habeas corpus cases is discussed. State v. Ritter, 74 Wis. 2d 227, 246 N.W.2d 552.
Relief under habeas corpus is not limited to the release of the person confined. State ex rel. Memmel v. Mundy, 75 Wis. 2d 276, 249 N.W.2d 573.
Application of bail posted by third parties to the defendant's fines was not unconstitutional. State v. Iglesias, 185 Wis. 2d 118, 517 N.W.2d 175 (1994).
A defendant's prejudicial deprivation of appellate counsel, be it the fault of the attorney or the appellate court, is properly remedied by a petition for habeas corpus in the Supreme Court. State ex rel. Fuentes v. Court of Appeals, 225 Wis. 2d 446, 593 N.W.2d 48 (1999), 98-1534.
A question of statutory interpretation may be considered on a writ of habeas corpus only if noncompliance with the statute at issue resulted in the restraint of the petitioner's liberty in violation of the constitution or the court's jurisdiction. State ex rel. Hager v. Marten, 226 Wis. 2d 687, 594 N.W.2d 791 (1999), 97-3841.
As an extraordinary writ, habeas corpus is available to a petitioner only under limited circumstances. A party must be restrained of his or her liberty, must show that the restraint was imposed by a body without jurisdiction or that the restraint was imposed contrary to constitutional protections, and there must be no other adequate remedy available in the law. Haas v. McReynolds, 2002 WI 43, 252 Wis. 2d 133, 643 N.W.2d 771, 00-2636.
Laches is available as a defense to a habeas petition. When a habeas petition is brought by a Wisconsin prisoner, the burden is on the state to show that: 1) the petitioner unreasonably delayed in bringing the claim; 2) the state lacked knowledge that the claim would be brought; and 3) the state has been prejudiced by the delay. Washington v. State, 2012 WI App 74, 343 Wis. 2d 434, 819 N.W.2d 305, 09-0746. See also State ex rel. Wren v. Richardson, 2019 WI 110, 389 Wis. 2d 516, 936 N.W.2d 587, 17-0880.
SELF-INCRIMINATION AND CONFESSION
Granting a witness immunity and ordering him to answer questions does not violate his constitutional rights. State v. Blake, 46 Wis. 2d 386, 175 N.W.2d 210.
Although a person may invoke the right against self incrimination in a civil case in order to protect himself in a subsequent criminal action, an inference against the person's interest may be drawn as a matter of law based upon an implied admission that a truthful answer would tend to prove that the witness had committed the criminal act or what might constitute a criminal act. Molloy v. Molloy, 46 Wis. 2d 682, 176 N.W.2d 292.
A hearing to determine the voluntariness of a confession is not necessary when a defendant knowingly fails to object to the evidence for purposes of trial strategy. Police officers need not stop all questioning after a suspect requests an attorney, since the suspect can change his mind and volunteer a statement. Sharlow v. State, 47 Wis. 2d 259, 177 N.W.2d 88.
The admission of evidence of the spending of money after a burglary did not unconstitutionally require the defendant to testify against himself in order to rebut it. State v. Heidelbach, 49 Wis. 2d 350, 182 N.W.2d 497.
When the defendant volunteered an incriminatory statement outside the presence of retained counsel, the statement was admissible. State v. Chabonian, 50 Wis. 2d 574, 185 N.W.2d 289.
There is no requirement that a hearing as to the voluntariness of a confession be separated into 2 stages as to the circumstances leading up to it and then as to its content. The content of Miranda warnings is discussed. Bohachef v. State, 50 Wis. 2d 694, 185 N.W.2d 339.
The argument by the district attorney that certain evidence was uncontroverted does not amount to a comment on the defendant's failure to testify. Bies v. State, 53 Wis. 2d 322, 193 N.W.2d 46.
Questions of investigational versus custodial interrogation in relation to a confession are discussed. Mikulovsky v. State, 54 Wis. 2d 699, 196 N.W.2d 748.
A defendant who, believing he was seriously wounded, began to tell what happened and was given Miranda warnings waived his rights when he continued to talk. Waiver need not be express when the record shows the defendant was conscious and alert and said he understood his rights. State v. Parker, 55 Wis. 2d 131, 197 N.W.2d 742.
The privilege against self-incrimination does not extend to the production of corporate records by their custodian, even though the records may tend to incriminate the custodian personally. State v. Balistrieri, 55 Wis. 2d 513, 201 N.W.2d 18.
A defendant who waived counsel and who agreed to sign a confession admitting 18 burglaries in return for an agreement that he would be prosecuted for only one, could not claim that the confession was improperly induced. The state has the burden of showing voluntariness beyond a reasonable doubt. Pontow v. State, 58 Wis. 2d 135, 205 N.W.2d 775.
The administration of a blood or breathalyzer test does not violate the defendant's privilege against self-incrimination. State v. Driver, 59 Wis. 2d 35, 207 N.W.2d 850.
Factors to be considered in determining whether a confession is voluntary are discussed. State v. Wallace, 59 Wis. 2d 66, 207 N.W.2d 855.
A voluntary confession is not rendered inadmissible because the arrest was made outside the statutory jurisdictional limits of the arresting officer. State v. Ewald, 63 Wis. 2d 165, 216 N.W.2d 213.
While Miranda does require that upon exercise of the defendant's 5th amendment privilege the interrogation must cease, Miranda does not explicitly state that the defendant may not, after again being advised of his rights, be interrogated in the future. State v. Estrada, 63 Wis. 2d 476, 217 N.W.2d 359.
Statements given to police without Miranda warnings, while the defendant was injured and in bed that he was the driver and had been drinking, while voluntary, were inadmissible since at that time accusatorial attention had focused on him. Scales v. State, 64 Wis. 2d 485, 219 N.W.2d 286.
The voluntariness of a confession must be determined by examining all the surrounding facts under a totality of circumstances test. Brown v. State, 64 Wis. 2d 581, 219 N.W.2d 373.
Requirements of a claim of immunity are discussed. State v. Hall, 65 Wis. 2d 18, 221 N.W.2d 806.
The validity of a juvenile confession is determined by an analysis of the totality of the circumstances surrounding the confession. The presence of a parent, guardian, or attorney is not an absolute requirement for the juvenile to validly waive the right to remain silent but only one of the factors to be considered in determining voluntariness. Theriault v. State, 66 Wis. 2d 33, 223 N.W.2d 850.
A written confession is admissible in evidence, although it is not signed by the defendant, so long as the defendant has read the statement and adopted it as his or her own. Kutchera v. State, 69 Wis. 2d 534, 230 N.W.2d 750.
When the defendant claimed to understand his Miranda rights but agreed to talk to police without counsel because of a stated inability to afford a lawyer, further questioning by police was improper and the resulting confession was inadmissible. Micale v. State, 76 Wis. 2d 370, 251 N.W.2d 458.
The state may compel a probationer's testimony in a revocation proceeding if the probationer is first advised that the testimony will be inadmissible in criminal proceedings arising out of the alleged probation violation, except for purposes of impeachment or rebuttal. State v. Evans, 77 Wis. 2d 225, 252 N.W.2d 664.
A volunteered confession made while in custody and prior to Miranda warnings was held to be admissible despite an earlier inadmissible statement in response to custodial interrogation. LaTender v. State, 77 Wis. 2d 383, 253 N.W.2d 221.
No restrictions of the 4th and 5th amendments preclude enforcement of an order for handwriting exemplars directed by a presiding judge in a John Doe proceeding. State v. Doe, 78 Wis. 2d 161, 254 N.W.2d 210.
Due process does not require that a John Doe witness be advised of the nature of the proceeding or that the witness is a “target" of the investigation. Ryan v. State, 79 Wis. 2d 83, 255 N.W.2d 910.
The defendant's confession was admissible although it was obtained through custodial interrogation following the defendant's request for a lawyer. Leach v. State, 83 Wis. 2d 199, 265 N.W.2d 495 (1978).
When a “conversational" visit was not a custodial interrogation, the defendant's voluntary statement was admissible despite a lack of Miranda warnings. State v. Hockings, 86 Wis. 2d 709, 273 N.W.2d 339 (1979).
A confession after a 28-hour post-arrest detention was admissible. Wagner v. State, 89 Wis. 2d 70, 277 N.W.2d 849 (1979).
Immunity for compelled testimony contrary to the 5th amendment privilege extends to juvenile court proceedings. State v. J.H.S., 90 Wis. 2d 613, 280 N.W.2d 356 (Ct. App. 1979).
The defendant's voluntary statements were admissible for impeachment even though they were obtained in violation of Miranda. State v. Mendoza, 96 Wis. 2d 106, 291 N.W.2d 478 (1980).
When the accused cut off the initial interrogation but was interrogated by another officer 9 minutes later following fresh Miranda warnings, the confession was admissible. State v. Shaffer, 96 Wis. 2d 531, 292 N.W.2d 370 (Ct. App. 1980).
By testifying as to his actions on the day a murder was committed, the defendant waived his self-incrimination privilege on cross-examination as to prior actions related to the murder that were the subject of the pending prosecution. Neely v. State, 97 Wis. 2d 38, 292 N.W.2d 859 (1980).
Miranda warnings were unnecessary when an officer entered the defendant's home in the belief that the defendant might have killed his wife 4 days earlier, and asked, “Where is your wife?" State v. Kraimer, 99 Wis. 2d 306, 298 N.W.2d 568 (1980).
A prosecutor's comment on the failure of an alibi witness to come forward with an alibi story did not infringe on the defendant's right of silence. State v. Hoffman, 106 Wis. 2d 185, 316 N.W.2d 143 (Ct. App. 1982).
The defendant's silence both before and after Miranda warnings may not be referred to at trial by the prosecution. State v. Fencl, 109 Wis. 2d 224, 325 N.W.2d 703 (1982).
Videotapes of sobriety tests were properly admitted to show physical manifestations of the defendant driver's intoxication. State v. Haefer, 110 Wis. 2d 381, 328 N.W.2d 894 (Ct. App. 1982).
A John Doe subpoena requiring the production of income tax returns violated the self-incrimination right. B.M. v. State, 113 Wis. 2d 183, 335 N.W.2d 420 (Ct. App. 1983).
A statement given to police, without Miranda warnings, while the accused was in an emergency room that the accused was the driver in a fatal crash was admissible. State v. Clappes, 117 Wis. 2d 277, 344 N.W.2d 141 (1984).
After a guilty plea the privilege against self-incrimination continues at least until sentencing. State v. McConnohie, 121 Wis. 2d 57, 358 N.W.2d 256 (1984).
When the defendant does not testify but presents his own argument to the jury, the prosecutor may caution the jury that the defendant's statements are not evidence. State v. Johnson, 121 Wis. 2d 237, 358 N.W.2d 824 (Ct. App. 1984).
When a relative of the accused contacted police and asked if anything could be done to help the accused, a subsequent confession elicited from the accused by the relative was inadmissible. Factors to be considered in determining when a civilian becomes an agent of the police are discussed. State v. Lee, 122 Wis. 2d 266, 362 N.W.2d 149 (1985).
Police had no duty to inform a suspect during custodial interrogation that a lawyer retained by the suspect's family was present. State v. Hanson, 136 Wis. 2d 195, 401 N.W.2d 771 (1987).
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Wisconsin Constitution updated by the Legislative Reference Bureau. Published July 9, 2024. Click for the Coverage of Annotations for the Annotated Constitution. Report errors at 608.504.5801 or lrb.legal@legis.wisconsin.gov.