943.13(2)(a)
(a) If a sign at least 11 inches square is placed in at least 2 conspicuous places for every 40 acres to be protected. The sign must carry an appropriate notice and the name of the person giving the notice followed by the word "owner" if the person giving the notice is the holder of legal title to the land and by the word "occupant" if the person giving the notice is not the holder of legal title but is a lawful occupant of the land. Proof that appropriate signs as provided in this paragraph were erected or in existence upon the premises to be protected prior to the event complained of shall be prima facie proof that the premises to be protected were posted as provided in this paragraph.
943.13(2)(b)
(b) If markings at least one foot long, including in a contrasting color the phrase "private land" and the name of the owner, are made in at least 2 conspicuous places for every 40 acres to be protected.
943.13(3)
(3) Whoever erects on the land of another signs which are the same as or similar to those described in
sub. (2) without obtaining the express consent of the lawful occupant of or holder of legal title to such land is subject to a Class C forfeiture.
943.13(3m)
(3m) An owner or occupant may give express consent to enter or remain on the land for a specified purpose or subject to specified conditions and it is a violation of
sub. (1m) (a) or
(am) for a person who received that consent to enter or remain on the land for another purpose or contrary to the specified conditions.
943.13(4)
(4) Nothing in this section shall prohibit a representative of a labor union from conferring with any employee provided such conference is conducted in the living quarters of the employee and with the consent of the employee occupants.
943.13(4m)
(4m) This section does not apply to any of the following:
943.13(4m)(a)
(a) A person entering the land, other than the residence or other buildings or the curtilage of the residence or other buildings, of another for the purpose of removing a wild animal as authorized under
s. 29.885 (2),
(3) or
(4).
943.13(4m)(c)
(c) A person entering or remaining on any exposed shore area of a stream as authorized under
s. 30.134.
943.13(5)
(5) Any authorized occupant of employer-provided housing shall have the right to decide who may enter, confer and visit with the occupant in the housing area the occupant occupies.
943.13 Annotation
The arrest of abortion protesters trespassing at a clinic did not violate the right to free speech right. State v. Horn,
139 Wis. 2d 473,
407 N.W.2d 854 (1987).
943.13 Annotation
Administrative Code provisions requiring hunters to make reasonable efforts to retrieve game birds killed or injured do not exempt a person from criminal prosecution under sub. (1) (b) for trespassing upon posted lands to retrieve birds shot from outside the posted area. 64 Atty. Gen. 204.
943.14
943.14
Criminal trespass to dwellings. Whoever intentionally enters the dwelling of another without the consent of some person lawfully upon the premises, under circumstances tending to create or provoke a breach of the peace, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
943.14 History
History: 1977 c. 173.
943.14 Annotation
Criminal trespass to a dwelling is not a lesser included offense of burglary. Raymond v. State,
55 Wis. 2d 482,
198 N.W.2d 351.
943.14 Annotation
Regardless of any ownership rights in the property, if a person enters a dwelling that is another's residence, without consent, this section is violated. State v. Carls,
186 Wis. 2d 533,
516 N.W.2d 533 (Ct. App. 1994).
943.14 Annotation
Entering an outbuilding accessory to a main house may be a violation. 62 Atty. Gen. 16.
943.145
943.145
Criminal trespass to a medical facility. 943.145(1)
(1) In this section, "medical facility" means a hospital under
s. 50.33 (2) or a clinic or office that is used by a physician licensed under
ch. 448 and that is subject to rules promulgated by the medical examining board for the clinic or office that are in effect on November 20, 1985.
943.145(2)
(2) Whoever intentionally enters a medical facility without the consent of some person lawfully upon the premises, under circumstances tending to create or provoke a breach of the peace, is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.
943.145(3)
(3) This section does not prohibit any person from participating in lawful conduct in labor disputes under
s. 103.53.
943.145 History
History: 1985 a. 56.
943.15
943.15
Entry onto a construction site or into a locked building, dwelling or room. 943.15(1)
(1) Whoever enters the locked or posted construction site or the locked and enclosed building, dwelling or room of another without the consent of the owner or person in lawful possession of the premises is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
943.15(2)(a)
(a) "Construction site" means the site of the construction, alteration, painting or repair of a building, structure or other work.
943.15(2)(b)
(b) "Owner or person in lawful possession of the premises" includes a person on whose behalf a building or dwelling is being constructed, altered, painted or repaired and the general contractor or subcontractor engaged in that work.
943.15(2)(c)
(c) "Posted" means that a sign at least 11 inches square must be placed in at least 2 conspicuous places for every 40 acres to be protected. The sign must carry an appropriate notice and the name of the person giving the notice followed by the word "owner" if the person giving the notice is the holder of legal title to the land on which the construction site is located and by the word "occupant" if the person giving the notice is not the holder of legal title but is a lawful occupant of the land.
943.15 History
History: 1981 c. 68.
MISAPPROPRIATION.
943.20(1)(1)
Acts. Whoever does any of the following may be penalized as provided in
sub. (3):
943.20(1)(a)
(a) Intentionally takes and carries away, uses, transfers, conceals, or retains possession of movable property of another without the other's consent and with intent to deprive the owner permanently of possession of such property.
943.20(1)(b)
(b) By virtue of his or her office, business or employment, or as trustee or bailee, having possession or custody of money or of a negotiable security, instrument, paper or other negotiable writing of another, intentionally uses, transfers, conceals, or retains possession of such money, security, instrument, paper or writing without the owner's consent, contrary to his or her authority, and with intent to convert to his or her own use or to the use of any other person except the owner. A refusal to deliver any money or a negotiable security, instrument, paper or other negotiable writing, which is in his or her possession or custody by virtue of his or her office, business or employment, or as trustee or bailee, upon demand of the person entitled to receive it, or as required by law, is prima facie evidence of an intent to convert to his or her own use within the meaning of this paragraph.
943.20(1)(c)
(c) Having a legal interest in movable property, intentionally and without consent, takes such property out of the possession of a pledgee or other person having a superior right of possession, with intent thereby to deprive the pledgee or other person permanently of the possession of such property.
943.20(1)(d)
(d) Obtains title to property of another person by intentionally deceiving the person with a false representation which is known to be false, made with intent to defraud, and which does defraud the person to whom it is made. "False representation" includes a promise made with intent not to perform it if it is a part of a false and fraudulent scheme.
943.20(1)(e)
(e) Intentionally fails to return any personal property which is in his or her possession or under his or her control by virtue of a written lease or written rental agreement, within 10 days after the lease or rental agreement has expired.
943.20(2)(a)
(a) "Movable property" is property whose physical location can be changed, without limitation including electricity and gas, documents which represent or embody intangible rights, and things growing on, affixed to or found in land.
943.20(2)(b)
(b) "Property" means all forms of tangible property, whether real or personal, without limitation including electricity, gas and documents which represent or embody a chose in action or other intangible rights.
943.20(2)(c)
(c) "Property of another" includes property in which the actor is a coowner and property of a partnership of which the actor is a member, unless the actor and the victim are husband and wife.
943.20(2)(d)
(d) "Value" means the market value at the time of the theft or the cost to the victim of replacing the property within a reasonable time after the theft, whichever is less, but if the property stolen is a document evidencing a chose in action or other intangible right, value means either the market value of the chose in action or other right or the intrinsic value of the document, whichever is greater. If the thief gave consideration for, or had a legal interest in, the stolen property, the amount of such consideration or value of such interest shall be deducted from the total value of the property.
943.20(3)(a)
(a) If the value of the property does not exceed $1,000, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
943.20(3)(b)
(b) If the value of the property exceeds $1,000 but not $2,500, is guilty of a Class E felony.
943.20(3)(c)
(c) If the value of the property exceeds $2,500, is guilty of a Class C felony.
943.20(3)(d)
(d) If the value of the property does not exceed $2,500 and any of the following circumstances exist, is guilty of a Class D felony:
943.20(3)(d)2.
2. The property is taken from the person of another or from a corpse; or
943.20(3)(d)3.
3. The property is taken from a building which has been destroyed or left unoccupied because of physical disaster, riot, bombing or the proximity of battle; or
943.20(3)(d)4.
4. The property is taken after physical disaster, riot, bombing or the proximity of battle has necessitated its removal from a building; or
943.20(3)(d)6.
6. The property is taken from a patient or resident of a facility or program under
s. 940.295 (2) or from a vulnerable adult.
943.20(4)
(4) Use of photographs as evidence. In any action or proceeding for a violation of
sub. (1), a party may use duly identified and authenticated photographs of property which was the subject of the violation in lieu of producing the property.
943.20 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: Misappropriation of funds by contractor or subcontractor as theft, see s.
779.02 (5).
943.20 Annotation
If one person takes property from the person of another, and a 2nd person carries it away, the evidence may show a theft from the person under subs. (1) (a) and (3) (d) 2., either on a theory of conspiracy or of complicity. Hawpetoss v. State,
52 Wis. 2d 71,
187 N.W.2d 823.
943.20 Annotation
Attempted theft by false representation (signing another's name to a car purchase contract) is not an included crime of forgery (signing the owner's name to a car title to be traded in). State v. Fuller,
57 Wis. 2d 408,
204 N.W.2d 452.
943.20 Annotation
Under sub. (1) (d) it is not necessary that the person who parts with property be induced to do so by a false and fraudulent scheme; the person must be deceived by a false representation that is part of such a scheme. Schneider v. State,
60 Wis. 2d 765,
211 N.W.2d 511.
943.20 Annotation
In abolishing the action for breach of promise to marry, the legislature did not sanction either civil or criminal fraud by the breaching party against the property of a duped victim. Restrictions on civil actions for fraud are not applicable to related criminal actions. Lambert v. State,
73 Wis. 2d 590,
243 N.W.2d 524.
943.20 Annotation
Sub. (1) (a) should be read in the disjunctive so as to prohibit both the taking of and the exercise of unauthorized control over property of another. The sale of stolen property is thus prohibited. State v. Genova,
77 Wis. 2d 141,
252 N.W.2d 380.
943.20 Annotation
The state may not charge a defendant under sub. (1) (a) in the disjunctive by alleging that the defendant took and carried away or used or transferred, etc. Jackson v. State,
92 Wis. 2d 1,
284 N.W.2d 685 (Ct. App. 1979).
943.20 Annotation
Circumstantial evidence of owner nonconsent was sufficient to support a jury's verdict. State v. Lund,
99 Wis. 2d 152,
298 N.W.2d 533 (1980).
943.20 Annotation
Section 943.20 (1) (e) does not unconstitutionally imprison one for debt. State v. Roth,
115 Wis. 2d 163,
339 N.W.2d 807 (Ct. App. 1983).
943.20 Annotation
A person may be convicted under s. 943.20 (1) (a) for concealing property and be separately convicted for transferring that property. State v. Tappa,
127 Wis. 2d 155,
378 N.W.2d 883 (1985).
943.20 Annotation
A violation of sub. (1) (d) does not require proof that the accused personally received property. State v. O'Neil,
141 Wis. 2d 535,
416 N.W.2d 77 (Ct. App. 1987).
943.20 Annotation
"Obtains title to property", as used in sub. (1) (d), includes obtaining property under a lease by fraudulent misrepresentation. State v. Meado,
163 Wis. 2d 789,
472 N.W.2d 567 (Ct. App. 1991).
943.20 Annotation
The federal tax on a fraudulently obtained airline ticket was properly included in its value for determining whether the offense was a felony under sub. (3). State v. McNearney,
175 Wis. 2d 485, N.W.2d (Ct. App. 1993).
943.20 Annotation
The definition of "bailee" under s. 407.102 (1) is not applicable to sub. (1) (b); definitions of "bailment" and are "bailee" discussed. State v. Kuhn,
178 Wis. 2d 428,
504 N.W.2d 405 (Ct. App. 1993).
943.20 Annotation
Where the factual basis for a plea to felony theft does not establish the value of the property taken, the conviction must be set aside and replaced with a misdemeanor conviction. State v. Harrington,
181 Wis. 2d 985,
512 N.W.2d 261 (Ct. App. 1994).
943.20 Annotation
The words "uses", "transfers", "conceals" and "retains possession" in sub. (1) (b) are not synonyms describing the crime of theft but describe separate offenses. A jury must be instructed that there must be unanimous agreement on the manner in which the statute was violated. State v. Seymour,
183 Wis. 2d 682,
515 N.W.2d 874 (1994).
943.20 Annotation
Theft from the person includes theft of a purse from the handle of an occupied wheelchair. State v. Hughes,
218 Wis. 2d 538,
582 N.W.2d 49 (Ct. App. 1998).
943.20 Annotation
A landlord who failed to return or account for a security deposit ordinarily could not be prosecuted under this section. 60 Atty. Gen. 1.
943.20 Annotation
State court rulings that unauthorized control was sufficient to support a conviction under sub. (1) (d) were not an unlawful broadening of the offense so as to deprive the defendant of notice and the opportunity to defend. Hawkins v. Mathews,
495 F. Supp. 323 (1980).
943.201
943.201
Misappropriation of personal identifying information or personal identification documents. 943.201(1)(a)
(a) "Personal identification document" means a birth certificate or a financial transaction card, as defined in
s. 943.41 (1) (em).
943.201(1)(b)
(b) "Personal identifying information" means any of the following information:
