State v. Corey T. Rector, 2023 WI 41, 5/23/23 affirming a case certified by the court of appeals, 2020AP1213; case activity (including briefs) Rector pleaded to five counts of possessing child pornography in a single case. He’d never been convicted
Wisconsin State Public Defender
The Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office (SPD) has been providing "justice for all" since 1977, and is an independent, executive-branch state agency that ensures Wisconsin meets its constitutional requirement of providing legal representation to the indigent.
The mission of the Wisconsin State Public Defender is to zealously represent clients, protect constitutional rights, and advocate for an effective and fair criminal justice system. Our commitment is to treat our clients with dignity and compassion. Vision statement: The Wisconsin State Public Defender Office will lead the way in protecting justice for all.
The agency provides legal representation to the indigent throughout the state in all of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Organizationally, the SPD has 37 local trial offices, 2 appellate offices and a central administrative office. The agency utilizes staff attorneys as well as contract private attorneys (to handle conflict and overflow cases).
The SPD's website provides resources to clients and potential clients, private attorneys who are certified to take SPD case appointments, individuals involved in the criminal justice system, and the public interested in the state agency that delivers on Wisconsin's constitutional requirement regarding indigent defense.
SPD Main Telephone number: 608-266-0087
Latest from Wisconsin State Public Defender - Page 2
That ChatBot AI thingee might not make your job easier (or take it away completely) after all….
A word to the wise: When you have ChatGPT write a brief for you, and in response to your query it tells you that the cases it is citing “are real and can be found in reputable legal databases,” don’t trust…
Police had probable cause to search car, so didn’t unlawfully extend stop to wait for drug dog
State v. Warner E. Solomon, 2022AP634-CR, District 2, 5/24/23 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) The court of appeals rejects Solomon’s argument that the police unlawfully extended a traffic stop to wait for a drug dog to arrive…
Defense win: year-long wait for initial appearance requires dismissal w/o prejudice
State v. Christopher S. Butler, 2021AP177, 5/9/23, District 3 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) The state charged Butler with multiple sexual assaults of children. These charges resulted in a probation hold that lasted about four months; the…
SCOW DIGs case; justices dispute whether they should say why
State v. Jackson, 2023 WI 37, 5/12/23, dismissing as improvidently granted review of an unpublished court of appeals opinion, 2019AP2383; case activity (including briefs) Our post on the grant of review in this case said SCOW might use it to…
SCOW majority overrules Shiffra/Green
State & T.A.J. v. Alan S. Johnson, 2023 WI 39, 05/16/2023, reversing a published court of appeals decision, case activity (including briefs) As the dissent aptly describes it, “[t]his case has traveled a long and winding road to this point,…
Essential reading: Dallet’s concurrence in the Marsy’s law case
Wisconsin Justice Initiative, Inc. v. Wisconsin Elections Commission, 2023 WI 38, 5/16/23, on certification from the court of appeals; case activity (including briefs) In a 6-1 opinion, SCOW held that the ballot question for Marsy’s law complied with Wis. Const.…
Defense Win! Application of “best evidence rule” results in reversal of Ch. 51 commitment
Dane County v. D.F.B., 2022AP1852, District 4, 05/11/2023 (1-judge opinion, ineligible for publication); case activity A jury found D.F.B. dangerous under the second standard, which required evidence of a “substantial probability of physical harm to other individuals as manifested ……
Defense Win! Invalid waiver of right to counsel leads results in invalid TPR order
Winnebago County Department of Human Services v. N.J.D., 2023AP75, 05/03/2023 (District 2) (one-judge opinion, ineligible for publication); case activity Presented with two strong bases to reverse, the court of appeals picks one and holds that because the record “fails to…
Defense win! Courts can’t apply §939.62(1) and §961.48 enhancers at the same time
State v. Tracy Laver Hailes, 2021AP1339-CR, 5/9/23, District 1, (recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) In a decision recommended for publication, the court of appeals holds that under §973.01(2)(c) a circuit court may apply either §939.62(1) (governing habitual criminality)…