State v. D.L., 2019AP2331, District 1, 3/10/20; (1-judge opinion, ineligible for publication); case activity The State petitioned to terminate D.L.’s parental rights to Y.P.-T. for failure to assume parental responsibility in January 2017 and lost at a jury trial. So when the State filed a new T.P.R. proceeding in October 2018, D.L. moved the circuit… Read more
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Holguin-Hernadez v. United States, USSC 18-7739, vacating and remanding a per curiam 5th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion; SCOTUSblog page (includes links to briefs and commentary). At Holguin-Hernandez’s revocation hearing, his counsel argued for a specific sentence–either nothing or less than 12 months. The government pushed for 12-18 months. After the district court chose 12 months… Read more
Shular v. United States, USSC 18-6662, affirming an unpublished 11th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion; SCOTUSblog page (includes links to briefs and commentary) The issue in this case was whether Shular, a felon in possession of a firearm, had been convicted of 3 or more “serious drug offenses” under state law. If so, he would… Read more
Jones v. Mississippi, USSC No. 18-1259, certiorari granted 3/9/20. Question presented: Whether the Eighth Amendment requires the sentencing authority to make a finding that a juvenile is permanently incorrigible before imposing a sentence of life without parole. On February 26th, SCOTUS dismissed Randall Mathena, Warden v. Lee Boyd Malvo, USSC No. 18-217, which raised the… Read more
If you’re waiting for a decision on whether solicitation of 1st degree reckless injury is a crime in Wisconsin and on whether solicitation of 1st degree recklessly endangering safety is a lesser included offense of 1st degree reckless injury, STOP! SCOW just dismissed the case raising these issues–State v. Kelly James Kloss–as improvidently granted. SCOW’s… Read more
State v. Alexander M. Schultz, 2020 WI 24, affirming a published court of appeals opinion; 3/4/20; case activity (including briefs) In a 4-3 decision, SCOW holds that the State may assert a vague charging period (i.e “late summer to early fall”) for repeated child sexual assault, but then constructively narrow the charging period after trial… Read more
State v. T. E.-B., 2019AP309, 3/5/20, District 4 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity T. E.-B. appeals his juvenile adjudication for sexual assault of a four-year-old, arguing that the state failed to prove that the alleged assault happened when the petition said it did: “on or about June 21, 2017.” Everyone agrees that the… Read more
Check out the new article to be published in the University of Illinois Law Review by the prolific Michael Cicchini. It examines how Wisconsin judges accept pleas and then jump the agreed upon sentence (or joint recommendation), leaving the defendant without recourse. The article contrasts Wisconsin practice’s with the majority of states, which don’t allow judges… Read more
