17. Expungement

State v. Rachel M. Helmbrecht, 2017 WI App 5; case activity (including briefs) A circuit court’s decision on whether to order expungement under § 973.015 involves the exercise of discretion, and therefore the general rules governing the proper exercise of discretion apply to the expungement decision. ¶11     The statute at issue here clearly contemplates the… Read more

Review of an unpublished court of appeals opinion; case activity (including briefs) Issues: (1)  Whether to satisfy the conditions of probation for purposes of Wisconsin’s expungement statute, § 973.015(1m)(b), a probationer must perfectly comply with every probation condition, or whether under State v. Hemp, 2014 WI 129, 359 Wis. 2d 320, 856 N.W.2d 811, it… Read more

State v. Armstrong, 2016AP97-CR, District 2, 8/17/16 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity (including defendant’s brief; the state did not file a response brief) While § 973.015 and State v. Matasek, 2014 WI 27, ¶45, 353 Wis. 2d 601, 846 N.W.2d 811, require that expungement be decided at the time of sentencing, not put off till after… Read more

State v. Lazaro Ozuna, 2015AP1877-CR, 4/13/16, District 2 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication), petition for review granted 9/13/16, affirmed 2017 WI 64, ; case activity (including briefs) Even though DOC discharged Ozuna from probation, he didn’t successfully complete his sentence for purposes of the expungement statute because he was cited for underage drinking while he was… Read more

Review of a published court of appeals decision; case activity (including briefs) Issues: In State v. Leitner, 2002 WI 77, 253 Wis. 2d 449, 646 N.W.2d 341, this Court held that circuit courts may not consider an expunged record of conviction, but may consider the facts underlying an expunged record of conviction at sentencing. Did… Read more

State v. Mustafa Z. Abdel-Hamid, 2015AP1517-CR, 1/20/16, District 1 (1-judge opinion, ineligible for publication); case activity, including briefs After being convicted of two counts of misdemeanor criminal damage to property, the defendant urged the court to grant expungement under Wis. Stat. §973.015. He pointed to his lack of criminal record, his excellent grades, his professional… Read more

Professor Murat Mungen, Florida State University College of Law, just published this article explaining how expunging a person’s criminal record reduces the chances that he will reoffend… Read more