4. Argument

Racine County v. C.B., 2023AP2018-FT, 3/20/24, District II (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity In a factually-specific appeal of a recommitment order, COA rejects all of C.B.’s arguments and affirms. “Banks” has been under a Chapter 51 order since 2015, following an NGI verdict in a criminal case in which he apparently fled from… Read more

Winnebago County v. T.S., 2023AP1267, 3/6/24, District II (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity In yet another 51 appeal attacking the sufficiency of the circuit court’s findings, COA rejects the County’s arguments and reverses. “Terry” was originally placed in DHS custody following an NGI verdict in his 2018 criminal case. (¶3). Shortly before his… Read more

State v. Nicholas Allen Paulson, 2022AP186, 2/21/24, District III (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity Although Paulson tries to establish that police did not have probable cause to arrest him despite, among other evidence, a PBT reading of .198, COA affirms. Paulson called 911 to report that his wife had jumped out of their… Read more

Columbia County DH&HS v. S.A.J., 2023AP1884, 2/15/24, District IV (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity In a lengthy opinion notable for its treatise-like treatment of the issues, COA rejects S.A.J.’s challenges to her TPR order. This case stems from a TPR petition filed in 2020. (¶4). Counsel was appointed to represent S.A.J. and a… Read more

State v. Jacob Richard Beyer, 2022AP2051, 1/11/24, District 4 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) Although Beyer labors mightily at conjuring up legal arguments for reversal, COA is uniformly unpersuaded and unimpressed by his arguments and affirms. As summarized by the COA, the underlying law enforcement investigation began when specialized investigative software downloaded… Read more

State v. Robert E. Hammersley, 2022AP263, 1/4/24, District 3 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity (including briefs) This pro se appeal fails due to the well-settled application of a procedural bar against successive litigation. Hammersley has been trying, without success, to reopen his 1998 drunk driving case for several years via a battery of… Read more

Manitowoc County HSD v. K.R., 2022AP1975-78, 12/27/23, District II (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity Presented with a confusing pro se attack on permanency orders entered in these underlying CHIPS cases, COA affirms largely because it cannot ascertain the nature of the appellant’s challenge. Following the filing of CHIPS petitions for four of K.R.’s… Read more