Winnebago County v. D.P., 2024AP2391-FT, 3/19/25, District II (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity In appeal eerily similar to a SCOW case that was dismissed as improvidently granted, COA affirms and holds that the conclusory testimony supporting involuntary medication and recommitment was legally sufficient. “Daniel” appeals orders for recommitment under the Fifth Standard and… Read more
A. Ch. 51, Mental health
Winnebago County v. J.S., 2024AP1333, 3/5/25, District II (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity In yet another case testing the applicability of SCOW’s D.J.W. mandate, COA finds that the circuit court “barely” satisfied those requirements and affirms. “Jacob” argues that the circuit court failed to make sufficient findings in order to find him dangerous under the… Read more
Sheboygan County v. L.L., 2024AP1443, 2/26/25, District II (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity COA confronts the usual challenges to a recommitment order and affirms based on a somewhat novel legal theory–that L.L.’s earlier stipulation to a commitment order undermines her sufficiency challenge to the recommitment. D.J.W. Claim “Lucy” first attacks her recommitment order… Read more
Waukesha County v. R.D.T., 2024AP1390, 2/12/25, District II (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity COA dismisses “Rex’s” D.J.W. and sufficiency challenges to his 2023 recommitment and involuntary medication orders as moot. Rex was initially committed in 2021, and recommitted twice more before the recommitment at issue in this appeal. (¶2). The circuit court appointed… Read more
Dane County v. A.M.M., 2024AP1670, 2/13/25, District IV (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity “Amanda” challenges the sufficiency of the evidence pertaining to her medication order. The COA calls this a “close case,” but affirms. Amanda stipulated to a ch. 51 commitment during a voluntary admission to a psychiatric hospital. Prior to her admission… Read more
Racine County v. C.D.B., 2024AP1195, 2/5/25, District II (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity In “Banks’s” most recent appeal, he once again challenges the sufficiency of the evidence pertaining to his extension and medication orders. Like his last appeal, however, those arguments go nowhere. Less than a year ago, we posted on “Banks’s” challenge… Read more
Sheboygan County v. N.A.L., 2024AP1195, 2/5/25, District II (1-judge decision, ineligible for publication); case activity In yet another appeal asking COA to clarify the procedure for accepting a stipulation to a mental commitment, COA refuses N.A.L.’s invitation to issue a precedential opinion and affirms based largely on a prior unpublished decision. “Nathan” appeals orders for… Read more
Trempealeau County v. C.B.O., 2024AP1520-FT, 2/4/25, District III (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity COA affirms, holding that the evidence of a verbal threat to kill someone, and “Carl’s” actions during a subsequent police chase, were both sufficient to establish dangerousness under Wis. Stat. § 51.20(1)(a)2.b. Carl was emergently detained after police responded to… Read more
