John M. Stephenson v. Levenhagen, 7th Cir No. 09-2924, 08/26/2010 7th Cir decision; petition for rehearing denied 1/14/11, 3 dissents from denial of en banc review Habeas – Effective Assistance – Stun Belt Counsel’s failure to object to placement of stun belt on Stephenson during trial was held by the state court to be deficient: accepting… Read more
13. Due Process
State v. Justin H., No. 2009AP2935, District III, 6/29/10 court of appeals decision (1-judge; not for publication); for Justin H.: Leonard D. Kachinsky ¶9 However, even assuming Justin properly preserved a due process argument, we reject it. Due process principles require that a juvenile against whom a delinquency petition has been filed be given “notice… Read more
State v. James W. Smith, 2010 WI 16, affirming 2009 WI App 16; for Smith: Shelley M. Fite, SPD, Madison Appellate The § 301.45 reporting requirement applicable to any violation of false imprisonment of a minor not the defendant’s child is rationally related to a legitimate government interest in protecting the public, particularly children, ¶¶27-36. Keep… Read more
Wisconsin supreme court decision; below: certification; for Wood: Kristin E. Lehker; for amicus, Disability Rights Watch: Kristin Kerschensteiner; Supp. App. Br.; Supp. Resp.; Supp. Reply Due Process Challenge to Statute ¶13 A party may challenge a law or government action as being unconstitutional on its face. Under such a challenge, the challenger must show that the law cannot… Read more
supreme court decision; court of appeals decision; for Fischer: James M. Shellow, Robin Shellow, Urszula Tempska Note: federal habeas relief was subequently granted, Richard M. Fischer v. Ozaukee Co. Circ. Ct., ED Wis No. 10-C-553, 9/29/10. Federal appellate and district court cases don’t bind Wisconsin courts, which therefore needn’t follow this habeas decision, e.g., State v. Mechtel… Read more
court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication) Statement against Interest, Exculpating Defendant Against-interest statement exculpating defendant admissible. Declarant unavailable, given reasonable but unsuccessful efforts to subpoena. Contrary to trial court, statement not ambiguous but was direct admission of crime and corroborated by having been made to different people on different occasions… Read more
State v. Lord L. Sturdivant, 2009 WI App 5, PFR filed 1/13/09 For Sturdivant: Steven D. Phillips, SPD, Madison Appellate Issue/Holding: ¶8 Due process “requires that vindictiveness against a defendant for having successfully attacked his first conviction must play no part in the sentence he receives after a new trial.” North Carolina v. Pearce, 395 U.S. 711… Read more
State v. Ronnie Lee Winters, 2009 WI App 48, PFR filed 4/8/09 For Winters: Ralph Sczygelski Issue/Holding: Where the defendant validly waived his right to testify but then, after the state had rested and released its rebuttal witnesses, sought to retract the waiver, his failure to make an offer of proof as to the substance of his… Read more
