State v. Tremaine Y., 2005 WI App 56, PFR filed 3/4/05
For Tremaine: Robert W. Peterson, Samantha Jeanne Humes, SPD, Milwaukee Trial
Issue: Whether challenge to an earlier change-of-placement delinquency order, as a means of challenging the jurisdictional basis for the current ch. 980 commitment petition, comes too late to be entertained.
Holding:
¶8 The State first responds that Tremaine’s challenge to the 2001 change of placement order is too late, and that this is an improper forum for a collateral attack on that order. We disagree. Tremaine does have the right to challenge that placement order in the context of this WIS. STAT. ch. 980 proceeding. See, e.g., Neylan v. Vorwald, 124 Wis. 2d 85, 97, 368 N.W.2d 648 (1985). “When a court or other judicial body acts in excess of its jurisdiction, its orders or judgments are void and may be challenged at any time.” Id. (citation omitted). Furthermore, collateral attack is a proper method for challenging the order or judgment. Id. If Tremaine can demonstrate that the order was void, he is entitled to have it treated as a “legal nullity.” Id. at 99 (citation omitted). We will therefore consider Tremaine’s argument in the context of the ch. 980 petition.
