Wisconsin lets judges accept a plea but jump joint recommendation; most states don’t

Check out the new article to be published in the University of  Illinois Law Review by the prolific Michael Cicchini. It examines how Wisconsin judges accept pleas and then jump the agreed upon sentence (or joint recommendation), leaving the defendant without recourse.  The article contrasts Wisconsin practice’s with the majority of states, which don’t allow judges to sandbag defendants this way.  More significantly, though, the article offers Wisconsin defense lawyers a strategic approach (including a sample motion) for avoiding this problem in some circumstances and in some cases.  You can find the article on SSRN, or you can find it on Michael’s articles page (it’s the first article).