C.T.L. v. M.L.K., 2023AP402, District III, 7/11/23, 1-judge decision ineligible for publication; case activity (briefs not available) The court of appeals confronts two alleged errors stemming from M.L.K.’s TPR jury trial and affirms based on harmless error. This is an appeal of a comparatively rare privately-filed TPR action initiated by “Mary’s” paternal grandparents against Mary’s… Read more
2. Evidentiary decision
State v. Marty S. Madeiros, 2021AP405-CR, District 4, 10/27/22 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) Evidence of Madeiros’s prior hit-and-run conviction was admitted at his trial on OWI 5th, over his objection. This other-acts evidence was inadmissible because it wasn’t probative of any non-propensity purpose and the error in admitting the evidence wasn’t… Read more
State v. Ryan Hugh Mulhern, 2022 WI 42, 6/21/22, reversing a per curiam court of appeals decision, 2019AP1565, case activity (including briefs) When we posted on SCOW’s grant of review of the non-citable court of appeals decision in this case, we imagined the court might accept the state’s invitation to change the scope of the… Read more
State v. Richard Brian Lopez, 2020AP108-CR, 3/29/2022, District 1; (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) Lopez was convicted of battering his girlfriend, “Margaret,” with whom he had children. Before trial, the DA turned over photos depicting the bruising on Margaret’s face. But at trial, it surprised Lopez with a second set of photos… Read more
State v. Ronald Henry Griffin, 2020AP1750-CR, 2/22/22, District 1; case activity (including briefs) Griffin and his friend, Taylor, were charged with sexually assaulting T.H. Taylor pled and agreed to testify against Griffin, who went to trial and was found guilty. He filed a pro se appeal arguing that (1) the State failed to turn over… Read more
Dunn County Human Services v. N.R., 2021AP129 & 2021AP1830, District 3, 1/28/22 (one-judge decision; in eligible for publication); case activity The circuit court properly exercised its discretion in allowing the foster parent of N.R.’s children to testify at the grounds trial in N.R.’s TPR proceeding. The petition alleged continuing CHIPS grounds, which meant the County… Read more
State v. Nathan J. Friar, 2019AP1578-CR, District 4, 10/22/20 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) Friar challenges his conviction for sexual assault by use of force, claiming the circuit court erroneously admitted certain evidence and that his trial lawyer was ineffective. The court of appeals rejects his challenges. This is a lengthy (36… Read more
State v. Jeffrey D. Lee, 2018AP1507-CR, 11/5/19, District 1 (not recommended for publication); case activity (including briefs) At a jury trial for child sexual assault, the circuit court admitted “other acts” evidence that Lee had similarly assaulted 5 other children. The court of appeals called the “other acts” evidence of the 3rd, 4th and 5th… Read more
