by admin
on April 7, 2022
State v. Michael Lee Muehl, 2021AP1755-CR & 2021AP1758-CR, District 4, 3/31/21 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity (including briefs)
The circuit court sentenced Muehl to prison and made him eligible for the earned release programs. Turns out Muehl was ineligible for those programs, so he filed a motion to modify his sentence on the grounds that his ineligibility was a “new factor”—that is, a fact highly relevant to the imposition of sentence that was not known to the judge at the time of sentencing because it wasn’t in existence or was unknowingly overlooked. State v. Harbor, 2011 WI 28, ¶35, 333 Wis. 2d 53, 797 N.W.2d 828. (¶¶2-10). Although a defendant’s ineligibility for earned release programming might be a new factor in some cases, it isn’t here because Muehl hasn’t established his ineligibility was “highly relevant” to the sentencing decision.
[continue reading…]
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by admin
on April 7, 2022
State v. Eric Allen Erickson, 2021AP1826-CR, District 4, 3/31/22 (one-judge decision; ineligible for publication); case activity (including briefs)
The state appealed a circuit court order granting Erickson’s collateral attack of a prior OWI conviction. Erickson’s response brief argued that the state ignored the relevant facts and relied on irrelevant facts. Erickson also cited authorities that “squarely rebut” authorities relied on by the state. Despite Erickson’s onslaught against its argument, the state didn’t file a reply brief. The court of appeals deems the state’s failure to reply to be a concession of Erickson’s arguments, so the circuit court is affirmed.
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by admin
on April 5, 2022
State v. Christopher Antonje Tek, 2021AP1112-Cr, 3/31/22, District 4, (1-judge opinion, ineligible for publication); case activity (including briefs).
About 45 seconds into a traffic stop, Officer Rocha placed Tek in handcuffs and continued his investigation of a possible OWI. Ten minutes later, Rocha took Tek to jail and arrested him. Tek argued that he was arrested–without probable cause–when Rocha cuffed him. The court of appeals disagreed. It held that Rocha had reasonable suspicion to investigate a possible crime, and his use of handcuffs did not transform Tek’s detention into an arrest. [continue reading…]
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by admin
on April 1, 2022
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 showing the progression of her bruising. The defense objected. The circuit court refused to exclude the second set based on harmless error. The photos only depicted what Margaret and police described in their testimony. The court of appeals affirmed. [continue reading…]
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by admin
on April 1, 2022
State v. Michael J. Leighton, 2021AP1949-cr, 3/30/22, District 2 (not recommended for publication; case activity (including briefs)
In 2018, the State charged Leighton with misdemeanor theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, both as repeaters. In 2020, he asked the DA for “prompt disposition” of his case per §971.11. Receiving no response, he moved for dismissal, which the court granted without prejudice. On appeal, he says dismissal should have been with prejudice. The court of appeals disagreed due to the victim’s rights. [continue reading…]
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by admin
on March 30, 2022
On March 30, 2022, the court of appeals ordered publication of the following criminal law related decisions: [continue reading…]
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by admin
on March 30, 2022
State v. Daimon Von Jackson, Jr., 2019AP2383, petition for review of granted 3/21/22; dismissed as improvidently granted 5/8/23; case activity (including briefs)
Issues (from Von Jackson’s PFR):
1. Whether a defendant is prejudiced when trial counsel does not communicate with him before his homicide trial.
2. Whether a defendant should be allowed to obtain new counsel when his current counsel is deficient.
[continue reading…]
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by admin
on March 30, 2022
City of Waukesha v. Brian John Zimmer, 2012AP530-531, 3/23/22, District 2; case activity (including briefs)
The circuit court suppressed the results of Zimmer’s preliminary breath test because Officer Moss demanded, rather than asked, Zimmer to submit to a PBT, contrary to §343.303. It also dismissed Zimmer’s OWI citations. The court of appeals reversed because Moss had probable cause arrest even before he administered the PBT and because the circuit allowed its dislike of the PBT to cloud its judgment. [continue reading…]
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