On Point blog, page 37 of 44

Plea Agreements — Partial Withdrawal: Repudiation of Entire Bargain<

State v. Corey D. Williams, 2003 WI App 116
For Williams: Michael J. Edmonds

Issue/Holding:

¶21. As a final matter, we address the effect of Williams’s plea withdrawal on further proceedings in the circuit court. It is well-settled that “repudiation of a portion of the plea agreement constitutes a repudiation of the entire plea agreement.” State v. Lange, 2003 WI App 2,

Read full article >

Plea Agreements — Partial Withdrawal: Repudiation of Entire Bargain

State v. Richard A. Lange, 2003 WI App 2
For Lange: Daniel F. Snyder

Issue/Holding: Partial relief against a plea bargain-based guilty plea “constitutes a repudiation of the entire plea agreement,” ¶32, a principle which is now extended to instances where there are multiple judgments of conviction not all of which are under appeal, under the rationale of State v. Briggs, 218 Wis. 2d 61,

Read full article >

Plea Agreements — Judicial Participation — Conclusive Presumption of Involuntariness

State v. Corey D. Williams, 2003 WI App 116
For Williams: Michael J. Edmonds

Issue/Holding:

¶1.… We conclude that judicial participation in the bargaining process that precedes a defendant’s plea raises a conclusive presumption that the plea was involuntary. Therefore, we adopt a bright-line rule barring any form of judicial participation in plea negotiations before a plea agreement has been reached. Because it is undisputed that the trial judge participated in the negotiations that led up to Williams’s pleas,

Read full article >

Plea Bargains – Breach: By Prosecutor – Pressuring PSI Agent to Change Favorable Recommendation Where State Had Agreed to Make No Recommendation

State v. Joshua L. Howland, 2003 WI App 104
For Howland: Paul G. LaZotte, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶37. We conclude that the district attorney’s contacts with the Department of Probation and Parole, complaining about the PSI author’s sentence recommendation, when the plea agreement required the State to make no sentence recommendation, resulted in a material and substantial breach of the plea agreement. Consequently,

Read full article >

Guilty Pleas – Required Knowledge — Elements — 2nd-Degree Sexual Assault (by Contact), § 948.02(2) — “Knowing Contact” Insufficient

State v. John A. Jipson, 2003 WI App 222
For Jipson: Martha K. Askins, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding: On a charge of 2nd-degree sexual assault, § 948.02(2), the guilty plea court must ascertain the defendant’s knowledge of the element of intent, namely that the defendant had sexual contact for the purpose of sexual degradation, humiliation, arousal, or gratification. It is insufficient to advise the defendant merely that “knowing contact” was necessary,

Read full article >

Guilty Pleas – Required Knowledge — Elements — Referenced Document not Attached to Plea Questionnaire

State v. Richard A. Lange, 2003 WI App 2
For Lange: Daniel F. Snyder

Issue/Holding: Where the plea form made reference to an “attached sheet” which was not in fact attached, and the trial court did not go over the elements with the defendant, “the record is barren as to any explanation or detailing to Lange of the elements of the offense,” and Lange has established a prima facie case for plea-withdrawal.

Read full article >

Guilty Pleas – Required Knowledge — Rights

State v. Richard A. Lange, 2003 WI App 2
For Lange: Daniel F. Snyder

Issue/Holding: Trial court’s colloquy sufficiently established defendant’s understanding of rights waived by guilty plea. ¶¶23-27.

Read full article >

Guilty Pleas – Plea Bargains – Breach: By Prosecutor – Sentencing Recommendation by Police Officer Exceeding Bargained Length

State v. Leonard C. Matson, 2003 WI App 253
For Matson: Michael Yovovich, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶13. Matson argues his due process rights were violated when Alstadt, the investigating detective in this case, gave a sentencing recommendation that undermined the State’s recommendation, in effect, breaching the plea agreement. The State counters that Alstadt was not a party to the plea agreement and thus his letter did not violate Matson’s due process rights.

Read full article >

Guilty Pleas – Plea Bargains – Breach: By Prosecutor — Remedy

State v. Leonard C. Matson, 2003 WI App 253
For Matson: Michael Yovovich, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶33. Here, as he did before the circuit court, Matson seeks not to withdraw his plea, which is one remedy for a breach of a plea agreement. Santobello v. New York, 404 U.S. 257, 263 (1971). Matson instead seeks specific performance, a new sentencing by a different judge with a new presentence report.

Read full article >

Plea Bargains — Breach: By Defendant – Challenging Prior Enhancer-Conviction

State v. Robert C. Deilke, 2004 WI 104, reversing 2003 WI App 151, 266 Wis. 2d 274, 667 N.W.2d 867
For Deilke: Kelly J. McKnight

Issue: Whether a defendant’s successful challenge to a prior plea-bargain based conviction that is being used as an enhancer in a current proceeding amounts to a breach of that prior plea bargain so as to allow reinstatement of charges dismissed under it.

Read full article >