On Point blog, page 128 of 142
Warrants – Staleness – Drug Trafficking
State v. Glover B. Jones, 2002 WI App 196, PFR filed 8/22/02
For Jones: Mark D. Richards
Issue/Holding: Although the age of the information in the warrant application – six months – gives pause, it isn’t sufficiently stale to defeat probable cause for drug trafficking.
¶22 Jones argues that the key information in the warrant affidavit—the informant’s allegations—was over six months old.
Expectation of Privacy — Multi-Unit Common Area (Basement)
State v. Garry C. Eskridge, 2002 WI App 158, PFR filed 6/14/02
For Eskridge: Gregory Bates
Issue: Whether a tenant had an expectation of privacy in the basement area of a multiple unit apartment building.
Holding: A tenant’s expectation of privacy in the common areas of multiple unit buildings is decided on a case by case basis. ¶10. Because the state offered credible testimony —
Forfeiture — Return of Seized Property — “Excessive Fine”
State v. Kirk J. Bergquist, 2002 WI App 39
For Berhquist: Steven H. Gibbs
Issue: Whether the state’s refusal to return guns valued at between $5000 and $7,150, following conviction for disorderly conduct, violated the Eighth Amendment Excessive Fines Clause.
Holding:
¶8. Although the term ‘forfeiture’ does not appear in this statute, our supreme court has recognized that the result of refusing to return a weapon to a person who committed a crime using the weapon is a forfeiture.
Reasonable Suspicion – Stop – Duration – Automobile — Prolonged to determine if Driver Had Valid License
State v. Vernell T. Williams, 2002 WI App 306
For Williams: Michael A. Haakenson
Issue: Whether a stop whose purpose (to investigate possible connection to an earlier crime) had dissipated was unlawfully prolonged by a checking the driver’s license.
Holding:
¶19. In State v. Ellenbecker, 159 Wis. 2d 91, 464 N.W.2d 427 (Ct. App. 1990), we held that a request for a driver’s license from a driver whose vehicle was disabled,
Reasonable Suspicion — Stop — Duration — Prolonged to Seek Consent to Search Automobile
State v. Vernell T. Williams, 2002 WI App 306
For Williams: Michael A. Haakenson
Issue/Holding:
¶24. It is true that when an officer has fulfilled the purpose of a lawful stop, the officer’s request for permission to search the vehicle does not, in itself, transform the stop into an unlawful one. State v. Gaulrapp, 207 Wis. 2d 600, 558 N.W.2d 696 (Ct.
Reasonable Suspicion – Stop – Basis: Matching Description of Automobile Under Investigation for Earlier Crime
State v. Vernell T. Williams, 2002 WI App 306
For Williams: Michael A. Haakenson
Issue: Whether reasonable suspicion supported the stop of defendant’s car four days after a reported domestic abuse incident, because the car generally matched the description of the suspect’s car.
Holding:
¶14. We conclude that Officer Garcia did have knowledge of facts sufficient to provide a reasonable suspicion that the driver of the vehicle had been involved in the domestic abuse incident.
Reasonable Suspicion – Stop – Basis – Test – Within Residence
State v. Jeffrey Stout, 2002 WI App 41, PFR filed 2/21/02
For Stout: James L. Fullin, Jr., SPD, Madison Appellate
Issue: Whether Stout was seized when police entered the residence.
Holding:
¶21. … (W)e are left with the presence of three officers in the room and whether their presence, absent the display of a weapon, physical contact or use of language, was sufficient to establish a seizure.
Exigency – Domestic Violence – Entry of Residence
State v. Mark S. Mielke, 2002 WI App 251, PFR filed 10/3/02
For Mielke: David J. Van Lieshout
Issue/Holding: Warrantless entry of a residence by the police, to investigate a domestic violence report concededly providing probable cause, was supported by exigent circumstances where the police could reasonably conclude that the safety of the reported victim was being compromised.
This terse little opinion (4+ pp) bids to do for DV cases what California v.
Exigency — Warrantless Entry to Investigate Suspected Burglary
State v. Dennis Lee Londo , State v. Richard John Vernon, 2002 WI App 89, PFR filed 4/2/02
For Londo: Michael B. Plaisted
For Vernon: Dennis P. Coffey, Seth P. Hartigan
Issue: Whether the police were justified in warrantless entry and search of a residence, during which they seized contraband, in order to investigate a reported burglary.
Holding: The police had probable cause,
Arrest – Legislator’s Exemption
State v. Brian B. Burke, 2002 WI App 291, PFR filed 11/29/02
For Burke: Robert H. Friebert
Issue/Holding:
¶22. We conclude that the members of the Wisconsin Constitutional Convention did not intend to create a legislative privilege from criminal arrest and prosecution when they included article IV, section 15 in the Wisconsin Constitution. The phrase “treason, felony and breach of the peace” in that section was intended to mean “all crimes.”