On Point: 5. Costs

State v. Ryan E. Baker, 2005 WI App 45, PFR filed 3/17/05
For Baker: William E. Schmaal, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding: The plain text of § 969.02(6) mandates that bail money be used to satisfy court costs, with no room for discretionary return to the depositor rather than payment of costs. ¶¶7-9.

This is a misdemeanor, but the relevant felony statute, § 969.03(4),

State v. Gary L. Gordon, 2002 WI App 53, reversed on other grounds, 2003 WI 69
For Gordon: Steven P. Weiss, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding: The trial court erroneously exercised discretion in imposing costs for the travel expense of an officer, in that this expense was necessitated by a change in trial date attributable primarily to the prosecution, not the defendant. ¶¶49-51.

State v. Tronnie M. Dismuke, 2001 WI 75, 244 Wis. 2d 457, 628 N.W.2d 791, reversing and remanding, 2000 WI App 198, 238 Wis. 2d 577, 617 N.W.2d 862
For Dismuke: Richard D. Martin, William S. Coleman, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate<

Issue: Whether a defendant may have to bear costs of being produced from prison for court appearances.

Holding:

¶4 We reverse.

State v. Lisa A. Carter, 229 Wis. 2d 200, 598 N.W.2d 619 (Ct. App. 1999)
For Carter: Paul G. LaZotte.

Issue/Holding: The jail assessment in §§ 302.46(1) & 814.60(2)(ag) is contingent on imposition of a fine or forfeiture.

Section 814.60(2)(ag), STATS., provides that “[i]n addition to any fine imposed, a defendant shall be required to pay any … [j]ail assessment imposed by s. 302.46(1).”  Section 302.46(1), 

State v. Daniel E. Rohe, 230 Wis.2d 294, 602 N.W.2d 125 (Ct. App. 1999)
For Rohe: Charles B. Vetzner, SPD, Madison Appellate.

Issue: Whether costs for a sexual assault examination were properly taxable, where the examination neither produced any results nor was used at trial.

Holding: Because the examination was part of the state’s investigation and prosecution; and because the examiners were on the state’s witness list,

State v. Lisa A. Carter, 229 Wis. 2d 200, 598 N.W.2d 619 (Ct. App. 1999)
For Carter: Paul G. LaZotte

Issue/Holding: The $20 fee for the clerk of court under § 814.60(1) is allocated on a per-count, rather than per-case, basis.