Explore in-depth analysis

On Point is a judicial analysis blog written by members of the Wisconsin State Public Defenders. It includes cases from the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Supreme Court of Wisconsin, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Counsel – Effective Assistance – Plea Bargaining – Prejudice: After Trial

Lafler v. Anthony Cooper, USSC No. 10-209, 3/21/12, vacating and remanding, 376 Fed. Appx. 563 (6th Cir. 2010); prior post; companion case: Missouri v. Frye, 10-444

Cooper turned down a favorable plea bargain and instead went to trial, after his attorney erroneously told him the prosecution would be unable to establish intent to kill because the victim had been shot below the waist.

Read full article >

Missouri v. Galin E. Frye, USSC No. 10-444, 3/21/12

United States Supreme Court decision, vacating and remanding, 311 S.W.2d 350 (Mo. App. W.D. 2010); prior post; companion case: Lafler v. Cooper, 10-209

Counsel – Effective Assistance – Plea Bargaining 

Counsel’s failure to communicate to Frye a favorable plea bargain offer from the prosecutor was deficient performance under 6th amendment analysis of effective assistance of counsel.

Read full article >

Habeas – Procedural Default – IAC Claim “Initial-Review” Collateral Proceeding

Luis Mariano Martinez v. Ryan, USSC No. 10-1001, 3/20/12, reversing and remanding, 623 F.3d 731 (9th Cir. 2011)

Where, under state law, claims of ineffective assistance of trial counsel must be raised in an initial-review collateral proceeding, a procedural default will not bar a federal habeas court from hearing a substantial claim of ineffective assistance at trial if, in the initial-review collateral proceeding, there was no counsel or counsel in that proceeding was ineffective.

Read full article >

OWI – Operating in Parking Lot: “Held Out to the Public for Use,” § 346.61

State v. Heidi L. Fleischmann, 2011AP2558-CR, District 3, 3/20/12

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Fleischmann: Sarvan Singh; case activity

The State satisfied its burden of proving that Fleischmann operation of a motor vehicle, in a parking lot adjacent to an empty business building, was on “premises held out to the public for use of their motor vehicles,” § 346.61.

¶8        Whether a premises is held out to the public depends on the owner’s intent.  

Read full article >

State v. James G. Brereton, 2011 WI App 127, rev. granted 3/15/12

court of appeals decision; for Brereton: Matthew S. Pinix; case activity; prior post

Search & Seizure – GPS Device – Warrant 

Issues (Composed by On Point): 

Whether the police illegally seized Brereton’s car, so as to taint a subsequently issued warrant for installation of a GPS tracking device on it; or, whether tracking was unreasonable under U.S. v. Jones,

Read full article >

in re: Childeric Maxy, 7th Cir No. 12-8003, 3/15/12

seventh circuit decision

Habeas Procedure – Application for Successive Attack 

Application to extend the deadline for permission to file a second collateral attack, § 28 U.s.C. 2244(b), is premature:

Now before the court are papers Maxy labels a motion, in which he informs us that he intends to file a second § 2244(b) application. Maxy explains that the application will be untimely because the prison limits his use of the copy machine,

Read full article >

State v. Gerald D. Taylor, 2011AP1030-CR, rev. granted 3/15/12

court of appeals certification; for Taylor: Shelley Fite, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity; prior post

Issue (from Certification): 

Whether understating the potential penalty during a plea colloquy can properly be deemed harmless error, and if so, where in the analytical framework of Bangert such a determination should be made.

The guilty plea court misinformed Taylor that the maximum he faced was 6,

Read full article >

Open Records / Public Access to Court Records: Treatment Records, Generally – NGI Conditional Release Plan; Appellate Procedure: “Aggrieved Party” Right to Appeal

In the matter of State of Wisconsin v. Bryan J. Stanley: La Crosse Tribune v. Circuit Court for La Crosse County, 2012 WI App 42 (recommended for publication); case activity

Open Records / Public Access to Court Records – Treatment Records, Generally 

(Discussion with respect to newspaper’s Open Records request for information contained in NGI conditional release plan:)

¶25      While this is a criminal commitment case following an NGI finding under Wis.

Read full article >

Appellate Procedure: Traffic Forfeiture or Municipal Ordinance Appeal – Circuit Court Docket Entries Tantamount to Final Order

Village of McFarland v. Jennifer M. Zetzman, 2012 WI App 49 (recommended for publication); case activity

Appeal to the court of appeals of a municipal ordinance or traffic forfeiture disposition may be based on the circuit court docket entries instead of a written final order, whether the case originated in municipal or circuit court:

¶2        In this case, Jennifer Zetzman was convicted in municipal court of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and with a prohibited blood alcohol concentration.  

Read full article >

Reasonable Suspicion – Traffic Stop, OWI

Village of DeForest v. Lynn J. Braun, 2011AP2116, District 4, 3/15/12

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Braun: Robert Nagel; case activity

Stop for driving under the influence unsupported by reasonable suspicion:

¶11      I likewise conclude that there were insufficient facts before Officer Schaefer which could lead him to reasonably suspect that Braun was driving a motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.  

Read full article >

On Point is sponsored by Wisconsin State Public Defenders. All content is subject to public disclosure. Comments are moderated. If you have questions about this blog, please email [email protected].

On Point provides information (not legal advice) about important developments in the law. Please note that this information may not be up to date. Viewing this blog does not create an attorney-client relationship with the Wisconsin State Public Defender. Readers should consult an attorney for their legal needs.