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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.

Pre-“Daubert” Expert-Opinion Caselaw

Caselaw prior to amendments to §§ 907.01-.03 may be found: here. These sections were amended by 2011 Wis Act 2 (eff. date 2/1/11), as follows:

907.01 Opinion testimony by lay witnesses. (intro.) If the witness is not testifying as an expert, the witness’s testimony in the form of opinions or inferences is limited to those opinions or inferences which are rationally all of the following:

(1) Rationally based on the perception of the witness and helpful.

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Speedy Trial – Belated Disclosure of Exculpatory Evidence

State v. Daniel W. Kohel, 2010AP1057-CR, District 2, 1/12/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Kohel: Andrew Mishlove; case activity; Kohel BiC; State Resp.; Reply

Prosecutorial delay, measuring at least 2 years and perhaps longer, in disclosing potentially exculpatory evidence violated Kohel’s right to speedy trial and therefore supports dismissal with prejudice of the pending charge.

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State v. Chad W. Ebert, 2010AP1431-CR, District 2, 1/12/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Ebert: Chad A. Lanning; case activity; Ebert BiC; State Resp.; Reply

Consent-Based Entry

¶7        The Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement does not apply when police have consent to enter a dwelling.  State v. Douglas, 123 Wis. 2d 13, 18, 365 N.W.2d 580 (1985).  The issue in this appeal is whether Ebert’s uncle consented to the search of Ebert’s residence,

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Blood Test Admissibility – Lab Tech Qualifications, Blood Draw

State v. Craig A. Erickson, 2010AP1763-CR, District 2, 1/12/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Erickson: Kirk B. Obear; case activity; Erickson BiC; State Resp.; Reply

Laboratory assistant, acting under direction of pathologist and following laboratory procedures, is qualified under § 343.305(5)(b) to draw blood. State v. Penzkofer, 184 Wis.

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Traffic Stop – Speeding

State v. Thomas R. Paulick, 2010AP1883, District 2, 1/12/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Paulick: Robert C. Raymond; case activity; Paulick BiC; State Resp.; Reply

The officer’s conclusion of speeding may be based on a visual estimate “while looking in his rear view mirror,” ¶8, citing City of Milwaukee v.

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Guilty Plea Colloquy – Plea Questionnaire; Plea Bargain – Breach: Waiver Doctrine

State v. Henry Edward Reed, Jr., 2009AP3149-CR,  District 1, 1/11/11

court of appeals decision (3-judge, not recommended for publication); for Reed: Basil M. Loeb; case activity; Reed BiC; State Resp.

Guilty Plea Colloquy – Plea Questionnaire

Reed’s claim that he didn’t understand the significance of read-in offenses is defeated by their coverage in the plea questionnaire, and the plea court’s eliciting “that Reed had not only read the form,

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Judicial Estoppel

State v. Basil E. Ryan, Jr., 2011 WI App 21; case activity; Ryan BiC; State Resp.; Reply

¶26      “‘Judicial estoppel is a doctrine that is aimed at preventing a party from manipulating the judiciary as an institution by asserting a position in a legal proceeding and then [later] taking an inconsistent position.’”  State v. White,

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Sanctions – Appellate Procedure

Thomas Vitrano v. Milwaukee Police Department, 2010AP1987, District 1, 1/11/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); pro se; case activity; Resp. Br.

footnote 2:

We note with some frustration that neither party included a single citation to the record in their respective briefs in violation of Wis. Stat. Rule 809.19(1)(d).  Record cites are helpful to the court and are required even when the record is not voluminous. 

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Other-Acts Evidence

State v. Jonathan A. Meenen, 2009AP3107-CR, District 3, 1/11/11

court of appeals decision (3-judge, not recommended for publication); for Meenen: Donna L. Hintze, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity; Meneen BiC; State Resp.; Reply

On a charge of 1st-degree sexual assault of a (5-year-old) child, evidence of Meneen’s prior juvenile adjudication for sexual contact with an 8-year-old was admissible:

  • Acceptable purpose.
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Clifton T. McNeill v. United States, USSC No, 10-5258, Cert Granted 1/7/11

Docket

Decision below (CTA4)

Scotusblog page

The case appears to involve review of federal sentencing under the Armed Career Criminal Act. Consult Scotusblog page for further details.

Decision, 6/6/11

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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.