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.

Arrest – Search Incident – Blood Test – Non-Drunk Driving Offense

State v. Christopher M. Repenshek, 2004 WI App 229, PFR filed 12/17/04
For Repenshek: Stephen E. Mays

Issue/Holding: Warrantless blood draw incident to arrest is authorized by State v. Bohling, 173 Wis. 2d 529, 494 N.W.2d 399 (1993) and State v. Seibel, 163 Wis. 2d 164, 471 N.W.2d 226 (1991), even if the arrest is for a non-drunk-driving offense (if the police reasonably suspect that the defendant’s blood contains evidence of a crime).

Read full article >

Arrest – Search Incident – Blood Test, Reasonable Suspicion for, Based on Refusal to Submit to PBT

State v. Christopher M. Repenshek, 2004 WI App 229, PFR filed 12/17/04
For Repenshek: Stephen E. Mays

Issue/Holding: Refusal to submit to a PBT may support a conclusion of reasonable suspicion for a blood draw:

¶25. Key to understanding our analysis is understanding that Wis. Stat. § 343.303 does not contain a general prohibition on police requesting a PBT. Rather, the statute only imposes a limitation on the use of a PBT result in a particular situation,

Read full article >

Arrest — Test for Custody — Dunaway v. New York

A.M. v. Butler, 360 F3d 787 (7th Cir. No. 2004)

Issue/Holding:

We see no meaningful distinction between Dunaway and this case. Like the defendant in Dunaway, Morgan was taken directly to an interrogation room in the police station. He was never told he was free to go. Cassidy, moreover, testified that he would not have allowed Morgan to leave even if Morgan said he wanted to go home.

Read full article >

Arrest — In Residence, Based on Search Warrant

State v. Peter R. Cash, 2004 WI App 63
For Cash: Lynn M. Bureta

Issue/Holding:

¶26. Cash also argues that Grable was ineffective for failing to seek suppression of certain statements he made on the basis that his arrest in his home was accomplished without an arrest warrant. Cash argues that his arrest was unlawful pursuant to Payton v. New York, 445 U.S.

Read full article >

Consent: Scope – Authority to Question Young Child

State v. Robert A. Ragsdale, 2004 WI App 178, PFR filed 8/5/04
For Ragsdale: Timothy T. Kay

Issue: Whether an occupant’s consent to search his home “as long as he was present” limited an officer’s authority to question the occupant’s three-year-old son apart from his father, and thus inhibit the officer’s recovery of an illicit weapon based on information received from the child.

Holding:

¶10.

Read full article >

Exigency — Automobile Exception to Warrant Requirement — Probable Cause, Based on Anonymous Tip

State v. Tabitha A. Sherry, 2004 WI App 207, PFR filed 11/19/04
For Sherry: Craig R. Day

Issue/Holding:

¶15. Sherry next argues that, regardless whether the officer legally stopped her car, the subsequent warrantless non-consent search of her car was illegal. An automobile may be searched without a warrant if there is probable cause to search the vehicle and the vehicle is readily mobile. 

Read full article >

Exigency — Blood Alcohol

State v. Jacob J. Faust, 2004 WI 99, reversing 2004 WI App 243, 267 Wis. 2d 783, 672 N.W.2d 97
For Faust: Stephen M. Seymour

Issue: “(W)hether, under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 11 of the Wisconsin Constitution, exigent circumstances exist for a nonconsensual warrantless blood draw after the police have obtained what the arresting officer believes to be a voluntary,

Read full article >

Arrest — Search Incident — Implied Consent, Driver’s Request for Additional Test, §§ 343.305(4) and (5)

State v. James A. Schmidt, 2004 WI App 235
For Schmidt: Daniel S. Diehn

Issue: Whether § 343.305(5)(a) requires that the driver request an additional test after the police have administered the primary test and, if not, whether Schmidt’s pre-blood draw request for a breathalyzer was properly rejected.
Holding:

¶11. Although Wis. Stat. § 343.305(4) and (5) use the term “alternative test,”

Read full article >

Search & Seizure – Applicability of Exclusionary Rule — Violation of Nonconstitutional Right – SCR (Attorney Ethical Rules)

State v. John R. Maloney, 2004 WI App 141, affirmed on other grounds2005 WI 74
For Maloney: Lew A. Wasserman

Issue/Holding:

¶11. The trial court held that there had been no violation of SCR 20:4.2 and that even if there had been, suppression would not be the remedy. We agree with the trial court that suppression is not available for an ethics violation.

Read full article >

Administrative Searches – DNA – Collection from Prisoners, § 165.76

Green v. Berge, 354 F. 3d 675 (7th Cir. 01-4080, 1/9/04)

Issue/Holding:

The Wisconsin law, § 165.76 et seq., was passed in 1993. In its original form, only prisoners convicted of certain offenses were required to give DNA samples for analysis. In 1999, the law was amended to require that all persons convicted of felonies in Wisconsin (and those who were in prison at the time) provide DNA samples for analysis and storage in the state’s data bank….

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.