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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.
Arrest — Probable Cause — OWI
State v. Gregg A. Pfaff, 2004 WI App 31
For Pfaff: Rex Anderegg
Issue/Holding: Probable cause to arrest for OWI upheld on following facts as found by trial court:
¶20. … Metzen’s decision not to perform field sobriety testing was reasonable in light of Pfaff’s injuries. Metzen is an experienced officer and has processed many defendants for OWI. Metzen was at the scene of the accident and,
Arrest — Probable Cause — Preliminary Breath Test — OWI
State v. Ibrahim Begicevic, 2004 WI App 57
For Begicevic: Donna J. Kuchler
Issue/Holding:
¶9. When Kennedy initially made contact with Begicevic, he appeared confused on how to get to Milwaukee. She immediately noticed a strong odor of intoxicants and that his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. … Because Kennedy was giving Begicevic the benefit of the doubt, she had him perform a fourth field sobriety test,
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).
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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,”
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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.