Wisconsin Code § 938.255

Petition; form and content
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(1) TITLE AND CONTENTS. A petition initiating proceedings under this chapter, other
than a petition initiating proceedings under s. 938.12, 938.125, or
938.13 (12) , shall be entitled, “In the interest of (juvenile’s
name), a person under the age of 18”. A petition initiating proceedings under s. 938.12, 938.125, or 938.13 (12) shall be entitled, “In the interest of (juvenile’s name), a person under the age
of 17”. A petition initiating proceedings under this chapter shall
specify all of the following:
(a) The name, birth date, and address of the juvenile and
whether the juvenile has been adopted.
(b) The names and addresses of the juvenile’s parent,
guardian, legal custodian or spouse, if any; or if no such person
can be identified, the name and address of the nearest relative.
(c) Whether the juvenile is in custody and, if so, the place

where the juvenile is being held and the time he or she was taken
into custody unless there is reasonable cause to believe that such
disclosures would result in imminent danger to the juvenile or
physical custodian.
(cg) If the petition is initiating proceedings under s. 938.13
(4), (6), (6m), or (7), the information required under s. 822.29 (1).
(cm) If the petition is initiating proceedings under s. 938.13
(4), (6), (6m), or (7), whether the juvenile may be subject to the
federal Indian Child Welfare Act, 25 USC 1901 to 1963, and, if
the juvenile may be subject to that act, the names and addresses of
the juvenile’s Indian custodian, if any, and Indian tribe, if known.
(cr) 1. If the petition is initiating proceedings under s. 938.12
or 938.13 (12) and all of the following circumstances apply, a
statement to that effect:
a. The juvenile is an Indian juvenile.
b. At the time of the alleged delinquent act, the juvenile was
under an order of a tribal court, other than a tribal court order relating to adoption, physical placement or visitation with the juvenile’s parent, or permanent guardianship.
c. At the time of the delinquent act the juvenile was physically outside the boundaries of the reservation of the Indian tribe
of the tribal court and any off-reservation trust land of either that
Indian tribe or a member of that Indian tribe as a direct consequence of a tribal court order under subd. 1. b., including a tribal
court order placing the juvenile in the home of a relative of the juvenile who on or after the date of the tribal court order resides
physically outside the boundaries of a reservation and off-reservation trust land.
2. If the statement under subd. 1. is included in the petition
and if the intake worker, district attorney, or corporation counsel
has been notified by an official of the Indian tribe that a petition
relating to the delinquent act has been or may be filed in tribal
court with respect to the alleged delinquent act, a statement to
that effect.
(d) If violation of a criminal statute, an ordinance or another
law is alleged, the citation to the appropriate law or ordinance as
well as facts sufficient to establish probable cause that an offense
has been committed and that the juvenile named in the petition
committed the offense.
(e) If the juvenile is alleged to come within the provisions of s.
938.13 (4), (6), (6m), (7) or (14) or 938.14, reliable and credible
information which forms the basis of the allegations necessary to
invoke the jurisdiction of the court and to provide reasonable notice of the conduct or circumstances to be considered by the court
together with a statement that the juvenile is in need of supervision, services, care or rehabilitation.
(f) If the juvenile is being held in custody outside of his or her
home, reliable and credible information showing that continued
placement of the juvenile in his or her home would be contrary to
the welfare of the juvenile and, unless any of the circumstances
specified in s. 938.355 (2d) (b) 1. to 4. applies, reliable and credible information showing that the person who took the juvenile
into custody and the intake worker have made reasonable efforts
to prevent the removal of the juvenile from the home, while assuring that the juvenile’s health and safety are the paramount concerns, and to make it possible for the juvenile to return safely
home.
(g) If the petitioner knows or has reason to know that the juvenile is an Indian juvenile, if the juvenile is alleged to come within
the provisions of s. 938.13 (4), (6), (6m), or (7), and if the juvenile has been removed from the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian, reliable and credible information showing that
continued custody of the juvenile by the juvenile’s parent or Indian custodian is likely to result in serious emotional or physical
damage to the juvenile under s. 938.028 (4) (d) 1. and reliable and
credible information showing that active efforts under s. 938.028
(4) (d) 2. have been made to prevent the breakup of the Indian juvenile’s family and that those efforts have proved unsuccessful.
The petition shall set forth with specificity both the information
required under this paragraph and the information required under
par. (f).
(2) FACTS NOT KNOWN. If any of the facts in sub. (1) (a) to
(cr), (f), and (g) are not known or cannot be ascertained by the petitioner, the petition shall so state.
(3) IF CERTAIN INFORMATION NOT STATED. If the information required under sub. (1) (d) or (e) is not stated the petition
shall be amended under s. 938.263 (2) or dismissed.
(4) COPY TO JUVENILE, PARENTS, AND OTHERS. A copy of the
petition shall be given to the juvenile and to the parents, guardian,
legal custodian and physical custodian. If the juvenile is an Indian juvenile who is alleged to come within the provisions of s.
938.13 (4), (6), (6m), or (7), and who has been removed from the
home of his or her parent or Indian custodian, a copy of the petition shall also be given to the Indian juvenile’s Indian custodian
and tribe.

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