Wisconsin Code § 938.31

Fact-finding hearing
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(1) DEFINITION. In this section, “fact-finding hearing” means a hearing to determine if the
allegations of a petition under s. 938.12 or 938.13 (12) are supported beyond a reasonable doubt or a hearing to determine if the
allegations in a petition or citation under s. 938.125 or 938.13 (4),
(6), (6m), (7) or (14) are proved by clear and convincing
evidence.
(2) HEARING TO THE COURT; PROCEDURES. The hearing shall
be to the court. If the hearing involves a child victim, as defined
in s. 938.02 (20m) (a) 1. , or a child witness, as defined in s.
950.02 (5), the court may order that a deposition be taken by audiovisual means and allow the use of a recorded deposition under
s. 967.04 (7) to (10) and, with the district attorney, shall comply
with s. 971.105. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court shall
make a determination of the facts. If the court finds that the juvenile is not within the jurisdiction of the court or the court finds
that the facts alleged in the petition or citation have not been
proved, the court shall dismiss the petition or citation with
prejudice.
(3) ADMISSIBILITY OF CUSTODIAL INTERROGATIONS. (a) In
this subsection:
1. “Custodial interrogation” has the meaning given in s.
968.073 (1) (a).
2. “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning given in s.
165.83 (1) (b).
3. “Law enforcement officer” has the meaning given in s.
165.85 (2) (c).
4. “Statement” has the meaning given in s. 972.115 (1) (d).
(b) Except as provided under par. (c), a statement made by the
juvenile during a custodial interrogation is not admissible in evidence against the juvenile in any court proceeding alleging the juvenile to be delinquent unless an audio or audio and visual
recording of the interrogation was made as required under s.
938.195 (2) and is available.
(c) A juvenile’s statement is not inadmissible in evidence under par. (b) if any of the following applies or if other good cause
exists for not suppressing a juvenile’s statement under par. (b):
1. The juvenile refused to respond or cooperate in the custodial interrogation if an audio or audio and visual recording was
made of the interrogation so long as a law enforcement officer or
agent of a law enforcement agency made a contemporaneous audio or audio and visual recording or written record of the juvenile’s refusal.
2. The statement was made in response to a question asked as
part of the routine processing after the juvenile was taken into
custody.
3. The law enforcement officer or agent of a law enforcement
agency conducting the interrogation in good faith failed to make
an audio or audio and visual recording of the interrogation because the recording equipment did not function, the officer or
agent inadvertently failed to operate the equipment properly, or,
without the officer’s or agent’s knowledge, the equipment malfunctioned or stopped operating.
4. The statement was made spontaneously and not in response to a question by a law enforcement officer or agent of a
law enforcement agency.
5. Exigent public safety circumstances existed that prevented
the making of an audio or audio and visual recording or rendered
the making of such a recording infeasible.
(d) Notwithstanding ss. 968.28 to 968.37, a juvenile’s lack of
consent to having an audio or audio and visual recording made of
a custodial interrogation does not affect the admissibility in evidence of an audio or audio and visual recording of a statement
made by the juvenile during the interrogation.
(4) FINDINGS BY COURT. The court shall make findings of
fact and conclusions of law relating to the allegations of a petition
under s. 938.12, 938.125 or 938.13. In cases alleging a juvenile
to be delinquent or in need of protection or services under s.
938.13 (12), the court shall make findings relating to the proof of
the violation of law and to the proof that the juvenile named in the
petition committed the violation alleged.
(5) INDIAN JUVENILES. If the juvenile is an Indian juvenile in
need of protection or services under s. 938.13 (4), (6), (6m), or
(7), the court shall also determine at the fact-finding hearing
whether continued custody of the Indian juvenile by the Indian
juvenile’s parent or Indian custodian is likely to result in serious
emotional or physical damage to the Indian juvenile under s.
938.028 (4) (d) 1. and whether active efforts under s. 938.028 (4)
(d) 2. have been made to prevent the breakup of the Indian juvenile’s family and whether those efforts have proved unsuccessful,
unless partial summary judgment on the allegations under s.
938.13 (4), (6), (6m), or (7) is granted, in which case the court
shall make those determinations at the dispositional hearing.
(7) DATE FOR DISPOSITIONAL HEARING. (a) At the close of
the fact-finding hearing, the court, subject to s. 938.299 (10) ,
shall set a date for the dispositional hearing that allows a reasonable time for the parties to prepare but is no more than 10 days af-

ter the fact-finding hearing for a juvenile in secure custody and no
more than 30 days after the fact-finding hearing for a juvenile not
held in secure custody. Subject to s. 938.299 (10), if all parties
consent, the court may immediately proceed with a dispositional
hearing.
(b) If it appears to the court that disposition of the case may
include placement of the juvenile outside the juvenile’s home, the
court shall order the juvenile’s parent to provide a statement of
the income, assets, debts, and living expenses of the juvenile and
the juvenile’s parent, to the court or the designated agency under
s. 938.33 (1) at least 5 days before the scheduled date of the dispositional hearing or as otherwise ordered by the court. The clerk
of court shall provide, without charge, to any parent ordered to
provide the statement a document setting forth the percentage
standard established by the department of children and families
under s. 49.22 (9) and the manner of its application established
by the department of corrections under s. 301.12 (14) (g) and listing the factors under s. 301.12 (14) (c).
(c) If the court orders the juvenile’s parent to provide a statement of the income, assets, debts, and living expenses of the juvenile and juvenile’s parent to the court or if the court orders the juvenile’s parent to provide the statement to the designated agency
under s. 938.33 (1) and the designated agency is not the county
department, the court shall also order the juvenile’s parent to provide the statement to the county department at least 5 days before
the scheduled date of the dispositional hearing or as otherwise ordered by the court. The county department shall provide, without
charge, to the parent a form on which to provide the statement,
and the parent shall provide the statement on the form. The
county department shall use the information provided in the
statement to determine whether the department may claim federal
foster care and adoption assistance reimbursement under 42 USC
670 to 679a for the cost of providing care for the juvenile.

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