Wisconsin Code § 938.335

Dispositional hearings
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(1) WHEN REQUIRED.
The court shall conduct a hearing to determine the disposition of
a case in which a juvenile is adjudged to be delinquent under s.
938.12, to have violated a civil law or ordinance under s. 938.125,
or to be in need of protection or services under s. 938.13, except
that the court shall proceed under s. 938.237 (2) if a citation is issued and the juvenile fails to contest the citation.
(3) EVIDENCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS. At hearings under
this section, any party may present evidence relevant to the issue
of disposition, including expert testimony, and may make alternative dispositional recommendations.
(3g) REASONABLE EFFORTS FINDING. At hearings under this
section, if the agency, as defined in s. 938.38 (1) (a) , is recommending placement of the juvenile in a foster home, group home,
or residential care center for children and youth, in the home of a
relative other than a parent, in the home of like-kin, in the home
of a guardian under s. 48.977 (2), or in a supervised independent
living arrangement, the agency shall present as evidence specific
information showing all of the following:
(a) That continued placement of the juvenile in his or her
home would be contrary to the welfare of the juvenile.
(b) That the county department or the agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile has 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, unless any of the circumstances specified in s.
938.355 (2d) (b) 1. to 4. applies.
(c) That, if a permanency plan has previously been prepared
for the juvenile, the county department or agency has made reasonable efforts to achieve the permanency goal of the juvenile’s
permanency plan, including, if appropriate, through an out-ofstate placement.
(d) 1. If the juvenile has one or more siblings, as defined in s.
938.38 (4) (br) 1., who have been removed from the home or for
whom an out-of-home placement is recommended, that the
county department or agency has made reasonable efforts to
place the juvenile in a placement that enables the sibling group to
remain together, unless the county department or agency recommends that the juvenile and his or her siblings not be placed in a
joint placement, in which case the county department or agency
shall present as evidence specific information showing that a
joint placement would be contrary to the safety or well-being of
the juvenile or any of those siblings and the specific information
required under subd. 2.
2. If a recommendation is made that the juvenile and his or
her siblings not be placed in a joint placement, that the county department or agency has made reasonable efforts to provide for
frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction between the juvenile and the siblings, unless the county department or agency recommends that such visitation or interaction not be provided, in
which case the county department or agency shall present as evidence specific information showing that such visitation or interaction would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the juvenile or any of those siblings.
(3j) INDIAN JUVENILE; ACTIVE EFFORTS FINDING. At hearings
under this section involving an Indian juvenile who is the subject
of a proceeding under s. 938.13 (4) , (6), (6m), or (7), if the
agency, as defined in s. 938.38 (1) (a), is recommending removal
of the Indian juvenile from the home of his or her parent or Indian
custodian and placement of the Indian juvenile in a foster home,
group home, or residential care center for children and youth, in
the home of a relative other than a parent, or in the home of likekin, the agency shall present as evidence specific information
showing all of the following:
(a) That continued custody of the Indian juvenile by the 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.
(b) 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.
(c) That the placement recommended is in compliance with
the order of placement preference under s. 938.028 (6) (a) or, if
applicable, s. 938.028 (6) (b) or, if that placement is not in compliance with that order, good cause, as described in s. 938.028 (6)
(d), for departing from that order.
(3m) VICTIMS’ STATEMENTS. Before imposing a disposition
in a proceeding in which a juvenile is adjudged to be delinquent
under s. 938.12 or is found to be in need of protection or services
under s. 938.13 (12), all of the following shall occur:
(ag) The court shall determine whether a victim of the juvenile’s act wants to make a statement to the court. If a victim
wants to make a statement, the court shall allow the victim to
make a statement in court or to submit a written statement to be
read to the court. The court may allow any other person to make
or submit a statement under this paragraph. Any statement made
under this paragraph must be relevant to the disposition.
(am) The court shall inquire of the district attorney or corporation counsel whether he or she has complied with par. (b) and s.
938.27 (4m), whether any of the known victims requested notice
of the date, time, and place of the dispositional hearing, and, if so,
whether the district attorney or corporation counsel provided to
the victim notice of the date, time, and place of the hearing.
(b) The district attorney or corporation counsel shall make a
reasonable attempt to contact any known victim to inform that
person of the right to make a statement under par. (ag). Any failure to comply with this paragraph is not a ground for an appeal of
a dispositional order or for any court to reverse or modify a dispositional order.
(3r) CHILD SUPPORT. At hearings under this section, a parent
of the juvenile may present evidence relevant to the amount of
child support to be paid by either or both parents.
(5) DISPOSITIONAL ORDER. At the conclusion of the hearing,
the court shall make a dispositional order in accordance with s.
938.355.
(6) JUVENILE PLACED OUTSIDE THE HOME. If the dispositional order places the juvenile outside the home, the parent, if
present at the hearing, shall be requested to provide the names
and other identifying information of 3 relatives of the juvenile or
other individuals 18 years of age or over whose homes the parent

requests the court to consider as placements for the juvenile, unless that information has previously been provided under s.
938.21 (2) (e) or (3) (f). If the parent does not provide that information at the hearing, the county department or the agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile under the
dispositional order shall permit the parent to provide the information at a later date.

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