Wisconsin Code § 971.31

Motions before trial
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(1) Any motion which is capable of determination without the trial of the general issue may
be made before trial.
(2) Except as provided in sub. (5), defenses and objections
based on defects in the institution of the proceedings, insufficiency of the complaint, information or indictment, invalidity in
whole or in part of the statute on which the prosecution is
founded, or the use of illegal means to secure evidence shall be
raised before trial by motion or be deemed waived. The court
may, however, entertain such motion at the trial, in which case the
defendant waives any jeopardy that may have attached. The motion to suppress evidence shall be so entertained with waiver of
jeopardy when it appears that the defendant is surprised by the
state’s possession of such evidence.
(3) The admissibility of any statement of the defendant shall
be determined at the trial by the court in an evidentiary hearing
out of the presence of the jury, unless the defendant, by motion,
challenges the admissibility of such statement before trial.
(4) Except as provided in sub. (3), a motion shall be determined before trial of the general issue unless the court orders that
it be deferred for determination at the trial. All issues of fact arising out of such motion shall be tried by the court without a jury.
(5) (a) Motions before trial shall be served and filed within
10 days after the initial appearance of the defendant in a misdemeanor action or 10 days after arraignment in a felony action unless the court otherwise permits.
(b) In felony actions, motions to suppress evidence or motions
under s. 971.23 or objections to the admissibility of statements of
a defendant shall not be made at a preliminary examination and
not until an information has been filed.
(c) In felony actions, objections based on the insufficiency of
the complaint shall be made prior to the preliminary examination
or waiver thereof or be deemed waived.
(6) If the court grants a motion to dismiss based upon a defect

in the indictment, information or complaint, or in the institution
of the proceedings, it may order that the defendant be held in custody or that the defendant’s bail be continued for not more than
72 hours pending issuance of a new summons or warrant or the
filing of a new indictment, information or complaint.
(7) If the motion to dismiss is based upon a misnomer, the
court shall forthwith amend the indictment, information or complaint in that respect, and require the defendant to plead thereto.
(8) No complaint, indictment, information, process, return or
other proceeding shall be dismissed or reversed for any error or
mistake where the case and the identity of the defendant may be
readily understood by the court; and the court may order an
amendment curing such defects.
(9) A motion required to be served on a defendant may be
served upon the defendant’s attorney of record.
(10) An order denying a motion to suppress evidence or a
motion challenging the admissibility of a statement of a defendant may be reviewed upon appeal from a final judgment or order
notwithstanding the fact that the judgment or order was entered
upon a plea of guilty or no contest to the information or criminal
complaint.
(11) In actions under s. 940.225, 948.02, 948.025, 948.051,
948.085, or 948.095, or under s. 940.302 (2), if the court finds
that the crime was sexually motivated, as defined in s. 980.01 (5),
evidence which is admissible under s. 972.11 (2) must be determined by the court upon pretrial motion to be material to a fact at
issue in the case and of sufficient probative value to outweigh its
inflammatory and prejudicial nature before it may be introduced
at trial.
(12) In actions under s. 940.22, the court may determine the
admissibility of evidence under s. 972.11 only upon a pretrial
motion.
(13) (a) A juvenile over whom the court has jurisdiction under s. 938.183 (1) (b) or (c) on a misdemeanor action may make a
motion before trial to transfer jurisdiction to the court assigned to
exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938. The motion may allege that the juvenile did not commit the violation under the circumstances described in s. 938.183 (1) (b) or (c), whichever is
applicable, or that transfer of jurisdiction would be appropriate
because of all of the following:
1. If convicted, the juvenile could not receive adequate treatment in the criminal justice system.
2. Transferring jurisdiction to the court assigned to exercise
jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938 would not depreciate the seriousness of the offense.
3. Retaining jurisdiction is not necessary to deter the juvenile
or other juveniles from committing the violation of which the juvenile is accused under the circumstances specified in s. 938.183
(1) (b) or (c), whichever is applicable.
(b) The court shall retain jurisdiction unless the juvenile
proves by a preponderance of the evidence that he or she did not
commit the violation under the circumstances described in s.
938.183 (1) (b) or (c), whichever is applicable, or that transfer
would be appropriate because all of the factors specified in par.
(a) 1., 2. and 3. are met.

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