Chapter 813

813.125(5)(a)1. 1. The name of the person who is the alleged victim.

813.125(5)(a)2. 2. The name of the respondent.

813.125(5)(a)3. 3. That the respondent has engaged in harassment with intent to harass or intimidate the petitioner.

813.125(5)(a)4. 4. If the petitioner knows of any other court proceeding in which the petitioner is a person affected by a court order or judgment that includes provisions regarding contact with the respondent, any of the following that are known by the petitioner:

813.125(5)(a)4.a. a. The name or type of the court proceeding.

813.125(5)(a)4.b. b. The date of the court proceeding.

813.125(5)(a)4.c. c. The type of provisions regarding contact between the petitioner and respondent.

813.125(5)(am) (am) The petition shall inform the respondent that, if the judge or circuit court commissioner issues an injunction, the judge or circuit court commissioner may also order the respondent not to possess a firearm while the injunction is in effect.

813.125(5)(b) (b) The clerk of circuit court shall provide simplified forms.

813.125(5b) (5b) Elder person petitioner. If the petitioner is an elder person, the court shall permit the petitioner to participate in hearings under this section by telephone or live audiovisual means.

813.125(5g) (5g) Enforcement assistance.

813.125(5g)(a) (a) Within one business day after an order or injunction is issued, extended, modified or vacated under this section, the clerk of the circuit court shall send a copy of the order or injunction, or of the order extending, modifying or vacating an order or injunction, to the sheriff or to any local law enforcement agency which is the central repository for orders and injunctions and which has jurisdiction over the petitioner’s premises.

813.125(5g)(b) (b) The sheriff or other appropriate local law enforcement agency under par. (a) shall enter the information received under par. (a) concerning an order or injunction issued, extended, modified or vacated under this section into the transaction information for management of enforcement system no later than 24 hours after receiving the information and shall make available to other law enforcement agencies, through a verification system, information on the existence and status of any order or injunction issued under this section. The information need not be maintained after the order or injunction is no longer in effect.

813.125(5g)(c) (c) If an order is issued under this section, upon request by the petitioner the court or circuit court commissioner shall order the sheriff to accompany the petitioner and assist in placing him or her in physical possession of his or her residence.

813.125(5g)(cm) (cm)

813.125(5g)(cm)1. 1. The clerk of the circuit court shall forward to the sheriff any temporary restraining order, injunction, or other document or notice that must be served on the respondent under this section and the sheriff shall assist the petitioner in executing or serving the temporary restraining order, injunction, or other document or notice on the respondent. The petitioner may, at his or her expense, elect to use a private server to effect service.

813.125(5g)(cm)2. 2. If the petitioner elects service by the sheriff, the clerk of circuit court shall provide a form supplied by the sheriff to the petitioner that allows the petitioner to provide information about the respondent that may be useful to the sheriff in effecting service. The clerk shall forward the completed form to the sheriff. The clerk shall maintain the form provided under this subdivision in a confidential manner. If a service fee is required by the sheriff under s. 814.70 (1), the petitioner shall pay the fee directly to the sheriff.

813.125(5g)(d) (d) The issuance of an order or injunction under sub. (3) or (4) is enforceable despite the existence of any other criminal or civil order restricting or prohibiting contact.

813.125(5g)(e) (e) A law enforcement agency and a clerk of circuit court may use electronic transmission to facilitate the exchange of documents under this section. Any person who uses electronic transmission shall ensure that the electronic transmission does not allow unauthorized disclosure of the documents transmitted.

813.125(5m) (5m) Confidentiality of victim’s address. The petition under sub. (5) and the court order under sub. (3), (4), or (4g) may not disclose the address of the alleged victim. The petitioner shall provide the clerk of circuit court with the petitioner’s address when he or she files a petition under this section. The clerk shall maintain the petitioner’s address in a confidential manner.

813.125(5r) (5r) Notice to department of justice.

813.125(5r)(a) (a) If an order prohibiting a respondent from possessing a firearm is issued under sub. (4m), the clerk of the circuit court shall notify the department of justice of the existence of the order prohibiting a respondent from possessing a firearm and shall provide the department of justice with information concerning the period during which the order is in effect and information necessary to identify the respondent for purposes of responding to a request under s. 165.63 or for purposes of a firearms restrictions record search under s. 175.35 (2g) (c) or a background check under s. 175.60 (9g) (a).

813.125(5r)(b) (b) Except as provided in par. (c), the department of justice may disclose information that it receives under par. (a) only to respond to a request under s. 165.63 or as part of a firearms restrictions record search under s. 175.35 (2g) (c) or a background check under s. 175.60 (9g) (a).

813.125(5r)(c) (c) The department of justice shall disclose any information that it receives under par. (a) to a law enforcement agency when the information is needed for law enforcement purposes.

813.125(6) (6) Arrest.

813.125(6)(am) (am) A law enforcement officer shall arrest and take a person into custody if all of the following occur:

813.125(6)(am)1. 1. A person named in a petition under sub. (5) presents the law enforcement officer with a copy of a court order issued under sub. (3) or (4), or the law enforcement officer determines that such an order exists through communication with appropriate authorities.

813.125(6)(am)2. 2. The law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that the person has violated the court order issued under sub. (3) or (4).

813.125(6)(c) (c) A respondent who does not appear at a hearing at which the court orders an injunction under sub. (4) but who has been served with a copy of the petition and notice of the time for hearing under sub. (4) (a) 2. that includes the information required under sub. (4) (a) 2. a., b., and c. has constructive knowledge of the existence of the injunction and shall be arrested for violation of the injunction regardless of whether he or she has been served with a copy of the injunction.

813.125(7) (7) Penalty. Whoever violates a temporary restraining order or injunction issued under this section shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than 9 months or both.

813.125(8) (8) Notice of full faith and credit. An order or injunction issued under sub. (3) or (4) shall include a statement that the order or injunction may be accorded full faith and credit in every civil or criminal court of the United States, civil or criminal courts of any other state and Indian tribal courts to the extent that such courts may have personal jurisdiction over nontribal members.

813.125 History History: 1983 a. 336; 1991 a. 39, 194; 1995 a. 71, 306; 2001 a. 16, 61, 105; 2003 a. 321; 2005 a. 272; 2007 a. 124; 2009 a. 262; 2011 a. 35, 266; 2013 a. 20, 223, 311, 321, 322; 2015 a. 109; 2015 a. 195, 253, 349, 353; 2021 a. 76, 256.

813.125 Annotation This section is constitutional. Bachowski v. Salamone, 139 Wis. 2d 397, 407 N.W.2d 533 (1987).

813.125 Annotation A person convicted of violating a harassment injunction may not collaterally attack the validity of the injunction in a criminal prosecution to enforce the injunction. State v. Bouzek, 168 Wis. 2d 642, 484 N.W.2d 362 (Ct. App. 1992).

813.125 Annotation A hearing on issuing an injunction initially held within seven days of the issuance of the temporary restraining order, then continued for seven months at the defendant’s request, did not result in the court losing competency to proceed. W.W.W. v. M.C.S., 185 Wis. 2d 468, 518 N.W.2d 285 (Ct. App. 1994).

813.125 Annotation Discussing proof of intent. W.W.W. v. M.C.S., 185 Wis. 2d 468, 518 N.W.2d 285 (Ct. App. 1994).

813.125 Annotation A municipal corporation is a “person” that may bring an action for an injunction under this section. Village of Tigerton v. Minniecheske, 211 Wis. 2d 777, 565 N.W.2d 586 (Ct. App. 1997), 96-1933.

813.125 Annotation Violating an injunction under this section is a crime and is not a lesser-included offense of harrassment under s. 947.013 (1r). A defendant may be convicted for violating this section and s. 947.013 without violating the prohibition against double jeopardy. Convictions for violating this section may be counted for purposes of determining whether the defendant may be sentenced as a repeat offender under s. 939.62. State v. Sveum, 2002 WI App 105, 254 Wis. 2d 868, 648 N.W.2d 496, 01-0230.

813.125 Annotation Banishment from a particular place is not a per se violation of the right to travel. There is no exact formula for determining whether a geographic restriction is narrowly tailored. Each case must be analyzed on its own facts, circumstances, and total atmosphere to determine whether the geographic restriction is narrowly drawn. Predick v. O’Connor, 2003 WI App 46, 260 Wis. 2d 323, 660 N.W.2d 1, 02-0503.

813.125 Annotation A violation of this section may not rest on conduct that serves a legitimate purpose, which is a determination that must of necessity be left to the fact finder, taking into account all the facts and circumstances. The legitimate purpose determination is such that the fact finder must determine if any legitimate purpose was intended at the time of the conduct. Welytok v. Ziolkowski, 2008 WI App 67, 312 Wis. 2d 435, 752 N.W.2d 359, 07-0347.

813.125 Annotation This section can extend injunctive protection to institutions as well as natural persons. Although sub. (1) (b) [now sub. (1) (am) 4.] describes harassment as “committing acts which harass or intimidate another person,” s. 990.01 (26) defines a “person” as including “all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate.” Board of Regents — UW System v. Decker, 2014 WI 68, 355 Wis. 2d 800, 850 N.W.2d 112, 11-2902.

813.125 Annotation Conduct or repetitive acts that are intended to harass or intimidate do not serve a legitimate purpose. A person cannot shield the person’s harassing conduct from regulation by labeling it “protest.” If the person’s purpose was even in part to harass, the conduct may be enjoined. The person’s constitutional right to protest can be restricted when the person engages in harassment with the intent to harass or intimidate. Board of Regents — UW System v. Decker, 2014 WI 68, 355 Wis. 2d 800, 850 N.W.2d 112, 11-2902.

813.125 Annotation Sub. (3) (c) explicitly says that a temporary restraining order can be extended “once for 14 days upon a finding that the respondent has not been served with a copy of the temporary restraining order.” It is not enough that the circuit court finally held the injunction hearing within the 14-day extension period permitted by the statute. To permit the circuit court to extend the temporary restraining order twice would be to ignore the statute’s plain words. Hill v. D.C., 2014 WI App 99, 357 Wis. 2d 463, 855 N.W.2d 880, 13-1844.

813.125 Annotation Applicable law allows electronic transmission of certain confidential case information among clerks of circuit court, county sheriff’s offices, and the Department of Justice through electronic interfaces involving the Department of Administration’s Office of Justice Assistance, specifically including electronic data messages regarding a harassment protection order issued under this section in an action that the court has ordered sealed. OAG 2-10.

813.125 Annotation For an activity to violate an injunction issued under this section, it must be intentional and devoid of any legitimate purpose. Deputies did not have probable cause to arrest the subject of an injunction when they knew that the subject had entered a town hall to attend a meeting at which the subject had a personal interest in an agenda item prior to the persons protected by the injunction, that the persons protected by the injunction wished to attend the meeting, and that they possessed harassment injunctions commanding the subject of the injunction to avoid any premises temporarily occupied by the persons protected. Wagner v. Washington County, 493 F.3d 833 (2007).

813.126 813.126 New hearing or petition for review.

813.126(1) (1) Time limits for de novo hearing. If a party seeks to have the judge conduct a hearing de novo under s. 757.69 (8) of a determination, order, or ruling entered by a court commissioner in an action under s. 813.12, 813.122, 813.123, or 813.125, including a denial of a request for a temporary restraining order, the motion requesting the hearing must be filed with the court within 30 days after the circuit court commissioner issued the determination, order, or ruling. The court shall hold the de novo hearing within 30 days after the motion requesting the hearing is filed with the court unless the court finds good cause for an extension. Any determination, order, or ruling entered by a court commissioner in an action under s. 813.12, 813.122, 813.123, or 813.125 remains in effect until the judge in the de novo hearing issues his or her final determination, order, or ruling.

813.126(1m) (1m) Hearing to review a permanent injunction. If a respondent’s criminal conviction that formed the basis for a permanent injunction in an action under s. 813.12, 813.122, 813.123, or 813.125 has been vacated, the respondent may file a motion requesting a hearing to review the injunction. The court shall hold the review hearing within 30 days after the motion requesting the hearing is filed with the court unless the court finds good cause for an extension. At the hearing, if the judge finds that the conviction that formed the basis for the permanent injunction has been vacated, the judge shall modify the duration of the injunction or vacate the injunction. In so modifying or vacating the injunction, the judge shall consider all relevant factors, including the risk to the petitioner and the time that has passed since the injunction was ordered. No modified injunction ordered under this subsection may be in effect for a longer period than the maximum period that would have been possible when the injunction was first ordered if the injunction had not been permanent. If the maximum possible period from the time the injunction was first ordered has elapsed, the judge shall vacate the injunction.

813.126(2) (2) Notice. The clerk of circuit court shall provide notice of a motion under sub. (1) or (1m) to the nonmoving party. This subsection does not apply to a motion to review a denial of a temporary restraining order.

813.126 History History: 2009 a. 262; 2013 a. 322; 2015 a. 349; 2021 a. 256.

813.127 813.127 Combined actions; domestic abuse, child abuse and harassment. A petitioner may combine in one action 2 or more petitions under one or more of the provisions in ss. 813.12, 813.122 and 813.125 if the respondent is the same person in each petition. In any such action, there is only one fee applicable under s. 814.61 (1) (a). In any such action, the hearings for different types of temporary restraining orders or injunctions may be combined.

813.127 History History: 1985 a. 234.

813.128 813.128 Uniform interstate enforcement of domestic violence protection orders act.

813.128(1g) (1g) Definitions. In this section:

813.128(1g)(a) (a) “Bodily harm” has the meaning given in s. 939.22 (4).

813.128(1g)(b) (b) “Foreign mutual protection order” means a foreign protection order that includes provisions in favor of both the individual seeking enforcement of the order and the respondent.

813.128(1g)(c) (c) “Foreign protection order” means a protection order issued by a tribunal other than a tribunal of this state.

813.128(1g)(d) (d) “Protected individual” means an individual protected by a protection order.

813.128(1g)(e) (e) “Protection order” means any temporary or permanent injunction or order issued by a tribunal to prevent an individual from engaging in abuse, bodily harm, communication, contact, harassment, physical proximity, threatening acts or violence to another person, other than support or custody orders. This term includes an injunction or order issued under the antistalking laws of the issuing state.

813.128(1g)(f) (f) “Respondent” means the individual against whom enforcement of a protection order is sought.

813.128(1g)(g) (g) “Tribunal” means a court, agency, or other entity of a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, an American Indian tribe or band, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, authorized by law to issue or modify a protection order.

813.128(2g) (2g) Status of a foreign protection order.

813.128(2g)(a) (a) A foreign protection order shall be accorded full faith and credit by the tribunals in this state and shall be enforced as if the order were an order of a tribunal of this state if the order meets all of the following conditions:

813.128(2g)(a)1. 1. The foreign protection order was obtained after providing the respondent a reasonable notice and opportunity to be heard sufficient to protect his or her right to due process. If the foreign protection order is an ex parte injunction or order, the respondent shall have been given notice and an opportunity to be heard within a reasonable time after the order was issued sufficient to protect his or her right to due process.

813.128(2g)(a)2. 2. The tribunal that issued the order had jurisdiction over the parties and over the subject matter.

813.128(2g)(a)3. 3. The order identifies the protected individual and the respondent.

813.128(2g)(a)4. 4. The order is currently in effect.

813.128(2g)(b) (b) A foreign protection order or modification of the foreign protection order that meets the requirements under this section has the same effect as an order issued under s. 813.12, 813.122, 813.123 or 813.125, except that the foreign protection order or modification shall be enforced according to its own terms.

813.128(2g)(c) (c) A foreign protection order issued against the person who filed a written pleading with a tribunal for a protection order is not entitled to full faith and credit under this subsection if any of the following occurred:

813.128(2g)(c)1. 1. No written pleading was filed seeking the foreign protection order against the person who filed a written pleading with a tribunal for a protection order.

813.128(2g)(c)2. 2. A cross or counter petition was filed but the tribunal did not make a specific finding that each party was entitled to a foreign protection order.

813.128(3g) (3g) Filing and enforcement of a foreign protection order.

813.128(3g)(a) (a)

813.128(3g)(a)1. 1. A copy of any foreign protection order, or of a modification of a foreign protection order that is on file with the circuit court, that is authenticated in accordance with an act of congress, an Indian tribal legislative body or the statutes of another state may be filed in the office of the clerk of circuit court of any county of this state. The clerk may not charge a fee for the filing of a foreign protection order. The clerk shall treat any foreign protection order or modification so filed in the same manner as a judgment of the circuit court.

813.128(3g)(a)2. 2. Within one business day after a foreign protection order or a modification of a foreign protection order is filed under this subsection, the clerk of circuit court shall send a copy of the foreign protection order or modification of the order to the sheriff in that circuit or to the local law enforcement agency that is the central repository for orders and injunctions in that circuit.

813.128(3g)(a)3. 3. The sheriff or law enforcement agency that receives a copy of a foreign protection order or of a modification of an order from the clerk under subd. 2. shall enter the information received concerning the order or modification of an order into the transaction information for management of enforcement system no later than 24 hours after receiving the information. The sheriff or law enforcement agency shall make available to other law enforcement agencies, through a verification system, information on the existence and status of any order or modification of an order filed under this subsection. The information need not be maintained after the order or modification is no longer in effect.

813.128(3g)(b) (b) A law enforcement officer shall arrest and take the subject of a foreign protection order into custody if all of the following occur:

813.128(3g)(b)1. 1. A person protected under a foreign protection order presents the law enforcement officer with a copy of a foreign protection order issued against the subject, or the law enforcement officer determines that a valid foreign protection order exists against the subject through communication with appropriate authorities. If a law enforcement officer examines a copy of a foreign protection order, the order, with any modification, is presumed to be valid if the order or modification appears to be valid on its face and circumstances suggest that the order and any modification are in effect.

813.128(3g)(b)2. 2. The law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that the person has violated the terms of the foreign protection order or modification of the order.

813.128(3g)(b)3. 3. For the purposes of this paragraph, the protection order may be inscribed on a tangible medium or may have been stored in an electronic or other medium if it is retrievable in perceivable form. Presentation of a certified copy of a protection order is not required for enforcement.

813.128(3g)(c) (c) If a foreign protection order is not presented, a law enforcement officer of this state may consider other information in determining whether there is probable cause to believe that a valid foreign protection order exists.

813.128(3g)(d) (d) If a law enforcement officer of this state determines that an otherwise valid foreign protection order cannot be enforced because the respondent has not been notified or served with the order, the officer shall inform the respondent of the order, make a reasonable effort to serve the order upon the respondent, and allow the respondent a reasonable opportunity to comply with the order before enforcing the order.

813.128(3g)(e) (e) A tribunal of this state shall enforce the provisions of a valid foreign protection order that govern custody, physical placement, and visitation, if the order was issued in accordance with the jurisdictional requirements governing the issuance of custody, physical placement, and visitation orders in the issuing state.

813.128(3g)(f) (f) A foreign protection order that is valid on its face is prima facie evidence of its validity.

813.128(3g)(g) (g) Absence of any of the criteria for validity of a foreign protection order is an affirmative defense in an action seeking enforcement of the order.

813.128(3g)(h) (h) A tribunal of this state may enforce provisions of a foreign mutual protection order that favor a respondent only if the respondent filed a written pleading seeking a protection order from the tribunal of the issuing state and the tribunal of the issuing state made specific findings in favor of the respondent.

813.128(3g)(i) (i) A tribunal of this state may not enforce a foreign protection order issued by a tribunal of a state that does not recognize the standing of a protected individual to seek enforcement of the order.

813.128(4) (4) Penalty. A person who knowingly violates a condition of a foreign protection order or modification of a foreign protection order that is entitled to full faith and credit under this section shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both. If a foreign protection order and any modification of that order that is entitled to full faith and credit under this section remains current and in effect at the time that a court convicts a person for a violation of that order or modification of that order, but that order or modification has not been filed under this section, the court shall direct the clerk of circuit court to file the order and any modification of the order.

813.128(5) (5) Immunity. A law enforcement officer, law enforcement agency, prosecuting attorney, state, local, or Indian tribe or band governmental official, or clerk of circuit court is immune from civil and criminal liability for his or her acts or omissions arising out of a decision related to the filing of a foreign protection order or modification or to the detention or arrest of an alleged violator of a foreign protection order or modification if the act or omission is done in a good faith effort to comply with this section and s. 806.247, 2013 stats.