Chapter 946

946.47(2m)(b)2. 2. An unclassified felony that is not punishable by a sentence of life imprisonment.

946.47 History History: 1977 c. 173; 1993 a. 486; 1999 a. 162; 2001 a. 109; 2013 a. 254.

946.47 Annotation A person may be a “felon” under sub. (2) (a) even though not convicted of a felony. State v. Jones, 98 Wis. 2d 679, 298 N.W.2d 100 (Ct. App. 1980).

946.47 Annotation The application of this section is not restricted to persons wanted for conduct constituting a felony for which there has been no conviction, but also applies to persons previously convicted of a felony who are sought for other reasons. State v. Schmidt, 221 Wis. 2d 189, 585 N.W.2d 186 (Ct. App. 1998), 97-3131.

946.48 946.48 Kidnapped or missing persons; false information.

946.48(1) (1) Whoever sends, delivers, or causes to be transmitted to another any written or oral communication with intent to induce a false belief that the sender has knowledge of the whereabouts, physical condition, or terms imposed upon the return of a kidnapped or missing person is guilty of a Class H felony.

946.48(2) (2) Violation of this section may be prosecuted in either the county where the communication was sent or the county in which it was received.

946.48 History History: 1977 c. 173; 2001 a. 109.

946.49 946.49 Bail jumping.

946.49(1) (1) Whoever, having been released from custody under ch. 969, intentionally fails to comply with the terms of his or her bond is:

946.49(1)(a) (a) If the offense with which the person is charged is a misdemeanor, guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

946.49(1)(b) (b) If the offense with which the person is charged is a felony, guilty of a Class H felony.

946.49(2) (2) A witness for whom bail has been required under s. 969.01 (3) is guilty of a Class I felony for failure to appear as provided.

946.49 History History: 1977 c. 173; 2001 a. 109.

946.49 Annotation Under sub. (1), a charge underlying a bail-jumping charge is not a lesser-included offense, and punishment for both does not offend double-jeopardy protection. State v. Nelson, 146 Wis. 2d 442, 432 N.W.2d 115 (Ct. App. 1988).

946.49 Annotation Conviction under this section resulting from the conviction for another crime committed while released on bail does not constitute double jeopardy. State v. West, 181 Wis. 2d 792, 512 N.W.2d 207 (Ct. App. 1993).

946.49 Annotation Before a defendant may be convicted of bail jumping under sub. (1), the state must prove three elements: 1) that the defendant was either arrested for, or charged with, a felony or misdemeanor; 2) that the defendant was released from custody on a bond, under conditions established by the trial court; and 3) that the defendant intentionally failed to comply with the terms of the bond, that is, that the defendant knew of the terms of the bond and knew that the defendant’s actions did not comply with those terms. In this case, the defendant was released from custody without bail, and the record was devoid of any evidence that the defendant executed either a secured or unsecured bond before release. Thus, there was insufficient evidence to support two elements of the charged offense of bail jumping. State v. Dawson, 195 Wis. 2d 161, 536 N.W.2d 119 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-2570.

946.49 Annotation A court in sentencing a defendant for a violation of this section may take into account the underlying acts that resulted in the violation. State v. Schordie, 214 Wis. 2d 229, 570 N.W.2d 881 (Ct. App. 1997), 97-0071.

946.49 Annotation Charging a defendant with two counts of bail jumping when the defendant violated multiple conditions of a single bond was not multiplicitous. State v. Anderson, 219 Wis. 2d 739, 580 N.W.2d 329 (1998), 96-0087.

946.49 Annotation A positive urine test was sufficient to establish that the defendant intentionally violated the conditions of a bond prohibiting the use of illegal drugs. State v. Taylor, 226 Wis. 2d 490, 595 N.W.2d 56 (Ct. App. 1999), 98-0962.

946.49 Annotation When the meaning and scope of a bond condition is at issue for purposes of determining whether there is the basis for a criminal charge, the threshold question is whether the bond condition itself covers the defendant’s conduct in the case, and not whether the evidence plausibly establishes that the defendant believed that the defendant was violating the condition. State v. Schaab, 2000 WI App 204, 238 Wis. 2d 598, 617 N.W.2d 872, 99-2203.

946.49 Annotation When a bail jumping charge is premised upon the commission of a further crime, the jury must be properly instructed regarding the elements of that further crime. When a bail jumping charge is premised upon the commission of a lesser-included offense of the further crime, the jury must be properly instructed under the law of lesser-included offenses. State v. Henning, 2003 WI App 54, 261 Wis. 2d 664, 660 N.W.2d 698, 02-1287.

946.49 Annotation Reversed on other grounds. 2004 WI 89, 273 Wis. 2d 352, 681 N.W.2d 871, 02-1287.

946.49 Annotation “Release” refers to the defendant posting the bond, be it signature or cash, and need not be accompanied by the defendant’s physical departure from the jailhouse. In this case, the defendant made bond on a signature bond by signing it, therefore committing himself to its conditions, although the defendant did not post two required cash bonds. While not physically released, the defendant was subject to this section for violating the conditions of the signature bond. State v. Dewitt, 2008 WI App 134, 313 Wis. 2d 794, 758 N.W.2d 201, 07-2869.

946.49 Annotation The defendant’s argument that conviction on two bail-jumping counts was multiplicitous because the preliminary hearings at which the defendant failed to appear were scheduled for the same time and the defendant had signed only one bond for the two underlying cases failed because the counts were different in fact. Proof of notification and failure to appear in one case would not prove notification and failure to appear in the other, making the two charges different in nature and therefore different in fact. State v. Eaglefeathers, 2009 WI App 2, 316 Wis. 2d 152, 762 N.W.2d 690, 07-0845.

946.49 Annotation There is a two-step test to determine when, after being released from custody under ch. 969, a defendant no longer meets the definition of “having been released”: 1) the defendant must be placed in physical custody on the bond at issue; and 2) there must be some court action regarding the bond under which the defendant was previously released. Court action sufficient to meet the second requirement includes the issuance of a bench warrant, the revocation of bond, or the modification of bond such that a defendant cannot obtain release. State v. Jacobs, 2023 WI App 53, 409 Wis. 2d 467, 997 N.W.2d 130, 22-0658.

946.49 Annotation The Use of Wisconsin’s Bail Jumping Statute: A Legal and Quantitative Analysis. Johnson. 2018 WLR 619.

946.495 946.495 Violation of nonsecure custody order. If a person has been placed in nonsecure custody by an intake worker under s. 938.207 or by a judge or circuit court commissioner under s. 938.21 (4) and the person is alleged to be delinquent under s. 938.12, alleged to be in need of protection or services under s. 938.13 (12) or has been taken into custody for committing an act that is a violation of a state or federal criminal law, the person is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor if he or she intentionally fails to comply with the conditions of his or her placement in nonsecure custody.

946.495 History History: 1997 a. 328; 2001 a. 61.

946.50 946.50 Absconding. Any person who is adjudicated delinquent, but who intentionally fails to appear before the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under chs. 48 and 938 for his or her dispositional hearing under s. 938.335, and who does not return to that court for a dispositional hearing before attaining the age of 17 years is guilty of the following:

946.50(1) (1) A Class A felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class A felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(2) (2) A Class B felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class B felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(3) (3) A Class C felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class C felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(4) (4) A Class D felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class D felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(5) (5) A Class E felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class E felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(5d) (5d) A Class F felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class F felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(5h) (5h) A Class G felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class G felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(5p) (5p) A Class H felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class H felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(5t) (5t) A Class I felony, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a Class I felony if committed by an adult.

946.50(6) (6) A Class A misdemeanor, if the person was adjudicated delinquent for committing an act that would be a misdemeanor if committed by an adult.

946.50 History History: 1995 a. 77; 2001 a. 109.

946.52 946.52 Failure to submit biological specimen. Whoever intentionally fails to comply with a requirement to submit a biological specimen under s. 165.76, 165.84 (7), 938.21 (1m), 938.30 (2m), 938.34 (15), 970.02 (8), 973.047, or 980.063 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

946.52 History History: 2013 a. 20 s. 1922; 2013 Stats. s. 946.52.

subch. V of ch. 946 SUBCHAPTER V

OTHER CRIMES AFFECTING THE
ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNMENT

946.60 946.60 Destruction of documents subject to subpoena.

946.60(1) (1) Whoever intentionally destroys, alters, mutilates, conceals, removes, withholds or transfers possession of a document, knowing that the document has been subpoenaed by a court or by or at the request of a district attorney or the attorney general, is guilty of a Class I felony.

946.60(2) (2) Whoever uses force, threat, intimidation or deception, with intent to cause or induce another person to destroy, alter, mutilate, conceal, remove, withhold or transfer possession of a subpoenaed document, knowing that the document has been subpoenaed by a court or by or at the request of a district attorney or the attorney general, is guilty of a Class I felony.

946.60(3) (3) It is not a defense to a prosecution under this section that:

946.60(3)(a) (a) The document would have been legally privileged or inadmissible in evidence.

946.60(3)(b) (b) The subpoena was directed to a person other than the defendant.

946.60 History History: 1981 c. 306; 2001 a. 109.

946.61 946.61 Bribery of witnesses.

946.61(1) (1) Whoever does any of the following is guilty of a Class H felony:

946.61(1)(a) (a) With intent to induce another to refrain from giving evidence or testifying in any civil or criminal matter before any court, judge, grand jury, magistrate, court commissioner, referee or administrative agency authorized by statute to determine issues of fact, transfers to him or her or on his or her behalf, any property or any pecuniary advantage; or

946.61(1)(b) (b) Accepts any property or any pecuniary advantage, knowing that such property or pecuniary advantage was transferred to him or her or on his or her behalf with intent to induce him or her to refrain from giving evidence or testifying in any civil or criminal matter before any court, judge, grand jury, magistrate, court commissioner, referee, or administrative agency authorized by statute to determine issues of fact.

946.61(2) (2) This section does not apply to a person who is charged with a crime, or any person acting in his or her behalf, who transfers property to which he or she believes the other is legally entitled.

946.61 History History: 1977 c. 173; 1979 c. 175; 1993 a. 486; 2001 a. 109.

946.61 Annotation A conviction under this section cannot be sustained if the evidence shows that the defendant only transferred property to induce false testimony. State v. Duda, 60 Wis. 2d 431, 210 N.W.2d 763 (1973).

946.61 Annotation This section only prohibits paying a person to “refrain” from testifying and does not include influencing testimony. State v. Manthey, 169 Wis. 2d 673, 487 N.W.2d 44 (Ct. App. 1992).

946.64 946.64 Communicating with jurors. Whoever, with intent to influence any person, summoned or serving as a juror, in relation to any matter which is before that person or which may be brought before that person, communicates with him or her otherwise than in the regular course of proceedings in the trial or hearing of that matter is guilty of a Class I felony.

946.64 History History: 1977 c. 173; 2001 a. 109.

946.645 946.645 Picketing or parading at the residence of a judge.

946.645(1) (1) In this section, “judge” has the meaning given in s. 940.203 (1) (b).

946.645(2) (2) Whoever pickets, parades, or demonstrates at or near any residence occupied or used by a judge with the intent to interfere with, obstruct, or impede the administration of justice or with the intent to influence any judge in the discharge of his or her duty is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

946.645 History History: 2023 a. 234.

946.65 946.65 Obstructing justice.

946.65(1) (1) Whoever for a consideration knowingly gives false information to any officer of any court with intent to influence the officer in the performance of official functions is guilty of a Class I felony.

946.65(2) (2) “Officer of any court” includes the judge, reporter, bailiff and district attorney.

946.65 History History: 1977 c. 173; 2001 a. 109.

946.65 Annotation Only conduct that involves a third-party contracting with another to give false information to a court officer in an attempt to influence the performance of the officer’s official function is proscribed by this section. State v. Howell, 141 Wis. 2d 58, 414 N.W.2d 54 (Ct. App. 1987).

946.66 946.66 False complaints of police misconduct.

946.66(1) (1) In this section:

946.66(1)(a) (a) “Complaint” means a complaint that is filed as part of a procedure established under s. 66.0511 (3).

946.66(1)(b) (b) “Law enforcement officer” has the meaning given in s. 165.85 (2) (c).

946.66(2) (2) Whoever knowingly makes a false complaint regarding the conduct of a law enforcement officer is subject to a Class A forfeiture.

946.66 History History: 1997 a. 176; 2001 a. 30.

946.67 946.67 Compounding crime.

946.67(1) (1) Whoever receives any property in return for a promise, express or implied, to refrain from prosecuting a crime or to refrain from giving information bearing on the probable success of a criminal prosecution is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

946.67(2) (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the act upon which the actual or supposed crime is based has caused a loss for which a civil action will lie and the person who has sustained such loss reasonably believes that he or she is legally entitled to the property received.

946.67(3) (3) No promise mentioned in this section shall justify the promisor in refusing to testify or to produce evidence against the alleged criminal when subpoenaed to do so.

946.67 History History: 1977 c. 173; 1993 a. 486.

946.68 946.68 Simulating legal process.

946.68(1g) (1g) In this section, “legal process” includes a subpoena, summons, complaint, warrant, injunction, writ, notice, pleading, order or other document that directs a person to perform or refrain from performing a specified act and compliance with which is enforceable by a court or governmental agency.

946.68(1r) (1r) 

946.68(1r)(a) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), whoever sends or delivers to another any document which simulates legal process is guilty of a Class I felony.

946.68(1r)(b) (b) If the document under par. (a) is sent or delivered with intent to induce payment of a claim, the person is guilty of a Class H felony.

946.68(1r)(c) (c) If the document under par. (a) simulates any criminal process, the person is guilty of a Class H felony.

946.68(2) (2) Proof that a document specified under sub. (1r) was mailed or was delivered to any person with intent that it be forwarded to the intended recipient is sufficient proof of sending.