977.06(2)(am)(am) A person seeking to have counsel assigned for him or her under s. 977.08, other than a child who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 48.23 or 938.23 or a person who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 51.60, 55.105, or 980.03 (2) (a), shall sign a statement declaring that the information that he or she has given to determine eligibility for assignment of counsel he or she believes to be true and that he or she is informed that he or she is subject to the penalty under par. (b). 977.06(2)(b)(b) A person who makes a false representation that he or she does not believe is true for purposes of qualifying for assignment of counsel is guilty of a Class I felony. 977.06(3)(a)(a) Unless the court has made an adjustment under s. 973.06 (1) (e), upon determination at the conclusion of a case that a person’s financial circumstances are changed, the state public defender may adjust the amount of payment for counsel. 977.06(3)(b)(b) The state public defender may petition a court that ordered payment under s. 757.66, 973.06 (1) (e) or 977.076 (1) to modify an order or judgment to adjust the amount of payment or the scheduled amounts at any time. 977.06(4)(a)(a) A circuit court may review any indigency determination upon its own motion or the motion of the defendant and shall review any indigency determination upon the motion of the district attorney or the state public defender. The court, district attorney or state public defender may summon the defendant. The defendant may be compelled to testify only as to his or her financial eligibility under this section. If the defendant refuses to testify, the court may find the defendant is not eligible to have counsel assigned for him or her under s. 977.08. If the defendant testifies at this hearing, his or her testimony as to his or her financial eligibility under this section may not be used directly or indirectly in any criminal action, except in a criminal action regarding a subsequent charge of perjury or false swearing. 977.06(4)(b)(b) The state public defender shall promptly release a copy of any statement, affidavit or other information provided by a person regarding financial eligibility under s. 977.07 only if the state public defender or a circuit court finds all of the following: 977.06(4)(b)2.2. The person disposed of an asset for less than its fair market value for the purpose of obtaining assignment of counsel. 977.06(4)(bm)(bm) In response to a request for information under s. 49.22 (2m) made by the department of children and families or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5), the state public defender shall provide the name and address of an individual, the name and address of the individual’s employer and financial information related to the individual, if the name, address or financial information is included in any statement, affidavit or other information provided by the individual regarding financial eligibility under s. 977.07 and if, at the time the request for information is made, the individual is represented by the state public defender or by counsel assigned under s. 977.08. 977.06(4)(c)(c) Paragraphs (b) and (bm) do not limit the authority of the state public defender to release a copy of a statement, affidavit or other information regarding financial eligibility under s. 977.07 under other circumstances. 977.06 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also ch. PD 3, Wis. adm. code. 977.06 AnnotationNot Poor Enough: Why Wisconsin’s System for Providing Indigent Defense is Failing. Velazquez-Aguilu. 2006 WLR 193.
977.07977.07 Determination of indigency. 977.07(1)(a)(a) Determination of indigency for persons entitled to counsel shall be made as soon as possible and shall be in accordance with the rules promulgated by the board under s. 977.02 (3) and the system established under s. 977.06. No determination of indigency is required for a child who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 48.23 or 938.23 or a person who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 51.60, 55.105, or 980.03 (2) (a). 977.07(1)(b)(b) For referrals not made under ss. 809.30, 974.06, and 974.07, a representative of the state public defender is responsible for making indigency determinations unless the county became responsible under s. 977.07 (1) (b) 2. or 3., 1983 stats., for these determinations. Subject to the provisions of par. (bn), those counties may continue to be responsible for making indigency determinations. Any such county may change the agencies or persons who are designated to make indigency determinations only upon the approval of the state public defender. 977.07(1)(bn)(bn) Notwithstanding par. (b), if the state public defender board determines that standards under s. 977.02 (3) are not being met or that there is a pattern of improper denial of indigency findings in a county, the state public defender board shall transfer indigency determination authority in the county to the state public defender. In addition, if less than 100 percent of the cases at the trial level are assigned to private bar attorneys in a county, the public defender board may transfer indigency determination authority in the county to the state public defender. 977.07(1)(c)(c) For all referrals made under ss. 809.107, 809.30, 974.06 (3) (b) and 974.07 (11), except a referral of a child who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 48.23 or 938.23 or a person who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 51.60, 55.105, or 980.03 (2) (a), a representative of the state public defender shall determine indigency. For referrals made under ss. 809.107, 809.30 and 974.06 (3) (b), except a referral of a child who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 48.23 or 938.23 or a person who is entitled to be represented by counsel under s. 51.60, 55.105, or 980.03 (2) (a), the representative of the state public defender may, unless a request for redetermination has been filed under s. 809.30 (2) (d) or the person’s request for representation states that his or her financial circumstances have materially improved, rely upon a determination of indigency made for purposes of trial representation under this section. 977.07(1)(d)(d) If the representative of the state public defender or the county designee determines that a person is indigent or if no determination of indigency is required as provided in par. (a), the case shall be referred to or within the office of the state public defender for assignment of counsel under s. 977.08. 977.07(2m)(2m) If the person is found to be indigent, the person shall be promptly informed of the state’s right to payment or recoupment under s. 48.275 (2), 757.66, 938.275 (2), 973.06 (1) (e), or 977.076 (1), and the possibility that the payment of attorney fees may be made a condition of probation, should the person be placed on probation. Furthermore, if found to be indigent, the person shall be promptly informed of the extent to which he or she will be expected to pay for counsel, and whether the payment shall be in the form of a lump sum payment or periodic payments. The person shall be informed that the payment amount may be adjusted if his or her financial circumstances change by the time of sentencing. The payment and payment schedule shall be set forth in writing. This subsection does not apply to persons who have paid under s. 977.075 (3m). 977.07 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 175 s. 53; 1979 c. 356; 1981 c. 20 s. 1833, 2202 (41) (a); Sup. Ct. Order, 123 Wis. 2d xi (1985); 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 27, 61, 399; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16, 451, 491; 1995 a. 27, 77; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 293; 2007 a. 20, 97; 2009 a. 164; 2017 a. 184, 359; 2021 a. 238 ss. 37, 38, 45. 977.07 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also ch. PD 3, Wis. adm. code. 977.07 NoteJudicial Council Note, 1984: Sub. (1) (c) is amended by dispensing with redeterminations of indigency unless the notice under s. 809.30 (2) (b) indicates that the defendant’s financial circumstances have materially improved or the district attorney timely requests a redetermination under s. 809.30 (2) (d). The intent is to limit the cost and delay associated with indigency redeterminations to cases in which there is reason to believe that the defendant no longer qualifies for public defender assistance. [Re order effective July 1, 1985]
977.07 AnnotationThe defendant must prove an inability to afford counsel by a preponderance of the evidence. State v. Buelow, 122 Wis. 2d 465, 363 N.W.2d 255 (Ct. App. 1984). 977.07 AnnotationA determination of indigency by the public defender is not the end of a court inquiry of the right to counsel. State v. Dean, 163 Wis. 2d 503, 471 N.W.2d 310 (Ct. App. 1991).