Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 48 - Children's code.
48.315 - Delays, continuances and extensions.

48.315 Delays, continuances and extensions.
(1) The following time periods shall be excluded in computing time periods under this chapter:
(a) Any period of delay resulting from other legal actions concerning the child or the unborn child and the unborn child's expectant mother, including an examination under s. 48.295 or a hearing related to the mental condition of the child, the child's parent, guardian or legal custodian or the expectant mother, prehearing motions, waiver motions and hearings on other matters.
(b) Any period of delay resulting from a continuance granted at the request of or with the consent of the child and his or her counsel or of the unborn child's guardian ad litem.
(c) Any period of delay caused by the disqualification of a judge.
(d) Any period of delay resulting from a continuance granted at the request of the representative of the public under s. 48.09 if the continuance is granted because of the unavailability of evidence material to the case when he or she has exercised due diligence to obtain the evidence and there are reasonable grounds to believe that the evidence will be available at the later date, or to allow him or her additional time to prepare the case and additional time is justified because of the exceptional circumstances of the case.
(e) Any period of delay resulting from the imposition of a consent decree.
(f) Any period of delay resulting from the absence or unavailability of the child or expectant mother.
(fm) Any period of delay resulting from the inability of the court to provide the child with notice of an extension hearing under s. 48.365 due to the child having run away or otherwise having made himself or herself unavailable to receive that notice.
(g) A reasonable period of delay when the child is joined in a hearing with another child as to whom the time for a hearing has not expired under this section if there is good cause for not hearing the cases separately.
(h) Any period of delay resulting from the need to appoint a qualified interpreter.
(j) A reasonable period of delay, not to exceed 20 days, in a proceeding involving the out-of-home care placement of or termination of parental rights to a child whom the court knows or has reason to know is an Indian child, resulting from a continuance granted at the request of the child's parent, Indian custodian, or tribe to enable the requester to prepare for the proceeding.
(1m) Subsection (1) (a), (d), (e), (fm), (g), and (j) does not apply to proceedings under s. 48.375 (7).
(2) A continuance shall be granted by the court only upon a showing of good cause in open court or during a telephone conference under s. 807.13 on the record and only for so long as is necessary, taking into account the request or consent of the district attorney or the parties and the interest of the public in the prompt disposition of cases.
(2m) No continuance or extension of a time period specified in this chapter may be granted and no period of delay specified in sub. (1) may be excluded in computing a time period under this chapter if the continuance, extension, or exclusion would result in any of the following:
(a) The court making an initial finding under s. 48.21 (5) (b) 1. or 1m., 48.32 (1) (b) 1., 48.355 (2) (b) 6., or 48.357 (2v) (a) 1. that reasonable efforts have been made to prevent the removal of the child from the home, while assuring that the child's health and safety are the paramount concerns, or an initial finding under s. 48.21 (5) (b) 3., 48.32 (1) (b) 2., 48.355 (2) (b) 6r., or 48.357 (2v) (a) 3. that those efforts were not required to be made because a circumstance specified in s. 48.355 (2d) (b) 1. to 5. applies, more than 60 days after the date on which the child was removed from the home.
(b) The court making an initial finding under s. 48.38 (5m) that the agency primarily responsible for providing services to the child has made reasonable efforts to achieve the permanency goal of the child's permanency plan more than 12 months after the date on which the child was removed from the home or making any subsequent findings under s. 48.38 (5m) as to those reasonable efforts more than 12 months after the date of a previous finding as to those reasonable efforts.
(c) The court making a finding under s. 48.366 (3) (am) 3. that a person's placement in out-of-home care under a transition-to-independent-living agreement is in the best interests of the person more than 180 days after the date on which the agreement is entered into.
(3) Failure by the court or a party to act within any time period specified in this chapter does not deprive the court of personal or subject matter jurisdiction or of competency to exercise that jurisdiction. Failure to object to a period of delay or a continuance waives any challenge to the court's competency to act during the period of delay or continuance. If the court or a party does not act within a time period specified in this chapter, the court, while assuring the safety of the child, may grant a continuance under sub. (2), dismiss the proceeding without prejudice, release the child from secure or nonsecure custody or from the terms of a custody order, or grant any other relief that the court considers appropriate.
History: 1977 c. 354; Sup. Ct. Order, 141 Wis. 2d xiii (1987); 1987 a. 403; 1991 a. 263; 1993 a. 98; 1997 a. 292; 2001 a. 16, 109; 2007 a. 20, 199; 2009 a. 94; 2011 a. 181; 2013 a. 170; 2015 a. 55, 373.
A trial court's sua sponte adjournment of a fact-finding hearing beyond the 30-day limit due to a congested calendar constituted good cause under sub. (2) when the adjournment order was entered within the 30-day period. In Matter of J.R., 152 Wis. 2d 598, 449 N.W.2d 52 (Ct. App. 1989).
The period under sub. (1) (c) includes the time required to assign the new judge, send any required notices, notify the parties, and arrange for time on the court's calendar; applicable time limits for plea hearings apply after the assignment of the new judge. In Interest of Joshua M.W., 179 Wis. 2d 335, 507 N.W.2d 141 (Ct. App. 1993).
Under sub. (2), “on the record" does not require reporting by a court reporter. A clerk's minutes satisfy the requirement. Waukesha County v. Darlene R., 201 Wis. 2d 633, 549 N.W.2d 489 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-1697.
The benefits of a pretrial are universally recognized by bench and bar such that a court need not specify the factors supporting “good cause" for a continuance of the time limits under sub. (2). Waukesha County v. Darlene R., 201 Wis. 2d 633, 549 N.W.2d 489 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-1697.
Under sub. (1) (a), the time limits are tolled for an examination of a parent under s. 48.295. Waukesha County v. Darlene R., 201 Wis. 2d 633, 549 N.W.2d 489 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-1697.
The word “continuance" in sub. (2) is sufficiently broad to encompass situations in which the fact-finding hearing is originally scheduled beyond the statutory 45-day time period. A circuit court's schedule or lawyers' or litigants' difficulties in scheduling court dates may amount to good cause for extension, delay, or continuance under sub. (2). State v. Robert K., 2005 WI 152, 286 Wis. 2d 143, 706 N.W.2d 257, 04-2330.
Reassignment of a case to a different judge because of docket congestion does not constitute disqualification of a judge under sub. (1) (c). Brown County v. Shannon R., 2005 WI 160, 286 Wis. 2d 278, 706 N.W.2d 269, 04-1305.

Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Chapter 48 - Children's code.

48.01 - Title and legislative purpose.

48.02 - Definitions.

48.022 - Electronic filing.

48.023 - Guardianship.

48.025 - Declaration of paternal interest in matters affecting children.

48.027 - Child custody jurisdiction.

48.028 - Indian child welfare.

48.029 - Pregnancy testing prohibited.

48.03 - Time and place of court; absence or disability of judge; court of record.

48.035 - Court; Menominee and Shawano counties.

48.04 - Employees of court.

48.06 - Services for court.

48.067 - Powers and duties of intake workers.

48.069 - Powers and duties of disposition staff.

48.07 - Additional sources of court services.

48.08 - Duties of person furnishing services to court.

48.09 - Representation of the interests of the public.

48.10 - Power of the judge to act as intake worker.

48.11 - Advisory board.

48.13 - Jurisdiction over children alleged to be in need of protection or services.

48.133 - Jurisdiction over unborn children in need of protection or services and the expectant mothers of those unborn children.

48.135 - Referral of children and expectant mothers of unborn children to proceedings under chapter 51 or 55.

48.14 - Jurisdiction over other matters relating to children.

48.15 - Jurisdiction of other courts to determine legal custody.

48.16 - Jurisdiction over petitions for waiver of parental consent to a minor's abortion.

48.185 - Venue.

48.19 - Taking a child into custody.

48.193 - Taking an adult expectant mother into custody.

48.195 - Taking a newborn child into custody.

48.20 - Release or delivery of child from custody.

48.203 - Release or delivery of adult expectant mother from custody.

48.205 - Criteria for holding a child or expectant mother in physical custody.

48.207 - Places where a child or expectant mother may be held in nonsecure custody.

48.208 - Criteria for holding a child in a juvenile detention facility.

48.209 - Criteria for holding a child in a county jail.

48.21 - Hearing for child in custody.

48.213 - Hearing for adult expectant mother in custody.

48.215 - Mother-young child care program.

48.217 - Change in placement; child or expectant mother held in custody.

48.227 - Runaway homes.

48.23 - Right to counsel.

48.233 - Five-county pilot program.

48.235 - Guardian ad litem.

48.236 - Court-appointed special advocate.

48.24 - Receipt of jurisdictional information; intake inquiry.

48.243 - Basic rights: duty of intake worker.

48.245 - Informal disposition.

48.25 - Petition: authorization to file.

48.255 - Petition; form and content.

48.257 - Petition to initiate a procedure to waive parental consent prior to a minor's abortion.

48.263 - Amendment of petition.

48.27 - Notice; summons.

48.273 - Service of summons or notice; expense.

48.275 - Parents' contribution to cost of court and legal services.

48.28 - Failure to obey summons; capias.

48.29 - Substitution of judge.

48.293 - Discovery.

48.295 - Physical, psychological, mental or developmental examination.

48.297 - Motions before trial.

48.299 - Procedures at hearings.

48.30 - Plea hearing.

48.305 - Hearing upon the involuntary removal of a child or expectant mother.

48.31 - Fact-finding hearing.

48.315 - Delays, continuances and extensions.

48.317 - Jeopardy.

48.32 - Consent decree.

48.33 - Court reports.

48.335 - Dispositional hearings.

48.345 - Disposition of child or unborn child of child expectant mother adjudged in need of protection or services.

48.347 - Disposition of unborn child of adult expectant mother adjudged in need of protection or services.

48.35 - Effect of judgment and disposition.

48.355 - Dispositional orders.

48.356 - Duty of court to warn.

48.357 - Change in placement; child or expectant mother subject to dispositional order.

48.358 - Trial reunification.

48.36 - Payment for services.

48.361 - Payment for alcohol and other drug abuse services.

48.362 - Payment for certain special treatment or care services.

48.363 - Revision of dispositional orders.

48.365 - Extension of orders.

48.366 - Extended out-of-home care.

48.368 - Continuation of dispositional orders.

48.37 - Costs and fees.

48.371 - Access to certain information by substitute care provider.

48.373 - Medical authorization.

48.375 - Parental consent required prior to abortion; judicial waiver procedure.

48.38 - Permanency planning.

48.383 - Reasonable and prudent parent standard.

48.385 - Plan for transition to independent living.

48.396 - Records.

48.40 - Definitions.

48.41 - Voluntary consent to termination of parental rights.

48.415 - Grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights.

48.417 - Petition for termination of parental rights; when required.

48.42 - Procedure.

48.422 - Hearing on the petition.

48.423 - Rights of persons alleging paternity.

48.424 - Fact-finding hearing.

48.425 - Court report by an agency.

48.426 - Standard and factors.

48.427 - Dispositions.

48.43 - Court orders; contents and effect; review.

48.432 - Access to medical information.

48.433 - Access to identifying information about parents.

48.434 - Release of identifying information by an agency when authorization is granted.

48.435 - Custody of children.

48.437 - Change in placement; posttermination of parental rights.

48.44 - Jurisdiction over persons 17 or older.

48.45 - Orders applicable to adults.

48.46 - New evidence; relief from judgment terminating parental rights.

48.465 - Motion for postdisposition relief and appeal.

48.468 - Purpose of department.

48.47 - Duties of department.

48.48 - Authority of department.

48.481 - Grants for children's community programs.

48.485 - Transfer of Indian children to department for adoption.

48.487 - Tribal family services.

48.52 - Facilities for care of children and adult expectant mothers in care of department.

48.526 - Community youth and family aids.

48.527 - Community youth and family aids; bonus for county facilities.

48.528 - Community intervention program.

48.545 - Brighter futures initiative.

48.546 - Family treatment court grant program.

48.547 - Alcohol and other drug abuse program.

48.548 - Multidisciplinary screen and assessment criteria.

48.55 - State adoption information exchange and state adoption center.

48.56 - Child welfare services in counties having populations of less than 750,000.

48.561 - Child welfare services in a county having a population of 750,000 or more.

48.562 - Milwaukee child welfare partnership council.

48.563 - Children and family aids funding.

48.565 - Carry-over of children and family aids funds.

48.568 - Allocation of federal funds for children and family aids and child welfare.

48.569 - Distribution of children and family aids funds to counties.

48.57 - Powers and duties of department and county departments providing child welfare services.

48.576 - Shelter care facilities; general supervision and inspection by department.

48.578 - Shelter care facilities; establishment, approval, inspection.

48.58 - County children's home in populous counties.

48.59 - Examination and records.

48.599 - Definitions.

48.60 - Child welfare agencies licensed.

48.61 - Powers and duties of child welfare agencies.

48.615 - Child welfare agency licensing fees.

48.619 - Definition.

48.62 - Licensing of foster homes; rates.

48.623 - Subsidized guardianships.

48.625 - Licensing of group homes; fees.

48.627 - Foster parent insurance and liability.

48.63 - Restrictions on placements.

48.64 - Placement of children in out-of-home care.

48.645 - Foster care aid.

48.647 - Second-chance homes.

48.65 - Child care centers licensed; fees.

48.651 - Certification of child care providers.

48.653 - Information for child care providers.

48.655 - Parental access.

48.656 - Parent's right to know.

48.657 - Child care center reports.

48.658 - Child safety alarms in child care vehicles.

48.659 - Child care quality rating system.

48.66 - Licensing duties of the department.

48.67 - Rules governing child welfare agencies, child care centers, foster homes, group homes, shelter care facilities, and county departments.

48.675 - Qualified residential treatment programs.

48.68 - Investigation of applicant; issuing of license.

48.685 - Criminal history and child abuse record search.

48.686 - Criminal history and child abuse record search; child care.

48.69 - Probationary licenses.

48.70 - Provisions of licenses.

48.715 - Sanctions and penalties.

48.72 - Appeal procedure.

48.73 - Inspection of licensees and school district child care programs.

48.735 - Immunization requirements; child care centers.

48.737 - Lead screening, inspection and reduction requirements; child care centers.

48.74 - Authority of department to investigate alleged violations.

48.743 - Community living arrangements for children.

48.745 - Formal complaints regarding child welfare agencies and group homes.

48.75 - Foster homes licensed by public licensing agencies and by child welfare agencies.

48.76 - Penalties.

48.77 - Injunction against violations.

48.78 - Confidentiality of records.

48.79 - Powers of the department.

48.80 - Municipalities may sponsor activities.

48.81 - Who may be adopted.

48.82 - Who may adopt.

48.825 - Advertising related to adoption.

48.83 - Jurisdiction and venue.

48.831 - Appointment of guardian for child without a living parent for adoptability finding.

48.832 - Transfer of guardianship upon revocation of guardian's license or contract.

48.833 - Placement of children for adoption by the department, county departments, and child welfare agencies.

48.834 - Placement of children with relatives or siblings for adoption by the department, county departments, and child welfare agencies.

48.835 - Placement of children with relatives for adoption.

48.837 - Placement of children with nonrelatives for adoption.

48.838 - Foreign adoption fees.

48.839 - Adoption of foreign children.

48.84 - Preadoption preparation for proposed adoptive parents.

48.841 - Persons required to file recommendation as to adoption.

48.85 - Recommendation of guardian.

48.871 - Filing of recommendation by guardian.

48.88 - Notice of hearing; investigation.

48.89 - Recommendation of the department.

48.90 - Filing of adoption petition; preadoption residence.

48.91 - Hearing; order.

48.913 - Payments by adoptive or proposed adoptive parents to a birth parent or child or on behalf of a birth parent or child.

48.915 - Adoption appeals given preference.

48.92 - Effect of adoption.

48.925 - Visitation rights of certain persons.

48.93 - Records closed.

48.94 - New birth record.

48.95 - Withdrawal or denial of petition.

48.96 - Subsequent adoption.

48.97 - Adoption and guardianship orders of other jurisdictions.

48.975 - Adoption assistance.

48.977 - Appointment of guardians for certain children in need of protection or services.

48.978 - Appointment or designation of standby guardian of a child.

48.979 - Delegation of power by parent.

48.9795 - Appointment of guardian of the person for a child.

48.98 - Interstate placement of children.

48.981 - Abused or neglected children and abused unborn children.

48.982 - Child abuse and neglect prevention board.

48.983 - Child abuse and neglect prevention program.

48.986 - Child abuse and neglect and unborn child abuse services.

48.987 - Earnings of self-supporting minors.

48.9875 - Minor consent for housing.

48.988 - Interstate compact on the placement of children.

48.989 - Interstate compact on the placement of children: additional procedure.

48.9895 - Withdrawal from Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children.

48.99 - Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children.

48.9985 - Interstate adoption agreements.

48.999 - Expediting interstate placements of children.