Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 938 - Juvenile justice code.
938.183 - Original adult court jurisdiction for criminal proceedings.

938.183 Original adult court jurisdiction for criminal proceedings.
(1) Juveniles under adult court jurisdiction. Notwithstanding ss. 938.12 (1) and 938.18, courts of criminal jurisdiction have exclusive original jurisdiction over all of the following:
(a) A juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent and who is alleged to have violated s. 940.20 (1) or 946.43 while placed in a juvenile correctional facility, a juvenile detention facility, or a secured residential care center for children and youth or who has been adjudicated delinquent and who is alleged to have committed a violation of s. 940.20 (2m).
(am) A juvenile who is alleged to have attempted or committed a violation of s. 940.01 or to have committed a violation of s. 940.02 or 940.05 on or after the juvenile's 10th birthday.
(ar) A juvenile specified in par. (a) or (am) who is alleged to have attempted or committed a violation of any state criminal law in addition to the violation alleged under par. (a) or (am) if the violation alleged under this paragraph and the violation alleged under par. (a) or (am) may be joined under s. 971.12 (1).
(b) A juvenile who is alleged to have violated any state criminal law if the juvenile has been convicted of a previous violation following waiver of jurisdiction under s. 48.18, 1993 stats., or s. 938.18 by the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter and ch. 48 or if the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter and ch. 48 has waived its jurisdiction over the juvenile for a previous violation and criminal proceedings on that previous violation are still pending.
(c) A juvenile who is alleged to have violated any state criminal law if the juvenile has been convicted of a previous violation over which the court of criminal jurisdiction had original jurisdiction under this section or if proceedings on a previous violation over which the court of criminal jurisdiction has original jurisdiction under this section are still pending.
(1m) Criminal penalties and procedures. Notwithstanding subchs. IV to VI, a juvenile described in sub. (1) is subject to the procedures specified in chs. 967 to 979 and the criminal penalties for the crime that the juvenile is alleged to have committed except as follows:
(a) If the juvenile is under 15 years of age, the juvenile may be held in secure custody only in a juvenile detention facility or in the juvenile portion of a county jail.
(b) If a court of criminal jurisdiction transfers jurisdiction under s. 970.032 or 971.31 (13) to a court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter and ch. 48, the juvenile is subject to the procedures and dispositions specified in subch. IV to VI.
(c) If the juvenile is found to have committed a lesser offense than the offense alleged under sub. (1) (a), (am), (ar), (b) or (c) or is found to have committed the offense alleged under sub. (1) (ar), but not the offense under sub. (1) (a) or (am) to which the offense alleged under sub. (1) (ar) is joined, and if any of the following conditions applies, the court of criminal jurisdiction shall, in lieu of convicting the juvenile, adjudge the juvenile to be delinquent and impose a disposition specified in s. 938.34:
1. Except as provided in subd. 3., the court of criminal jurisdiction finds that the juvenile has committed a lesser offense or a joined offense that is not a violation of s. 940.20 (1) or (2m) or 946.43 under the circumstances described in sub. (1) (a), that is not an attempt to violate s. 940.01 under the circumstances described in sub. (1) (am), that is not a violation of s. 940.02 or 940.05 under the circumstances described in sub. (1) (am), and that is not an offense for which the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter and ch. 48 may waive its jurisdiction over the juvenile under s. 938.18.
2. Except as provided in subd. 3., the court of criminal jurisdiction finds that the juvenile has committed a lesser offense or a joined offense that is a violation of s. 940.20 (1) or (2m) or 946.43 under the circumstances described in sub. (1) (a), that is an attempt to violate s. 940.01 under the circumstances described in sub. (1) (am), that is a violation of s. 940.02 or 940.05 under the circumstances described in sub. (1) (am), or that is an offense for which the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction under this chapter and ch. 48 may waive its jurisdiction over the juvenile under s. 938.18 and the court of criminal jurisdiction, after considering the criteria specified in s. 938.18 (5), determines that the juvenile has proved by clear and convincing evidence that it would be in the best interests of the juvenile and of the public to adjudge the juvenile to be delinquent and impose a disposition specified in s. 938.34.
3. For a juvenile who is alleged to have attempted or committed a violation of s. 940.01 or to have committed a violation of s. 940.02 or 940.05 on or after the juvenile's 15th birthday, the court of criminal jurisdiction finds that the juvenile has not attempted to commit a violation of s. 940.01 or committed a violation of s. 940.01, 940.02, or 940.05, and the court of criminal jurisdiction, after considering the criteria under s. 938.18 (5), determines that the juvenile has proved by clear and convincing evidence that it would be in the best interests of the juvenile and of the public to adjudge the juvenile to be delinquent and impose a disposition under s. 938.34.
(3) Placement in state prison; parole. When a juvenile who is subject to a criminal penalty under sub. (1m) or s. 938.183 (2), 2003 stats., attains the age of 17 years, the department of corrections may place the juvenile in a state prison named in s. 302.01, except that that department may not place any person under the age of 18 years in the correctional institution authorized in s. 301.16 (1n). A juvenile who is subject to a criminal penalty under sub. (1m) or under s. 938.183 (2), 2003 stats., for an act committed before December 31, 1999, is eligible for parole under s. 304.06.
(4) Child support. If the juvenile is placed outside the juvenile's home under this section, the order shall contain a designation of the amount of support, if any, to be paid by the juvenile's parent, guardian or trustee, specifying that the support obligation begins on the date of the placement, or a referral to the county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) for establishment of child support.
History: 1995 a. 77, 216, 352; 1997 a. 27, 35, 205, 252, 283; 1999 a. 9, 32; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 344; 2007 a. 97; 2015 a. 55.
There is no constitutionally protected right that a juvenile's name not be released prior to a reverse waiver hearing under s. 48.183 [now s. 938.183]. State v. Hazen, 198 Wis. 2d 554, 543 N.W.2d 503 (Ct. App. 1995), 95-1379.
When a juvenile is charged in adult court with a violation of one of the offenses enumerated in sub. (1), the juvenile is entitled to a preliminary examination under s. 970.032 (1) at which the court must find that there is probable cause to believe that the juvenile has committed the violation of which he or she is accused if the adult court is to retain exclusive original jurisdiction of the juvenile. This means that the court should make a specific finding on the record that there is probable cause to believe the juvenile committed the specific sub. (1) crime charged in the complaint. State v. Toliver, 2014 WI 85, 356 Wis. 2d 642, 851 N.W.2d 251, 12-0393.
If an adult court's determination of probable cause in a preliminary examination under s. 970.032 relates to an unspecified felony and the facts are undisputed, an appellate court may review the record independently to determine whether the court did find probable cause to believe that the juvenile has committed the violation of which he or she is accused. State v. Toliver, 2014 WI 85, 356 Wis. 2d 642, 851 N.W.2d 251, 12-0393.
The text of this section does not limit the adult court jurisdiction prescribed in sub. (1) to the individual juvenile court in the specific county where a juvenile was previously waived. Whenever a juvenile court exercising jurisdiction under this chapter has previously waived a juvenile—who is alleged to be in violation of any state law and that juvenile is either convicted or the criminal proceeding is still pending—courts of criminal jurisdiction anywhere in Wisconsin have exclusive original jurisdiction. State v. Hinkle, 2019 WI 96, 389 Wis. 2d 1, 935 N.W.2d 271, 17-1416.
Serious Juvenile Offenders: The Need for a Third Sentencing Option In Wisconsin. Snyder. 100 MLR 267 (2016).

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