Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 938 - Juvenile justice code.
938.273 - Service of summons or notice; expense.

938.273 Service of summons or notice; expense.
(1) Methods of service; continuance.
(a) Except as provided in pars. (ag), (ar), and (b), service of summons or notice required by s. 938.27 may be made by mailing a copy of the summons or notice to the person summoned or notified.
(ag) In a situation described in s. 938.27 (3) (d), service of summons or notice required by s. 938.27 to an Indian juvenile's parent, Indian custodian, or tribe shall be made as provided in s. 938.028 (4) (a).
(ar) Except as provided in par. (b), if the person, other than a person specified in s. 938.27 (4m), fails to appear at the hearing or otherwise to acknowledge service, a continuance shall be granted, and service shall be made personally by delivering to the person a copy of the summons or notice; except that if the court determines that it is impracticable to serve the summons or notice personally, the court may order service by certified mail addressed to the last-known address of the person.
(b) The court may refuse to grant a continuance when the juvenile is being held in secure custody, but if the court so refuses, the court shall order that service of notice of the next hearing be made personally or by certified mail to the last-known address of the person who failed to appear at the hearing.
(c) Personal service shall be made at least 72 hours before the hearing. Mail shall be sent at least 7 days before the hearing, except as follows:
1. When the petition is filed under s. 938.13 and the person to be notified lives outside the state, the mail shall be sent at least 14 days before the hearing.
2. When a petition under s. 938.13 (4), (6), (6m), or (7) involves an Indian juvenile who has been removed from the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian and the person to be notified is the Indian juvenile's parent, Indian custodian, or tribe, the mail shall be sent so that it is received by the person to be notified at least 10 days before the hearing or, if the identity or location of the person to be notified cannot be determined by the U.S. secretary of the interior at least 15 days before the hearing.
(2) By whom made. Service of summons or notice required by this chapter may be made by any suitable person under the direction of the court. Notification of the victim or alleged victim of a juvenile's act under s. 938.27 (4m) shall be made by the district attorney or corporation counsel.
(3) Expenses; charge on county. The expenses of service of summons or notice or of the publication of summons or notice and the traveling expenses and fees as allowed in ch. 885 incurred by any person summoned or required to appear at the hearing of any case coming within the jurisdiction of the court under s. 938.12, 938.125, 938.13 or 938.14 shall be a charge on the county when approved by the court.
History: 1995 a. 77; 1997 a. 35, 181; 1999 a. 32; 2005 a. 344; 2009 a. 94.
Failure to follow the statutory requirements for service defeated the state's assertion of personal jurisdiction and required the juvenile court to vacate its waiver order and the circuit court to dismiss criminal charges without prejudice. Personal jurisdiction depends on compliance with the procedures in sub. (1). The state's assertion that proper documents had been mailed to various addresses and not returned and that the juvenile had actual notice did not establish personal jurisdiction, nor does personal jurisdiction attach when a delinquency petition is filed. State v. Aufderhaar, 2005 WI 108, 283 Wis. 2d 336, 700 N.W.2d 4, 03-2820.

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