Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 969 - Bail and other conditions of release.
969.02 - Release of defendants charged with misdemeanors.

969.02 Release of defendants charged with misdemeanors.
(1) A judge may release a defendant charged with a misdemeanor without bail or may permit the defendant to execute an unsecured appearance bond in an amount specified by the judge.
(2) In lieu of release pursuant to sub. (1), the judge may require the execution of an appearance bond with sufficient solvent sureties, or the deposit of cash in lieu of sureties. If the judge requires a deposit of cash in lieu of sureties, the person making the cash deposit shall be given written notice of the requirements of sub. (6).
(2m) The clerk of circuit court may accept a credit card or debit card, as defined in s. 59.40 (5) (a) and 1. and 2., instead of cash under sub. (2).
(3) In addition to or in lieu of the alternatives under subs. (1) and (2), the judge may:
(a) Place the person in the custody of a designated person or organization agreeing to supervise him or her.
(b) Place restrictions on the travel, association or place of abode of the defendant during the period of release.
(c) Prohibit the defendant from possessing any dangerous weapon.
(d) Impose any other condition deemed reasonably necessary to assure appearance as required or any nonmonetary condition deemed reasonably necessary to protect members of the community from serious bodily harm or prevent intimidation of witnesses, including a condition that the defendant return to custody after specified hours. The charges authorized by s. 303.08 (4) and (5) shall not apply under this section.
(e) If the person is charged with violating a restraining order or injunction issued under s. 813.12 or 813.125, require the person to participate in mental health treatment, a batterer's intervention program, or individual counseling. The judge shall consider a request by the district attorney or the petitioner, as defined in s. 301.49 (1) (c), in determining whether to issue an order under this paragraph.
(4) As a condition of release in all cases, a person released under this section shall not commit any crime.
(4m) Any person who is charged with a misdemeanor and released under this section shall comply with s. 940.49. The person shall be given written notice of this requirement.
(5) Once bail has been given and a charge is pending or is thereafter filed or transferred to another court, the latter court shall continue the original bail in that court subject to s. 969.08.
(6) When a judgment of conviction is entered in a prosecution in which a deposit had been made in accordance with sub. (2), the balance of such deposit, after deduction of the bond costs, shall be applied first to the payment of any restitution ordered under s. 973.20 and then, if ordered restitution is satisfied in full, to the payment of the judgment.
(7) If the complaint against the defendant has been dismissed or if the defendant has been acquitted, the entire sum deposited shall be returned. A deposit under sub. (2) shall be returned to the person who made the deposit, his or her heirs or assigns, subject to sub. (6).
(7m) The restrictions on the application of cash deposits under subs. (6) and (7) do not apply if bail is forfeited under s. 969.13.
(8) In all misdemeanors, bail shall not exceed the maximum fine provided for the offense.
History: 1971 c. 298 ss. 10, 13; 1979 c. 111, 112; 1981 c. 118, 183; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 63, 315; 1993 a. 486; 1999 a. 85; 2005 a. 59, 447; 2011 a. 266; 2021 a. 239 s. 74.
This chapter provides no penalty for the violation of this section. Section 946.49 provides a penalty for failing to comply with the terms of a bond, but there is no penalty where no bond is required. State v. Dawson, 195 Wis. 2d 161, 536 N.W.2d 119 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-2570.
The plain language of sub. (6) requires the circuit court to order the application of the balance of any bond deposit toward the satisfaction of court costs. When the statutes under which costs were assessed provided no authority to waive the costs or to satisfy them by other means, the circuit court erred when it applied pre-sentence incarceration time toward satisfaction of the defendant's court costs. State v. Baker, 2005 WI App 45, 280 Wis. 2d 181, 694 N.W.2d 415, 04-0590.
“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. State v. Dewitt, 2008 WI App 134, 313 Wis. 2d 794, 758 N.W.2d 201, 07-2869.