Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 970 - Criminal procedure — preliminary proceedings.
970.01 - Initial appearance before a judge.

970.01 Initial appearance before a judge.
(1) Any person who is arrested shall be taken within a reasonable time before a judge in the county in which the offense was alleged to have been committed. The initial appearance may be conducted on the record by telephone or live audiovisual means under s. 967.08. If the initial appearance is conducted by telephone or live audiovisual means, the person may waive physical appearance. Waiver of physical appearance shall be placed on the record of the initial appearance and does not waive other grounds for challenging the court's personal jurisdiction. If the person does not waive physical appearance, conducting the initial appearance by telephone or live audiovisual means under s. 967.08 does not waive any grounds that the person has for challenging the court's personal jurisdiction.
(2) When a person is arrested without a warrant and brought before a judge, a complaint shall be filed forthwith.
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 141 Wis. 2d xiii (1987); 1987 a. 403; 1995 a. 27.
Judicial Council Note, 1988: Sub. (1) is amended to authorize the arrested person to waive physical appearance and request that the initial appearance be conducted on the record by telephone or live audio-visual means. [Re Order effective Jan. 1, 1988]
The interval between an arrest and an initial appearance is never unreasonable when the arrested suspect is already in the lawful physical custody of the state. State v. Harris, 174 Wis. 2d 367, 497 N.W.2d 742 (Ct. App. 1993).
The rule that a judicial determination of probable cause must be made within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest applies to Wisconsin; failure to comply did not require suppression of evidence not obtained because of the delay when probable cause for arrest was present. State v. Koch, 175 Wis. 2d 684, 499 N.W.2d 153 (1993).
Failure to conduct a probable cause hearing within 48 hours of arrest is not a jurisdictional defect and not grounds for dismissal with prejudice or voiding of a subsequent conviction unless the delay prejudiced the defendant's right to present a defense. State v. Golden, 185 Wis. 2d 763, 519 N.W.2d 659 (Ct. App. 1994).
A person taken into custody on a probation hold while an investigation is made to determine if a probation violation has occurred is not under arrest and not subject to the requirement of a probable cause hearing within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest. State v. Martinez, 198 Wis. 2d 222, 542 N.W.2d 215 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-3006.
A determination of probable cause made within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest generally meets the promptness requirement; if a hearing is held more than 48 hours following an arrest the burden shifts to the government to demonstrate an emergency or extraordinary circumstances. County of Riverside v. McLaughlin, 500 U.S. 44, 111 S. Ct. 1661, 114 L. Ed. 2d 49 (1991).

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