Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 972 - Criminal trials.
972.13 - Judgment.

972.13 Judgment.
(1) A judgment of conviction shall be entered upon a verdict of guilty by the jury, a finding of guilty by the court in cases where a jury is waived, or a plea of guilty or no contest.
(2) Except in cases where ch. 975 is applicable, upon a judgment of conviction the court shall proceed under ch. 973. The court may adjourn the case from time to time for the purpose of pronouncing sentence.
(3) A judgment of conviction shall set forth the plea, the verdict or finding, the adjudication and sentence, and a finding as to the specific number of days for which sentence credit is to be granted under s. 973.155. If the defendant is acquitted, judgment shall be entered accordingly.
(4) Judgments shall be in writing and signed by the judge or clerk.
(5) A copy of the judgment shall constitute authority for the sheriff to execute the sentence.
(6) The following forms may be used for judgments:
STATE OF WISCONSIN
.... County
In .... Court
The State of Wisconsin
vs.
.... (Name of defendant)
UPON ALL THE FILES, RECORDS AND PROCEEDINGS,
IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant has been convicted upon the defendant's plea of guilty (not guilty and a verdict of guilty) (not guilty and a finding of guilty) (no contest) on the .... day of ...., .... (year), of the crime of .... in violation of s. ....; and the court having asked the defendant whether the defendant has anything to state why sentence should not be pronounced, and no sufficient grounds to the contrary being shown or appearing to the court.
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is guilty as convicted.
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is hereby committed to the Wisconsin state prisons (county jail of .... county) for an indeterminate term of not more than .....
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is ordered to serve a bifurcated sentence consisting of .... year(s) of confinement in prison and .... months/years of extended supervision.
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is placed in the intensive sanctions program subject to the limitations of section 973.032 (3) of the Wisconsin Statutes and the following conditions: ....
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is hereby committed to detention in (the defendant's place of residence or place designated by judge) for a term of not more than ....
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is placed on lifetime supervision by the department of corrections under section 939.615 of the Wisconsin Statutes.
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is ordered to pay a fine of $.... (and the costs of this action).
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant pay restitution to ....
*IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant is restricted in his or her use of computers as follows: ....
*The .... at .... is designated as the Reception Center to which the defendant shall be delivered by the sheriff.
*IT IS ORDERED That the clerk deliver a duplicate original of this judgment to the sheriff who shall forthwith execute the same and deliver it to the warden.
Dated this .... day of ...., .... (year)
BY THE COURT ....
Date of Offense ....,
District Attorney ....,
Defense Attorney ....
*Strike inapplicable paragraphs.
STATE OF WISCONSIN
.... County
In .... Court
The State of Wisconsin
vs.
.... (Name of defendant)
On the .... day of ...., .... (year), the district attorney appeared for the state and the defendant appeared in person and by .... the defendant's attorney.
UPON ALL THE FILES, RECORDS AND PROCEEDINGS
IT IS ADJUDGED That the defendant has been found not guilty by the verdict of the jury (by the court) and is therefore ordered discharged forthwith.
Dated this .... day of ...., .... (year)
BY THE COURT ....
(7) The department shall prescribe and furnish forms to the clerk of each county for use as judgments in cases where a defendant is placed on probation or committed to the custody of the department pursuant to chs. 967 to 979.
History: 1975 c. 39, 199; 1977 c. 353, 418; 1979 c. 89; 1983 a. 261, 438, 538; 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39; 1997 a. 250, 275, 283; 1999 a. 32.
A trial court must inform the defendant of the right to appeal. If it does not, the defendant may pursue a late appeal. Peterson v. State, 54 Wis. 2d 370, 195 N.W.2d 837 (1972).
Following sentencing, the trial court must not only advise the defendant of the right to appeal but also advise the defendant and defense counsel of the obligation of defense counsel to continue representation pending a decision as to appeal and until other counsel is appointed. Whitmore v. State, 56 Wis. 2d 706, 203 N.W.2d 56 (1973).
A trial judge has no power to validly sentence with a mental reservation that he might modify the sentence within 90 days if the defendant has profited from imprisonment, and he cannot change an imposed sentence unless new factors are present. State v. Foellmi, 57 Wis. 2d 572, 205 N.W.2d 144.
A claim that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to impose sentence because it failed to enter a judgment of conviction on the jury's verdict was not reviewable because it involved no jurisdictional question, and the construction of the statute was not raised by defendant in a motion for postconviction relief nor did the defendant go back to the trial court for relief as a basis for an appeal. Sass v. State, 63 Wis. 2d 92, 216 N.W.2d 22.
When Whitmore instructions are given, the defendant must show that the failure to move for a new trial constituted an unintentional waiver of rights. Thiesen v. State, 86 Wis. 2d 562, 273 N.W.2d 314 (1979).
Judgment entered by a state court during the pendency of removal proceedings in federal court was void. State v. Cegielski, 124 Wis. 2d 13, 368 N.W.2d 628 (1985).
A court's refusal to poll jurors individually was reversible error. State v. Wojtalewicz, 127 Wis. 2d 344, 379 N.W.2d 338 (Ct. App. 1985).
A written judgment of conviction is not a prerequisite to sentencing. State v. Pham, 137 Wis. 2d 31, 403 N.W.2d 35 (1987).
When the court allowed voir dire after polling the jury on its guilty verdict and when one juror's responses seriously undermined the previous vote of guilty, the jury's verdict was no longer unanimous, requiring a new trial. State v. Cartagena, 140 Wis. 2d 59, 409 N.W.2d 386 (Ct. App. 1987).
There is no error in noting dismissed charges on a judgment of conviction. State v. Theriault, 187 Wis. 2d 125, 522 N.W.2d 254 (Ct. App. 1994).
There was no impropriety in a trial court's inclusion of its parole recommendation in a judgment of conviction. State v. Whiteside, 205 Wis. 2d 685, 556 N.W.2d 443 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-3458.
It was not fatal to a conviction under sub. (1) on a plea of no contest, that the defendant did not personally state “I plead no contest" when the totality of the facts, including a signed guilty plea questionnaire and colloquy with the judge on the record, indicated an intent to plead no contest. State v. Burns, 226 Wis. 2d 762, 594 N.W.2d 799 (1999), 96-3615.
No statute authorizes a clerk of court's office to correct a clerical error in the sentence portion of a judgment of conviction. The circuit court, and not the clerk's office, must determine the merits of a request for a change in the sentence portion of a written judgment because of an alleged clerical error. State v. Prihoda, 2000 WI 123, 239 Wis. 2d 244, 618 N.W.2d 857, 98-2263.
Under sub. (1) a judgment of conviction may not be entered if there is no guilty verdict, guilty finding, or guilty or no contest plea. Sub. (1) does not mandate entry of judgment immediately following the verdict, finding, or plea. State v. Wollenberg, 2004 WI App 20, 268 Wis. 2d 810, 674 N.W.2d 916, 03-1706.