Wis. Stat. § 969.08 — WI Code / Chapter 969 / Section 969.08
Grant, reduction, increase or revocation of conditions of release.
Status: in_force

(1) Upon petition by the state or the defendant, the court before which the action is pending may increase or reduce the amount of bail or may alter other conditions of release or the bail bond or grant bail if it has been previously revoked. Except as provided in sub. (5) , a defendant for whom conditions of release are imposed and who after 72 hours from the time of initial appearance before a judge continues to be detained in custody as a result of the defendant’s inability to meet the conditions of release, upon application, is entitled to have the conditions reviewed by the judge of the court before whom the action against the defendant is pending. Unless the conditions of release are amended and the defendant is thereupon released, the judge shall set forth on the record the reasons for requiring the continuation of the conditions imposed. A defendant who is ordered released on a condition which requires that he or she return to custody after specified hours, upon application, is entitled to a review by the judge of the court before whom the action is pending. Unless the requirement is removed and the defendant thereupon released on another condition, the judge shall set forth on the record the reasons for continuing the requirement.

(2) Violation of the conditions of release or the bail bond constitutes grounds for the court to increase the amount of bail or otherwise alter the conditions of release or, if the alleged violation is the commission of a serious crime, revoke release under this section.

(3) Reasonable notice of petition under sub. (1) by the defendant shall be given to the state.

(4) Reasonable notice of petition under sub. (1) by the state shall be given to the defendant, except as provided in sub. (5) .

(5)

(a) A court shall proceed under par. (b) if the district attorney alleges to the court and provides the court with documents as follows:

1. Alleges that the defendant is released on conditions for the alleged commission of a serious crime;

2. Alleges that the defendant has violated the conditions of release by having committed a serious crime; and

3. Provides a copy of the complaint charging the commission of the serious crime specified in subd. 2.

(b)

1. If the court determines that the state has complied with par. (a) , the court may issue a warrant commanding any law enforcement officer to bring the defendant without unnecessary delay before the court. When the defendant is brought before the court, he or she shall be given a copy of the documents specified in par. (a) and informed of his or her rights under s. 970.02 (1) and (6) . The court may hold the defendant in custody and suspend the previously imposed conditions of release pending a hearing on the alleged breach. The hearing under this paragraph and the preliminary examination under s. 970.03 , if required, shall be a combined hearing, with the court making the separate findings required under this paragraph and s. 970.03 at the conclusion of the combined hearing. The hearing shall be commenced within 7 days from the date the defendant is taken into custody. The defendant may not be held without setting conditions of release for more than 7 days unless a hearing is held and the findings required by this paragraph are established.

2. At a hearing on the alleged violation the state has the burden of going forward and proving by clear and convincing evidence that the violation occurred while the defendant was on conditional release. The evidence shall be presented in open court with the right of confrontation, right to call witnesses, right of cross-examination and right to representation by counsel. The rules of evidence applicable in criminal trials govern the admissibility of evidence at the hearing.

3. Upon a finding by the court that the state has established by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant has committed a serious crime while on conditional release, the court may revoke the release of the defendant and hold the defendant for trial without setting conditions of release. No reference may be made during the trial of the offense to the court’s finding in the hearing. No reference may be made in the trial to any testimony of the defendant at the hearing, except if the testimony is used for impeachment purposes. If the court does not find that the state has established by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant has committed a serious crime while on conditional release, the defendant shall be released on bail or other conditions deemed appropriate by the court.

4. If the release of any defendant is revoked under subd. 3. , the defendant may demand and shall be entitled to be brought to trial on the offense with respect to which he or she was formerly released on conditions within 60 days after the date on which he or she appeared before the court under subd. 1. If the defendant is not brought to trial within the 60-day period he or she shall not be held longer without setting conditions of release and shall be released on bail or other conditions deemed appropriate by the court. In computing the 60-day period, the court shall omit any period of delay if the court finds that the delay results from a continuance granted at the exclusive request of the defendant.

5. The defendant may petition the court for reinstatement of conditions of release if any of the circumstances authorizing the revocation of release is altered. The altered conditions include, but are not limited to, the facts that the original complaint is dismissed, the defendant is found not guilty of that offense or the defendant is found guilty of a crime which is not a serious crime.

(6) If the judge before whom the action is pending, in which a person was released on conditions, is not available, any other circuit judge of the county may act under this section.

(7) If a person is charged with the commission of a serious crime in a county other than the county in which the person was released on conditions, the district attorney and court may proceed under sub. (6) and certify the findings to the circuit court for the county in which the person was released on conditions. That circuit court shall make the release revocation decision based on the certified findings.

(8) Information stated in, or offered in connection with, any order entered under this chapter setting bail or other conditions of release need not conform to the rules of evidence, except as provided under sub. (5) (b) 2. or s. 901.05 .

(9) This section does not limit any other authority of a court to revoke the release of a defendant.

(9m) A person who has had bail revoked under this section is entitled to placement of his or her case on an expedited trial calendar and his or her trial shall be given priority.

(10) In this section:

(a) “Commission of a serious crime” includes a solicitation, conspiracy or attempt, under s. 948.35 , 1999 stats., or s. 939.30 , 939.31 , or 939.32 , to commit a serious crime.

(b) “Serious crime” means any crime specified in s. 943.23 (1m) , 1999 stats., s. 943.23 (1r) , 1999 stats., s. 943.23 (1g) , 2021 stats., s. 940.19 (5) , 2023 stats., s. 940.195 (5) , 2023 stats., s. 940.198 (2) (a) , 2023 stats., s. 940.198 (2) (c) , 2023 stats., s. 940.20 , 2023 stats., s. 940.201 , 2023 stats., s. 940.203 , 2023 stats., or s. 940.204 , 2023 stats., or s. 346.62 (4) , 940.01 , 940.02 , 940.03 , 940.05 , 940.06 , 940.08 , 940.09 , 940.10 , 940.21 , 940.225 (1) to (3) , 940.23 , 940.24 , 940.25 , 940.29 , 940.295 (3) (b) 1g. , 1m. , 1r. , 2. or 3. , 940.302 (2) , 940.31 , 940.60 (3) (b) , 940.61 , 940.62 , 940.65 (3) (b) , 940.66 (2) (a) or (c) , 941.20 (2) or (3) , 941.26 , 941.30 , 941.327 , 943.01 (2) (c) , 943.011 , 943.013 , 943.02 , 943.03 , 943.04 , 943.06 , 943.10 , 943.231 (1) , 943.30 , 943.32 , 943.81 , 943.82 , 943.825 , 943.83 , 943.85 , 943.86 , 943.87 , 943.88 , 943.89 , 943.90 , 946.01 , 946.02 , 946.43 , 947.015 , 947.016 (1) , (2) , or (3) , 948.02 (1) or (2) , 948.025 , 948.03 , 948.04 , 948.05 , 948.051 , 948.06 , 948.07 , 948.072 , 948.085 , or 948.30 or, if the victim is a financial institution, as defined in s. 943.80 (2) , a crime under s. 943.84 (1) or (2) .

History: 1971 c. 298 ; 1977 c. 449 ; 1979 c. 112 ; 1981 c. 183 ; 1985 a. 293 s. 3 ; 1987 a. 90 , 332 , 399 , 403 ; 1991 a. 153 , 269 ; 1993 a. 50 , 92 , 94 , 227 , 441 , 445 , 491 ; 1997 a. 143 , 180 , 295 ; 1999 a. 32 ; 2001 a. 109 ; 2005 a. 212 , 277 ; 2007 a. 97 , 116 ; 2021 a. 76 , 209 ; 2023 a. 10 , 128 ; 2025 a. 24 s. 93 ; 2025 a. 88 .