Wis. Stat. § 968.26 — WI Code / Chapter 968 / Section 968.26
John Doe proceeding.
Status: in_force

(1b) In this section:

(a) “Crime” means any of the following:

1. Any Class A, B, C, or D felony under chs. 940 to 948 or 961 .

2. A violation of any of the following if it is a Class E, F, G, H, or I felony:

a. Section 940.04 , 940.11 , 940.22 (2) , 940.225 (3) , 940.29 , 940.302 (2) (c) , 940.32 , 940.60 (2) or (3) , 940.61 , 940.62 , 940.65 (2) or (3) , 940.66 (2) (b) or (c) or (3) , 941.32 , 941.38 (2) , 942.09 (2) , 942.095 , 943.10 , 943.205 , 943.32 (1) , 946.43 , 946.44 , 946.47 , 946.48 , 947.016 , 948.02 (3) , 948.03 (2) (b) or (c) , (3) , or (4) , 948.04 , 948.055 , 948.095 , 948.10 (1) (a) , 948.11 , 948.13 (2) (a) , 948.14 , 948.20 , 948.23 (1) , (2) , or (3) (c) 2. or 3. , or 948.30 (1) or s. 940.19 (2) , 2023 stats., s. 940.19 (4) , 2023 stats., s. 940.19 (5) , 2023 stats., s. 940.19 (6) , 2023 stats., s. 940.195 (2) , 2023 stats., s. 940.195 (4) , 2023 stats., s. 940.195 (5) , 2023 stats., s. 940.195 (6) , 2023 stats., s. 940.198 (2) (b) , 2023 stats., s. 940.198 (2) (c) , 2023 stats., s. 940.198 (3) , 2023 stats., s. 940.20 , 2023 stats., s. 940.201 , 2023 stats., s. 940.203 , 2023 stats., s. 940.204 , 2023 stats., s. 940.205 , 2023 stats., s. 940.207 , 2023 stats., or s. 940.208 , 2023 stats.

b. Section 940.285 (2) if s. 940.285 (2) (b) 1m. , 1r. , or 2. applies; s. 940.295 (3) (a) if s. 940.295 (3) (b) 1m. , 1r. , 2. , or 3. applies; s. 948.05 (1) , (1m) , or (2) if s. 948.05 (2p) (b) applies; s. 948.12 (1m) or (2m) if s. 948.12 (3) (b) applies; or s. 948.21 if s. 948.21 (1) (b) or (c) applies.

3. A violation of s. 940.03 .

4. A violation of s. 946.83 or 946.85 , if the racketeering activity is listed in s. 946.82 (4) and in subd. 1. , 2. , or 3.

4m. A solicitation, conspiracy, or attempt to commit any violation under subd. 1. , 2. , 3. , or 4.

5. Any conduct that is prohibited by state law and punishable by fine or imprisonment or both if the individual who allegedly participated in the conduct was a law enforcement officer; a correctional officer; or a state probation, parole, or extended supervision officer and the individual was engaged in his or her official duties at the time of the alleged conduct.

(b) “Judge” does not include a permanent reserve judge, as defined in s. 753.075 (1) (a) , or a temporary reserve judge, as defined in s. 753.075 (1) (b) .

(1m) If a district attorney requests a judge to convene a proceeding to determine whether a crime has been committed in the court’s jurisdiction, the judge shall convene a proceeding described under sub. (3) and shall subpoena and examine any witnesses the district attorney identifies.

(2)

(a) Except in par. (am) , in this subsection, “district attorney” includes a prosecutor to whom the judge has referred the complaint under par. (am) .

(am) If a person who is not a district attorney complains to a judge that he or she has reason to believe that a crime has been committed within the judge’s jurisdiction, the judge shall refer the complaint to the district attorney or, if the complaint may relate to the conduct of the district attorney, to another prosecutor under s. 978.045 .

(b) If a district attorney receives a referral under par. (am) , the district attorney shall, within 90 days of receiving the referral, issue charges or refuse to issue charges. If the district attorney refuses to issue charges, the district attorney shall forward to the judge in whose jurisdiction the crime has allegedly been committed all law enforcement investigative reports on the matter that are in the custody of the district attorney, his or her records and case files on the matter, and a written explanation why he or she refused to issue charges. The judge may require a law enforcement agency to provide to him or her any investigative reports that the law enforcement agency has on the matter. The judge shall convene a proceeding as described under sub. (3) if he or she determines that a proceeding is necessary to determine if a crime has been committed. When determining if a proceeding is necessary, the judge may consider the law enforcement investigative reports, the records and case files of the district attorney, and any other written records that the judge finds relevant.

(c) In a proceeding convened under par. (b) , the judge shall subpoena and examine under oath the complainant and any witnesses that the judge determines to be necessary and appropriate to ascertain whether a crime has been committed and by whom committed. The judge shall consider the credibility of testimony in support of and opposed to the person’s complaint.

(d) In a proceeding convened under par. (b) , the judge may issue a criminal complaint if the judge finds sufficient credible evidence to warrant a prosecution of the complaint. The judge shall consider, in addition to any testimony under par. (c) , the law enforcement investigative reports, the records and case files of the district attorney, and any other written reports that the judge finds relevant.

(3)

(a) Except as provided in sub. (5) , the extent to which the judge may proceed in an examination under sub. (1m) or (2) is within the judge’s discretion.

(b) The examination may be adjourned.

(c) Any witness examined under this section may have counsel present at the examination but the counsel shall not be allowed to examine his or her client, cross-examine other witnesses, or argue before the judge.

(d) A court, on the motion of a district attorney, may compel a person to testify or produce evidence under s. 972.08 (1) . The person is immune from prosecution as provided in s. 972.08 (1) , subject to the restrictions under s. 972.085 .

(4)

(a) The judge may enter a secrecy order upon a showing of good cause by the district attorney. A secrecy order under this paragraph may apply to only the judge, a district attorney or other prosecuting attorney who participates in a proceeding under this section, law enforcement personnel admitted to a proceeding under this section, an interpreter who participates in a proceeding under this section, or a reporter who makes or transcribes a record of a proceeding under this section. No secrecy order under this section may apply to any other person.

(b) If a judge enters a secrecy order under par. (a) , the judge shall terminate that secrecy order if any person applies to the judge for the termination and establishes that the good cause shown under par. (a) no longer exists. If a judge terminates a secrecy order entered under par. (a) , the identity of the subject of the proceeding under this section may not be disclosed without the subject’s consent, except as provided in par. (c) .

(c) If a criminal complaint is filed following a proceeding in which the judge entered a secrecy order, the order is terminated at the initial appearance and s. 971.23 governs disclosure of information from a proceeding under this section.

(d) Any person who violates a secrecy order entered under par. (a) is subject to a fine not to exceed $10,000 or imprisonment not to exceed 9 months, or both.

(5)

(a)

1. Except as provided in subd. 2. , no proceeding may last longer than the following:

a. If the proceeding begins under sub. (1m) , 6 months beginning on the day the district attorney requests the judge to convene the proceeding.

b. If the proceeding begins under sub. (2) , 6 months beginning on the day the district attorney forwards under sub. (2) (b) to a judge all reports, records and case files, and an explanation of his or her refusal.

2. The period under subd. 1. may be extended only if a majority of judicial administrative district chief judges find good cause for the extension and identification of the vote of each judge is available to the public. The period under subd. 1. may be extended an unlimited number of times, but each extension may be for no more than 6 months and, for each extension, a majority of judicial administrative district chief judges must find good cause and the identification of the vote of each judge must be available to the public.

(b) A proceeding may not investigate a crime that was not part of the original request under sub. (1m) or complaint under sub. (2) (a) , whichever is appropriate, unless a majority of judicial administrative district chief judges find good cause to add specified crimes and the identification of the vote of each judge is available to the public. An unlimited number of specified crimes may be added but, for each addition of a specified crime, a majority of judicial administrative district chief judges must find good cause and the identification of the vote of each judge must be available to the public.

(c) A judge may issue a search warrant relating to a proceeding under this section only if the judge is not presiding over that proceeding.

(6) Records reflecting the costs of an investigation and proceedings under sub. (3) are subject to the provisions of subch. II of ch. 19 . If a request to inspect or copy a record is received, but no record exists, then, notwithstanding s. 19.35 (1) (L) , the recipient of the request shall provide a summary amount of the costs.

(7) If property was seized during a proceeding under this section, the judge shall, at the close of the proceeding, order notice as he or she determines to be adequate to all persons who have or may have an interest in the property.

History: 1989 a. 122 ; 1991 a. 88 , 223 , 315 ; 2009 a. 24 ; 2015 a. 64 ; 2021 a. 76 , 209 ; 2025 a. 24 s. 93 ; 2025 a. 48 .