Wis. Stat. § 938.365 — WI Code / Chapter 938 / Section 938.365
Extension of orders.
Status: in_force

(1) Date on which juvenile placed outside home. In this section, a juvenile is considered to have been placed outside of his or her home on the date on which the juvenile was first removed from his or her home, except that a juvenile who was removed from his or her home and first placed in a juvenile detention facility, a juvenile correctional facility, or a secured residential care center for children and youth for 60 days or more and then moved to a nonsecure out-of-home placement is considered to have been placed outside of his or her home on the date on which the juvenile was moved to the nonsecure out-of-home placement.

(1m) Request for extension. The parent, juvenile, guardian, legal custodian, any person or agency bound by the dispositional order, the district attorney or corporation counsel in the county in which the dispositional order was entered, the court on its own motion, or, if the juvenile is an Indian juvenile who is in need of protection or services under s. 938.13 (4) , (6) , (6m) , or (7) , the Indian juvenile’s Indian custodian may request an extension of an order under s. 938.355 . The request shall be submitted to the court that entered the order. An order under s. 938.355 for placement of a juvenile in detention, nonsecure custody, or inpatient treatment under s. 938.34 (3) (f) or (6) (am) may not be extended. Other orders or portions of orders under s. 938.355 may be extended only as provided in this section.

(2) Notice. No order may be extended without a hearing. The court shall provide notice of the time and place of the hearing to the juvenile, the juvenile’s parent, guardian, and legal custodian, all parties present at the original hearing, the juvenile’s foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) , and the district attorney or corporation counsel in the county in which the dispositional order was entered. If the juvenile is an Indian juvenile who is in need of protection or services under s. 938.13 (4) , (6) , (6m) , or (7) , the court shall also notify the Indian juvenile’s Indian custodian and, if that juvenile is placed outside the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian, the Indian juvenile’s tribe.

(2g) Court report.

(a) At the hearing the person or agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile shall file with the court a written report stating to what extent the dispositional order has been meeting the objectives of the plan for the juvenile’s rehabilitation or care and treatment. The office of juvenile offender review may file a written report regarding any juvenile examined by the program.

(b) If the juvenile is placed outside of his or her home, the report shall include all of the following:

1. A copy of the report of the review panel under s. 938.38 (5) , if any, and a response to the report from the agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile.

2. An evaluation of the juvenile’s adjustment to the placement and of any progress the juvenile has made, suggestions for amendment of the permanency plan, and specific information showing the efforts that have been made to achieve the permanency goal of the permanency plan, including, if applicable, the efforts of the parents to remedy the factors that contributed to the juvenile’s placement.

3. If the juvenile has been placed outside of his or her home in a foster home, group home, nonsecured residential care center for children and youth, or shelter care facility for 15 of the most recent 22 months, not including any period during which the juvenile was a runaway from the out-of-home placement or was residing in a trial reunification home, a statement of whether or not a recommendation has been made to terminate the parental rights of the parents of the juvenile. If a recommendation for a termination of parental rights has been made, the statement shall indicate the date on which the recommendation was made, any previous progress made to accomplish the termination of parental rights, any barriers to the termination of parental rights, specific steps to overcome the barriers and when the steps will be completed, reasons why adoption would be in the best interest of the juvenile and whether or not the juvenile should be registered with the adoption information exchange. If a recommendation for termination of parental rights has not been made, the statement shall include an explanation of the reasons why a recommendation for termination of parental rights has not been made. If the lack of appropriate adoptive resources is the primary reason for not recommending a termination of parental rights, the agency shall recommend that the juvenile be registered with the adoption information exchange or report the reason why registering the juvenile is contrary to the best interest of the juvenile.

4. If the juvenile is an Indian juvenile who is placed outside the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian under s. 938.13 (4) , (6) , (6m) , or (7) , specific information showing that active efforts under s. 938.028 (4) (d) 2. have been made to prevent the breakup of the Indian juvenile’s family and that those efforts have proved unsuccessful.

(c) If the juvenile has not been placed outside the home, the report shall contain a description of efforts that have been made by all parties concerned toward meeting the objectives of treatment, care, or rehabilitation; an explanation of why these efforts have not yet succeeded in meeting the objective; and anticipated future planning for the juvenile.

(2m) Hearing and order.

(a)

1. Any party may present evidence relevant to the issue of extension. If the juvenile is placed outside of his or her home, the person or agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile shall present as evidence specific information showing that the person or agency has made reasonable efforts to achieve the permanency goal of the juvenile’s permanency plan, including, if appropriate, through an out-of-state placement. If an Indian juvenile is placed outside the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian under s. 938.13 (4) , (6) , (6m) , or (7) , the person or agency primarily responsible for providing services to the Indian juvenile shall also present as evidence specific information showing that active efforts under s. 938.028 (4) (d) 2. have been made to prevent the breakup of the Indian juvenile’s family and that those efforts have proved unsuccessful.

1m. The court shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law based on the evidence. The findings of fact shall include a finding as to whether reasonable efforts were made by the person or agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile to achieve the permanency goal of the juvenile’s permanency plan, including, if appropriate, through an out-of-state placement. If the juvenile is an Indian juvenile who is placed outside the home of his or her parent or Indian custodian under s. 938.13 (4) , (6) , (6m) , or (7) , the findings of fact shall also include a finding that active efforts under s. 938.028 (4) (d) 2. were made to prevent the breakup of the Indian juvenile’s family and that those efforts have proved unsuccessful. An order shall be issued under s. 938.355 .

1r.

a. If the juvenile is placed outside of his or her home and if the juvenile has one or more siblings, as defined in s. 938.38 (4) (br) 1. , who have also been placed outside the home, the person or agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile shall present as evidence specific information showing that the agency has made reasonable efforts to place the juvenile in a placement that enables the sibling group to remain together, unless the court has determined that a joint placement would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the juvenile or any of those siblings, in which case the agency shall present as evidence specific information showing that agency has made reasonable efforts to provide for frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction between the juvenile and the siblings, unless the court has determined that such visitation or interaction would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the juvenile or any of those siblings.

b. If the juvenile is placed outside the home and if the juvenile has one or more siblings, as defined in s. 938.38 (4) (br) 1. , who have also been placed outside the home, the findings of fact shall include a finding as to whether reasonable efforts have been made by the agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile to place the juvenile in a placement that enables the sibling group to remain together, unless the court has determined that a joint placement would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the juvenile or any of those siblings, in which case the findings of fact shall include a finding as to whether reasonable efforts have been made by the agency to provide for frequent visitation or other ongoing interaction between the juvenile and the siblings, unless the court has determined that such visitation or interaction would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the juvenile or any of those siblings.

2. If the court finds that any of the circumstances under s. 938.355 (2d) (b) 1. to 4. applies with respect to a parent, the order shall include a determination that the person or agency primarily responsible for providing services to the juvenile is not required to make reasonable efforts with respect to the parent to make it possible for the juvenile to return safely to his or her home.

3. The court shall make the findings under subd. 1m. relating to reasonable efforts to achieve the permanency goal of the juvenile’s permanency plan and the findings under subd. 2. on a case-by-case basis based on circumstances specific to the juvenile and shall document or reference the specific information on which those findings are based in the order issued under s. 938.355 . An order that merely references subd. 1m. or 2. without documenting or referencing that specific information in the order or an amended order that retroactively corrects an earlier order that does not comply with this subdivision is not sufficient to comply with this subdivision.

(ad) If the court finds that any of the circumstances under s. 938.355 (2d) (b) 1. to 4. applies with respect to a parent, the court shall hold a hearing under s. 938.38 (4m) within 30 days after the date of that finding to determine the permanency goal and, if applicable, any concurrent permanency goals for the juvenile.

(ag) The court shall give a foster parent or other physical custodian described in s. 48.62 (2) who is notified of a hearing under sub. (2) a right to be heard at the hearing by permitting the foster parent or other physical custodian to make a written or oral statement during the hearing, or to submit a written statement prior to the hearing, relevant to the issue of extension. A foster parent or other physical custodian who receives notice of a hearing under sub. (2) and a right to be heard under this paragraph does not become a party to the proceeding on which the hearing is held solely on the basis of receiving that notice and having the right to be heard.

(b) If a juvenile has been placed outside the home under s. 938.345 and an extension is ordered under this subsection, the court shall state in the record the reason for the extension.

(3) Waiver of appearance. The appearance of any juvenile may be waived by consent of the juvenile, counsel or guardian ad litem.

(4) Dispositions to be considered. The court shall determine which dispositions are to be considered for extensions.

(5) Duration of extension.

(a) Except as provided in s. 938.368 , an order under this section that continues the placement of a juvenile in his or her home or that extends an order under s. 938.34 (4d) , (4h) , (4m) , or (4n) shall be for a specified length of time not to exceed one year after the date on which the order is granted.

(b) Except as provided in s. 938.368 , an order under this section that continues the placement of a juvenile in a foster home, group home, or residential care center for children and youth, in the home of a relative other than a parent, in the home of like-kin, or in a supervised independent living arrangement shall be for a specified length of time not to exceed the latest of the following dates:

1. The date on which the juvenile attains 18 years of age.

2. The date that is one year after the date on which the order is granted.

3. The date on which the juvenile is granted a high school or high school equivalency diploma or the date on which the juvenile attains 19 years of age, whichever occurs first, if the juvenile is a full-time student at a secondary school or its vocational or technical equivalent and is reasonably expected to complete the program before attaining 19 years of age.

4. The date on which the juvenile is granted a high school or high school equivalency diploma or the date on which the juvenile attains 21 years of age, whichever occurs first, if the juvenile is a full-time student at a secondary school or its vocational or technical equivalent and if an individualized education program under s. 115.787 is in effect for the juvenile. The court may not grant an order that terminates as provided in this subdivision unless the juvenile is 17 years of age or older when the order is granted and the juvenile, or the juvenile’s guardian on behalf of the juvenile, agrees to the order. At any time after the juvenile attains 18 years of age, the juvenile, or the juvenile’s guardian on behalf of the juvenile, may request the court in writing to terminate the order and, on receipt of such a request, the court, without a hearing, shall terminate the order.

(6) Hearings conducted after order terminates. If a request to extend a dispositional order is made prior to the termination of the order, but the court is unable to conduct a hearing on the request prior to the termination date, the court may extend the order for a period of not more than 30 days, not including any period of delay resulting from any of the circumstances under s. 938.315 (1) . The court shall grant appropriate relief as provided in s. 938.315 (3) with respect to any request to extend a dispositional order on which a hearing is not held within the time period specified in this subsection. Failure to object if a hearing is not held within the time period under this subsection waives any challenge to the court’s competency to act on the request.

(7) Changes in placement and trial reunifications not permitted. Nothing in this section may be construed to allow any changes in placement, trial reunification, or revocation of community supervision or aftercare supervision. Revocation and other changes in placement may take place only under s. 938.357 , and trial reunifications may take place only under s. 938.358 .

History: 1995 a. 77 , 275 , 352 ; 1997 a. 27 , 35 , 80 , 237 ; 2001 a. 109 ; 2005 a. 344 ; 2007 a. 199 ; 2009 a. 28 , 79 , 94 , 185 ; 2011 a. 181 , 258 ; 2011 a. 260 s. 80 ; 2013 a. 165 , 334 ; 2015 a. 55 ; 2023 a. 119 .