Wis. Stat. § 48.415 — WI Code / Chapter 48 / Section 48.415
Grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights.
Status: in_force

At the fact-finding hearing the court or jury shall determine whether grounds exist for the termination of parental rights. If the child is an Indian child, the court or jury shall also determine at the fact-finding hearing whether continued custody of the Indian child by the Indian child’s parent or Indian custodian is likely to result in serious emotional or physical damage to the Indian child under s. 48.028 (4) (e) 1. and whether active efforts under s. 48.028 (4) (e) 2. have been made to prevent the breakup of the Indian child’s family and whether those efforts have proved unsuccessful, unless partial summary judgment on the grounds for termination of parental rights is granted, in which case the court shall make those determinations at the dispositional hearing. Grounds for termination of parental rights shall be one of the following:

(1) Abandonment.

(a) Abandonment, which, subject to par. (c) , shall be established by proving any of the following:

1. That the child has been left without provision for the child’s care or support, the petitioner has investigated the circumstances surrounding the matter and for 60 days the petitioner has been unable to find either parent.

1m. That the child has been left by the parent without provision for the child’s care or support in a place or manner that exposes the child to substantial risk of great bodily harm, as defined in s. 939.22 (14) , or death.

1r. That a court of competent jurisdiction has found under s. 48.13 (2) or under a law of any other state or a federal law that is comparable to s. 48.13 (2) that the child was abandoned when the child was under one year of age or has found that the parent abandoned the child when the child was under one year of age in violation of s. 948.20 or in violation of the law of any other state or federal law, if that violation would be a violation of s. 948.20 if committed in this state.

2. That the child has been placed, or continued in a placement, outside the parent’s home by a court order containing the notice required by s. 48.356 (2) or 938.356 (2) and the parent has failed to visit or communicate with the child for a period of 3 months or longer.

3. The child has been left by the parent with any person, the parent knows or could discover the whereabouts of the child and the parent has failed to visit or communicate with the child for a period of 6 months or longer.

(b) Incidental contact between parent and child shall not preclude the court from finding that the parent has failed to visit or communicate with the child under par. (a) 2. or 3. The time periods under par. (a) 2. or 3. shall not include any periods during which the parent has been prohibited by judicial order from visiting or communicating with the child.

(c) Abandonment is not established under par. (a) 2. or 3. if the parent proves all of the following by a preponderance of the evidence:

1. That the parent had good cause for having failed to visit with the child throughout the time period specified in par. (a) 2. or 3. , whichever is applicable.

2. That the parent had good cause for having failed to communicate with the child throughout the time period specified in par. (a) 2. or 3. , whichever is applicable.

3. If the parent proves good cause under subd. 2. , including good cause based on evidence that the child’s age or condition would have rendered any communication with the child meaningless, that one of the following occurred:

a. The parent communicated about the child with the person or persons who had physical custody of the child during the time period specified in par. (a) 2. or 3. , whichever is applicable, or, if par. (a) 2. is applicable, with the agency responsible for the care of the child during the time period specified in par. (a) 2.

b. The parent had good cause for having failed to communicate about the child with the person or persons who had physical custody of the child or the agency responsible for the care of the child throughout the time period specified in par. (a) 2. or 3. , whichever is applicable.

(1m) Relinquishment. Relinquishment, which shall be established by proving that a court of competent jurisdiction has found under s. 48.13 (2m) that the parent has relinquished custody of the child under s. 48.195 (1m) when the child was 30 days old or younger.

(2) Continuing need of protection or services. Continuing need of protection or services, which shall be established by proving any of the following:

(a)

1. That the child has been adjudged to be a child or an unborn child in need of protection or services and placed, or continued in a placement, outside his or her home pursuant to one or more court orders under s. 48.345 , 48.347 , 48.357 , 48.363 , 48.365 , 938.345 , 938.357 , 938.363 or 938.365 containing the notice required by s. 48.356 (2) or 938.356 (2) .

2.

a. In this subdivision, “reasonable effort” means an earnest and conscientious effort to take good faith steps to provide the services ordered by the court which takes into consideration the characteristics of the parent or child or of the expectant mother or child, the level of cooperation of the parent or expectant mother and other relevant circumstances of the case.

b. That the agency responsible for the care of the child and the family or of the unborn child and expectant mother has made a reasonable effort to provide the services ordered by the court.

3. That the child has been placed outside the home for a cumulative total period of 6 months or longer pursuant to an order listed under subd. 1. , not including time spent outside the home as an unborn child; that the parent has failed to meet the conditions established for the safe return of the child to the home; and, if the child has been placed outside the home for less than 15 of the most recent 22 months, that there is a substantial likelihood that the parent will not meet these conditions as of the date on which the child will have been placed outside the home for 15 of the most recent 22 months, not including any period during which the child was a runaway from the out-of-home placement or was residing in a trial reunification home.

(am)

1. That on 3 or more occasions the child has been adjudicated to be in need of protection or services under s. 48.13 (3) , (3m) , (10) or (10m) and, in connection with each of those adjudications, has been placed outside his or her home pursuant to a court order under s. 48.345 containing the notice required by s. 48.356 (2) .

2. That the conditions that led to the child’s placement outside his or her home under each order specified in subd. 1. were caused by the parent.

(3) Continuing parental disability. Continuing parental disability, which shall be established by proving that:

(a) The parent is presently, and for a cumulative total period of at least 2 years within the 5 years immediately prior to the filing of the petition has been, an inpatient at one or more hospitals as defined in s. 50.33 (2) (a) , (b) or (c) , licensed treatment facilities as defined in s. 51.01 (2) or state treatment facilities as defined in s. 51.01 (15) on account of mental illness as defined in s. 51.01 (13) (a) or (b) , developmental disability as defined in s. 55.01 (2) , or other like incapacities, as defined in s. 55.01 (5) ;

(b) The condition of the parent is likely to continue indefinitely; and

(c) The child is not being provided with adequate care by a relative who has legal custody of the child, or by a parent or a guardian.

(4) Continuing denial of periods of physical placement or visitation. Continuing denial of periods of physical placement or visitation, which shall be established by proving all of the following:

(a) That the parent has been denied periods of physical placement by court order in an action affecting the family or has been denied visitation under an order under s. 48.345 , 48.363 , 48.365 , 938.345 , 938.363 or 938.365 containing the notice required by s. 48.356 (2) or 938.356 (2) .

(b) That at least one year has elapsed since the order denying periods of physical placement or visitation was issued and the court has not subsequently modified its order so as to permit periods of physical placement or visitation.

(5) Child abuse. Child abuse, which shall be established by proving that the parent has exhibited a pattern of physically or sexually abusive behavior which is a substantial threat to the health of the child who is the subject of the petition and proving either of the following:

(a) That the parent has caused death or injury to a child or children resulting in a felony conviction.

(b) That a child has previously been removed from the parent’s home pursuant to a court order under s. 48.345 after an adjudication that the child is in need of protection or services under s. 48.13 (3) or (3m) .

(6) Failure to assume parental responsibility.

(a) Failure to assume parental responsibility, which shall be established by proving that the parent or the person or persons who may be the parent of the child have not had a substantial parental relationship with the child.

(b) In this subsection, “substantial parental relationship” means the acceptance and exercise of significant responsibility for the daily supervision, education, protection and care of the child. In evaluating whether the person has had a substantial parental relationship with the child, the court may consider such factors, including, but not limited to, whether the person has expressed concern for or interest in the support, care or well-being of the child, whether the person has neglected or refused to provide care or support for the child and whether, with respect to a person who is or may be the father of the child, the person has expressed concern for or interest in the support, care or well-being of the mother during her pregnancy.

(7) Incestuous parenthood. Incestuous parenthood, which shall be established by proving that the person whose parental rights are sought to be terminated is also related, either by blood or adoption, to the child’s other parent in a degree of kinship closer than 2nd cousin.

(8) Homicide or solicitation to commit homicide of parent. Homicide or solicitation to commit homicide of a parent, which shall be established by proving that a parent of the child has been a victim of first-degree intentional homicide in violation of s. 940.01 , first-degree reckless homicide in violation of s. 940.02 or 2nd-degree intentional homicide in violation of s. 940.05 or a crime under federal law or the law of any other state that is comparable to any of those crimes, or has been the intended victim of a solicitation to commit first-degree intentional homicide in violation of s. 939.30 or a crime under federal law or the law of any other state that is comparable to that crime, and that the person whose parental rights are sought to be terminated has been convicted of that intentional or reckless homicide, solicitation or crime under federal law or the law of any other state as evidenced by a final judgment of conviction.

(9) Parenthood as a result of sexual assault.

(a) Parenthood as a result of sexual assault, which shall be established by proving that the child was conceived as a result of a sexual assault in violation of s. 940.225 (1) , (2) or (3) , 948.02 (1) or (2) , 948.025 , or 948.085 . Conception as a result of sexual assault as specified in this paragraph may be proved by a final judgment of conviction or other evidence produced at a fact-finding hearing under s. 48.424 indicating that the person who may be the father of the child committed, during a possible time of conception, a sexual assault as specified in this paragraph against the mother of the child.

(b) If the conviction or other evidence specified in par. (a) indicates that the child was conceived as a result of a sexual assault in violation of s. 948.02 (1) or (2) or 948.085 , the mother of the child may be heard on her desire for the termination of the father’s parental rights.

(9m) Commission of a felony against a child.

(a) Commission of a serious felony against one of the person’s children, which shall be established by proving that a child of the person whose parental rights are sought to be terminated was the victim of a serious felony and that the person whose parental rights are sought to be terminated has been convicted of that serious felony as evidenced by a final judgment of conviction.

(am) Commission of a violation of s. 948.051 involving any child or a violation of the law of any other state or federal law, if that violation would be a violation of s. 948.051 involving any child if committed in this state.

(b) In this subsection, “serious felony” means any of the following:

1. The commission of, the aiding or abetting of, or the solicitation, conspiracy or attempt to commit, a violation of s. 940.01 , 940.02 , 940.03 or 940.05 or a violation of the law of any other state or federal law, if that violation would be a violation of s. 940.01 , 940.02 , 940.03 or 940.05 if committed in this state.

2.

a. The commission of a violation of s. 940.19 (3) , 1999 stats., s. 940.19 (2) , 2023 stats., s. 940.19 (4) , 2023 stats., or s. 940.19 (5) , 2023 stats., a violation of s. 940.225 (1) or (2) , 940.60 (2) or (3) (a) or (b) , 948.02 (1) or (2) , 948.025 , 948.03 (2) (a) , (3) (a) , or (5) (a) 1. , 2. , or 3. , 948.05 , 948.051 , 948.06 , 948.08 , or 948.081 , or a violation of s. 940.302 (2) if s. 940.302 (2) (a) 1. b. applies.

b. A violation of the law of any other state or federal law, if that violation would be a violation listed under subd. 2. a. if committed in this state.

3. The commission of a violation of s. 948.21 or a violation of the law of any other state or federal law, if that violation would be a violation of s. 948.21 if committed in this state, that resulted in the death of the victim.

(10) Prior involuntary termination of parental rights to another child. Prior involuntary termination of parental rights to another child, which shall be established by proving all of the following:

(a) That the child who is the subject of the petition has been adjudged to be in need of protection or services under s. 48.13 (2) , (3) or (10) ; or that the child who is the subject of the petition was born after the filing of a petition under this subsection whose subject is a sibling of the child.

(b) That, within 3 years prior to the date the court adjudged the child to be in need of protection or services as specified in par. (a) or, in the case of a child born after the filing of a petition as specified in par. (a) , within 3 years prior to the date of birth of the child, a court has ordered the termination of parental rights with respect to another child of the person whose parental rights are sought to be terminated on one or more of the grounds specified in this section.

History: 1979 c. 330 ; 1983 a. 189 s. 329 (5) ; 1983 a. 326 ; 1983 a. 447 ss. 8 , 67 ; 1983 a. 488 , 538 ; 1987 a. 355 , 383 ; 1989 a. 86 ; 1993 a. 235 , 395 ; 1995 a. 77 , 108 , 225 , 275 ; 1997 a. 35 , 80 , 237 , 292 , 294 ; 1999 a. 9 , 32 ; 2001 a. 2 , 109 ; 2005 a. 277 , 293 ; 2007 a. 45 , 116 ; 2009 a. 94 ; 2011 a. 257 s. 56 ; 2011 a. 271 ; 2015 a. 366 ; 2017 a. 128 , 256 ; 2023 a. 79 ; 2025 a. 24 s. 93 ; 2025 a. 94 .