Opinion ID: 1917869
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Alleged Denial of a Preliminary Hearing.

Text: It is contended that all three convictions are void because of a failure to inform defendant of his right to a preliminary hearing. The right to a preliminary hearing rests upon statute and is not a constitutional requirement. Therefore, this court will not set aside a judgment of conviction and permit a withdrawal of a plea of guilty because of a claimed denial of a preliminary hearing absent some showing of prejudice. This is not the type of error which gives rise to a presumption of prejudice. Even some cases of denial of constitutional rights give rise to the application of the harmless-error rule. Sparkman v. State, supra, at page 101; Pulaski v. State (1964), 24 Wis. (2d) 450, 456, 129 N. W. (2d) 204. Where a defendant appears by counsel, as did defendant with respect to the charges of armed robbery and theft, and enters a plea of guilty without requesting a preliminary hearing, a trial court has the right to assume that the preliminary hearing has been intelligently waived. Cf. Hawkins v. State (1965), 26 Wis. (2d) 443, 132 N. W. (2d) 545. However, where a defendant charged with felony appears without counsel and waives counsel, as did defendant with respect to the charge of operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, it is the duty of the court to advise defendant of his right to a preliminary hearing before proceeding further. Right to complain of such error, however, was waived at time of sentencing when he did appear with counsel who won leniency for him.