Attorney's Note

Under the Wisconsin Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class B felonyup to 60 years
Class C felonyup to 40 yearsup to $100,000
Class D felonyup to 25 yearsup to $100,000
Class E felonyup to 15 yearsup to $50,000
Class F felonyup to 12 years 6 monthsup to $25,000
Class G felonyup to 10 yearsup to $25,000
Class H felonyup to 6 yearsup to $10,000
Class I felonyup to 3 years 6 monthsup to $10,000
For details, see § 939.50
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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 973.01

  • Following: when used by way of reference to any statute section, means the section next following that in which the reference is made. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols or figures. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • State: when applied to states of the United States, includes the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the several territories organized by Congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed; "year" alone means "year of our Lord". See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
   (1)    Bifurcated sentence required. Except as provided in sub. (3), whenever a court sentences a person to imprisonment in the Wisconsin state prisons for a felony committed on or after December 31, 1999, or a misdemeanor committed on or after February 1, 2003, the court shall impose a bifurcated sentence under this section.
   (2)   Structure of bifurcated sentences. A bifurcated sentence is a sentence that consists of a term of confinement in prison followed by a term of extended supervision under s. 302.113. The total length of a bifurcated sentence equals the length of the term of confinement in prison plus the length of the term of extended supervision. An order imposing a bifurcated sentence under this section shall comply with all of the following:
      (a)    Total length of bifurcated sentence. Except as provided in par. (c), the total length of the bifurcated sentence may not exceed the maximum period of imprisonment specified in s. 939.50 (3), if the crime is a classified felony, or the maximum term of imprisonment provided by statute for the crime, if the crime is not a classified felony, plus additional imprisonment authorized by any applicable penalty enhancement statutes.
      (b)    Confinement portion of bifurcated sentence. The portion of the bifurcated sentence that imposes a term of confinement in prison may not be less than one year and, except as provided in par. (c), is subject to whichever of the following limits is applicable:
         1.    For a Class B felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 40 years.
         3.    For a Class C felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 25 years.
         4.    For a Class D felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 15 years.
         5.    For a Class E felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 10 years.
         6m.    For a Class F felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 7 years and 6 months.
         7.    For a Class G felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 5 years.
         8.    For a Class H felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 3 years.
         9.    For a Class I felony, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed one year and 6 months.
         10.    For any crime other than one of the following, the term of confinement in prison may not exceed 75 percent of the total length of the bifurcated sentence:
            a.    A felony specified in subds. 1. to 9.
            b.    An attempt to commit a classified felony if the attempt is punishable under s. 939.32 (1) (intro.).
      (c)    Penalty enhancement.
         1.    Subject to the minimum period of extended supervision required under par. (d), the maximum term of confinement in prison specified in par. (b) may be increased by any applicable penalty enhancement statute. If the maximum term of confinement in prison specified in par. (b) is increased under this paragraph, the total length of the bifurcated sentence that may be imposed is increased by the same amount.
         2.    If more than one of the following penalty enhancement statutes apply to a crime, the court shall apply them in the order listed in calculating the maximum term of imprisonment for that crime:
            a.    Sections 939.621, 939.623, 939.632, 939.635, 939.645, 946.42 (4), 961.442, 961.46, and 961.49.
            b.    Section 939.63.
            c.    Section 939.62 (1) or 961.48.
      (d)    Minimum and maximum term of extended supervision. The term of extended supervision may not be less than 25 percent of the length of the term of confinement in prison imposed under par. (b) and, for a classified felony, is subject to whichever of the following limits is applicable:
         1.    For a Class B felony, the term of extended supervision may not exceed 20 years.
         2.    For a Class C felony, the term of extended supervision may not exceed 15 years.
         3.    For a Class D felony, the term of extended supervision may not exceed 10 years.
         4.    For a Class E, F, or G felony, the term of extended supervision may not exceed 5 years.
         5.    For a Class H felony, the term of extended supervision may not exceed 3 years.
         6.    For a Class I felony, the term of extended supervision may not exceed 2 years.
   (3)   Not applicable to life sentences. If a person is being sentenced for a felony that is punishable by life imprisonment, he or she is not subject to this section but shall be sentenced under s. 973.014 (1g).
   (3g)   Earned release program eligibility. When imposing a bifurcated sentence under this section on a person convicted of a crime other than a crime specified in ch. 940 or s. 948.02, 948.025, 948.03, 948.05, 948.051, 948.055, 948.06, 948.07, 948.075, 948.08, 948.085, or 948.095, the court shall, as part of the exercise of its sentencing discretion, decide whether the person being sentenced is eligible or ineligible to participate in the earned release program under s. 302.05 (3) during the term of confinement in prison portion of the bifurcated sentence.
   (3m)   Challenge incarceration program eligibility. When imposing a bifurcated sentence under this section on a person convicted of a crime other than a crime specified in ch. 940 or s. 941.29 (1g) (a); a crime specified in s. 941.29 (1g) (b), not including s. 951.02, 951.08, 951.09, or 951.095; or a crime under s. 948.02 (3), 948.055, 948.075, or 948.095, the court shall, as part of the exercise of its sentencing discretion, decide whether the person being sentenced is eligible or ineligible for the challenge incarceration program under s. 302.045 during the term of confinement in prison portion of the bifurcated sentence.
   (4)   No good time; extension or reduction of term of imprisonment. A person sentenced to a bifurcated sentence under sub. (1) shall serve the term of confinement in prison portion of the sentence without reduction for good behavior. The term of confinement in prison portion is subject to extension under s. 302.113 (3) and, if applicable, to reduction under s. 302.045 (3m), 302.05 (3) (c) 2. a., 302.113 (9g), 973.195 (1r), or 973.198.
   (5)   Extended supervision conditions. Whenever the court imposes a bifurcated sentence under sub. (1), the court may impose conditions upon the term of extended supervision.
   (6)   No parole. A person serving a bifurcated sentence imposed under sub. (1) is not eligible for release on parole under that sentence.
   (7)   No discharge. The department of corrections may not discharge a person who is serving a bifurcated sentence from custody, control and supervision until the person has served the entire bifurcated sentence.
   (8)   Explanation of sentence.
      (a)    When a court imposes a bifurcated sentence under this section it shall explain in writing all of the following to the person being sentenced:
         1.    The total length of the bifurcated sentence.
         2.    The amount of time the person will serve in prison under the term of confinement in prison portion of the sentence.
         3.    The amount of time the person will spend on extended supervision, assuming that the person does not commit any act that results in the extension of the term of confinement in prison under s. 302.113 (3).
         4.    That the amount of time the person must actually serve in prison may be extended as provided under s. 302.113 (3) and that because of extensions under s. 302.113 (3) the person could serve the entire bifurcated sentence in prison.
         5.    That the person will be subject to certain conditions while on release to extended supervision, and that violation of any of those conditions may result in the person being returned to prison, as provided under s. 302.113 (9).
      (ag)    If the court provides under sub. (3g) that the person is eligible to participate in the earned release program under s. 302.05 (3), the court shall also inform the person of the provisions of s. 302.05 (3) (c).
      (am)    If the court provides under sub. (3m) that the person is eligible for the challenge incarceration program, the court shall also inform the person of the provisions of s. 302.045 (3m).
      (b)    The court’s explanation under par. (a) 3. of a person’s potential period of extended supervision does not create a right to a minimum period of extended supervision.