Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 23.65

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
   (1)    When it appears to the district attorney that a violation of s. 90.21, 134.60, 281.36, 281.48 (2) to (5), 283.33, 285.57 (2), 285.59 (2), (3) (c) and (4), 287.07, 287.08, 287.81 or 299.64 (2), this chapter or ch. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 169, or 350, or any administrative rule promulgated pursuant thereto, a violation specified under s. 285.86, or a violation of ch. 951, if the animal involved is a captive wild animal, has been committed the district attorney may proceed by complaint and summons.
   (2)   The complaint shall be prepared in the form specified in s. 23.55. After a complaint is prepared, it shall be filed with the judge and a summons shall be issued or the complaint shall be dismissed pursuant to s. 968.03. Such filing commences the action.
   (3)   If a district attorney refuses or is unavailable to issue a complaint, a circuit judge, after conducting a hearing, may permit the filing of a complaint if he or she finds there is probable cause to believe that the person charged has committed a violation of s. 281.36, 287.07, 287.08 or 287.81, this chapter or ch. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 or 350 or a violation specified under s. 285.86. The district attorney shall be informed of the hearing and may attend.