Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 345.43

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • Population: means that shown by the most recent regular or special federal census. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Qualified: when applied to any person elected or appointed to office, means that such person has done those things which the person was by law required to do before entering upon the duties of the person's office. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Voir dire: The process by which judges and lawyers select a petit jury from among those eligible to serve, by questioning them to determine knowledge of the facts of the case and a willingness to decide the case only on the evidence presented in court. "Voir dire" is a phrase meaning "to speak the truth."
   (1)    If a case has been transferred under s. 800.035 (5) (c), or if in circuit court either party files a written demand for a jury trial within 10 days after the defendant enters a plea of not guilty under s. 345.34 and immediately pays the fee prescribed in s. 814.61 (4), the court shall place the case on the jury calendar of the circuit court. The number of jurors shall be 6. If no party demands a trial by jury, the right to trial by jury is permanently waived.
   (3)   
      (a)    In counties having a population of 750,000 or more, the jury shall be selected from the circuit court prospective juror list as set forth under chs. 801 to 847. In all other counties, juries shall be selected as provided in par. (b), except that the clerk shall randomly select the names of sufficient persons qualified to serve as jurors as will provide to each party entitled to peremptory challenges 5 peremptory challenges.
      (b)    If a timely demand for a jury is made, the judge shall direct the clerk of the court to select at random from the prospective juror list the names of a sufficient number of prospective jurors, from which list either party may strike 5 names. If either party neglects to strike out names, the clerk shall strike out names for the party. The judge shall permit voir dire examinations and challenges for cause. The clerk shall summon a sufficient number of persons whose names are not struck out, to appear at the time and place named in the summons.
   (5)   In a jury trial of a traffic regulation case, the court is not required to provide the jury with one complete set of written instructions under s. 805.13 (4).