Wisconsin Statutes 970.035 – Preliminary examination; juvenile younger than 15 years old
Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 970.035
- Adult: means a person who has attained the age of 18 years, except that for purposes of investigating or prosecuting a person who is alleged to have violated any state or federal criminal law or any civil law or municipal ordinance, "adult" means a person who has attained the age of 17 years. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
Notwithstanding s. 970.03, if a preliminary examination under s. 970.03 is held regarding a juvenile who was waived under s. 938.18 for a violation which is alleged to have occurred prior to his or her 15th birthday, the court may bind the juvenile over for trial only if there is probable cause to believe that a crime under s. 940.03, 940.06, 940.225 (1) or (2), 940.305, 940.31 or 943.10 (2), 943.32 (2) or 961.41 (1) has been committed or that a crime that would constitute a felony under chs. 939 to 948 or 961 if committed by an adult has been committed at the request of or for the benefit of a criminal gang, as defined in s. 939.22 (9). If the court does not make any of those findings, the court shall order that the juvenile be discharged but proceedings may be brought regarding the juvenile under ch. 938.