2025 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 980 - Sexually violent person commitments.
980.07 - Periodic reexamination and treatment progress; report from the department.

980.07 Periodic reexamination and treatment progress; report from the department.

(1) If a person is committed under s. 980.06 and has not been discharged under s. 980.09 (4), the department shall appoint an examiner to conduct a reexamination of the person’s mental condition within 12 months after the date of the initial commitment order under s. 980.06 and again thereafter at least once each 12 months to determine whether the person has made sufficient progress for the court to consider whether the person should be placed on supervised release or discharged. The examiner shall apply the criteria under s. 980.08 (4) (cg) when considering if the person should be placed on supervised release and shall apply the criteria under s. 980.09 (3) when considering if the person should be discharged. At the time of a reexamination under this section, the court shall appoint an examiner as provided under s. 980.031 (3) upon request of the committed person or the person may retain an examiner. The county shall pay the costs of an examiner appointed by the court as provided under s. 51.20 (18) (a).

(2) Any examiner conducting a reexamination under sub. (1) shall prepare a written report of the reexamination no later than 30 days after the date of the reexamination. The examiner shall provide a copy of the report to the department.

(3) Notwithstanding sub. (1), the court that committed a person under s. 980.06 may order a reexamination of the person at any time during the period in which the person is subject to the commitment order. Any reexamination ordered under this subsection shall conform to sub. (1).

(4) At any reexamination under sub. (1), the treating professional shall prepare a treatment progress report. The treating professional shall provide a copy of the treatment progress report to the department. The treatment progress report shall consider all of the following:

(a) The specific factors associated with the person’s risk for committing another sexually violent offense.

(b) Whether the person is making significant progress in treatment or has refused treatment.

(c) The ongoing treatment needs of the person.

(d) Any specialized needs or conditions associated with the person that must be considered in future treatment planning.

(5) Any examiners under sub. (1) and treating professionals under sub. (4) shall have reasonable access to the person for purposes of reexamination, to the person’s past and present treatment records, as defined in s. 51.30 (1) (b), and to the person’s patient health care records, as provided under s. 146.82 (2) (c).

(6)

(a) The department shall submit an annual report comprised of the reexamination report under sub. (1) and the treatment progress report under sub. (4) to the court that committed the person under s. 980.06. A copy of the annual report shall be placed in the person’s treatment records. The department shall provide a copy of the annual report to the person committed under s. 980.06, the department of justice, and the district attorney, if applicable. The court shall provide a copy of the annual report to the person’s attorney as soon as he or she is retained or appointed.

(b) When the department provides a copy of the report under par. (a) to the person who has been committed under s. 980.06, the department shall provide to the person a standardized petition form for supervised release under s. 980.08 and a standardized petition form for discharge under s. 980.09.

(6m) If a person committed under s. 980.06 is incarcerated at a county jail, state correctional institution, or federal correction institution for a new criminal charge or conviction or because his or her parole was revoked, any reporting requirement under sub. (1), (4), or (6) (a) does not apply during the incarceration period. A court may order a reexamination of the person under sub. (3) if the courts finds reexamination to be necessary. The schedule for reporting established under sub. (1) shall resume upon the release of the person.

(7) At any time before a hearing under s. 980.08 or 980.09, the department may file a supplemental report if the department determines that court should have additional information. The court shall accept the supplemental report and permit testimony from the department regarding the report or any relevant portion of the report.

History: 1993 a. 479; 1999 a. 9; 2005 a. 434; 2009 a. 248; 2013 a. 84 ss. 4 to 7, 9, 13.

As part of an annual review, an involuntary medication order must be reviewed following the same procedure used to obtain the initial order. State v. Anthony D.B., 2000 WI 94, 237 Wis. 2d 1, 614 N.W.2d 435, 98-0576.

It is within a committed person’s discretion to ask for an independent examination. A trial court does not have discretion to refuse the request. State v. Thiel, 2001 WI App 33, 241 Wis. 2d 465, 626 N.W.2d 26, 00-0142.

The six-month time period in former sub. (1), 2001 stats., for an initial reexamination is mandatory. State ex rel. Marberry v. Macht, 2003 WI 79, 262 Wis. 2d 720, 665 N.W.2d 155, 99-2446.

The 14th amendment due process guarantee was violated by a delay of over 22 months between the time the first annual periodic examination report was provided to the circuit court under this section and the circuit court’s probable cause hearing under former s. 980.09 (2) (a), 2003 stats., to determine if facts warranted a hearing on whether the committee was still a sexually violent person. Discharge is not an appropriate remedy for a sexually violent person who is dangerous because the person suffers from a mental disorder that makes it likely that the person will engage in acts of sexual violence. Appropriate remedies are motions for mandamus or equitable relief, but because a committee under this chapter may encounter considerable obstacles to pursuing these remedies, the Department of Health and Family Services, the Department of Justice, the bar, and the circuit courts must bear substantial responsibility for ensuring prompt judicial review of annual periodic examination reports. State v. Beyer, 2006 WI 2, 287 Wis. 2d 1, 707 N.W.2d 509, 04-1208.

In this case, the rule in the supervised release plan requiring the petitioner to “abide by all rules of any detention, treatment or correctional facility in which [the petitioner] may be confined” was permissible. While the rule did not give the Department of Health Services the power to detain the petitioner in prison solely for a rules violation, it did require the petitioner to abide by all rules of the prison should the petitioner find himself detained there for other reasons. State v. Thiel, 2012 WI App 48, 340 Wis. 2d 654, 813 N.W.2d 709, 11-0933.

Former sub. (1), 2011 stats., states that the committed person may retain or have the court appoint an independent examiner “at the time of a reexamination,” and s. 980.031 (3) requires the circuit court to appoint, upon request, an independent examiner to perform an examination of the person’s mental condition. That the independent examiner is also to participate at trial or a hearing involving testimony does not limit the independent examiner’s initial role in examining the committed person “at the time of a reexamination.” The committed person does not have to wait until the person’s petition has passed the paper review; indeed, the independent examiner is meant to help assess the person’s readiness for discharge and gather facts to support the petition, if appropriate. State v. Jones, 2013 WI App 151, 352 Wis. 2d 87, 841 N.W.2d 306, 13-0321.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the commitment in Laxton, 2002 WI 82, in light of the jury instructions in the case was not diametrically different or opposite in character or nature from any clearly established federal law. Laxton v. Bartow, 421 F.3d 565 (2005).