Hearing for adult expectant mother in custody
Wis. Stat. § 48.213
in effect(1) Hearing; when held.
(a) If an adult expectant mother of an unborn child who has been taken into custody is not released under s. 48.203, a hearing to determine whether the adult expectant mother shall continue to be held in custody under the criteria of s. 48.205 (1m) shall be conducted by the judge or a circuit court commissioner within 48 hours after the time that the decision to hold the adult expectant mother was made, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. By the time of the hearing a petition under s. 48.25 shall be filed, except that no petition need be filed when an adult expectant mother is taken into custody under s. 48.193 (1) (b) or (d) 1. or 3., in which case a written statement of the reasons for holding the adult expectant mother in custody shall be substituted if the petition is not filed. If no hearing has been held within those 48 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, or if no petition or statement has been filed at the time of the hearing, the adult expectant mother shall be released except as provided in par. (b).
(b) If no petition has been filed by the time of the hearing, an adult expectant mother of an unborn child may be held in custody with the approval of the judge or circuit court commissioner for an additional 72 hours after the time of the hearing, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, only if, as a result of the facts brought forth at the hearing, the judge or circuit court commissioner determines that probable cause exists to believe that there is a substantial risk that if the adult expectant mother is not held, the physical health of the unborn child, and of the child when born, will be seriously affected or endangered by the adult expectant mother’s habitual lack of self-control in the use of alcohol beverages, controlled substances or controlled substance analogs, exhibited to a severe degree, and to believe that the adult expectant mother is refusing or has refused to accept any alcohol or other drug abuse services offered to her or is not making or has not made a good faith effort to participate in any alcohol or other drug abuse services offered to her. The extension may be granted only once for any petition. In the event of failure to file a petition within the extension period provided for in this paragraph, the judge or circuit court commissioner shall order the adult expectant mother’s immediate release from custody.
(2) Proceedings concerning unborn children in need of protection or services and their adult expectant mothers.
(a) Proceedings concerning an unborn child and an adult expectant mother of the unborn child who come within the jurisdiction of the court under s. 48.133 shall be conducted according to this subsection.
(b) The adult expectant mother may waive the hearing under this section. After any waiver, a hearing shall be granted at the request of any interested party.
(c) A copy of the petition shall be given to the adult expectant mother and to the unborn child’s guardian ad litem before the hearing begins. Prior notice of the hearing shall be given to the adult expectant mother and unborn child’s guardian ad litem in accordance with s. 48.203 (7).
(d) Prior to the commencement of the hearing, the court shall inform the adult expectant mother and the unborn child’s guardian ad litem of the allegations that have been made or may be made, the nature and possible consequences of this hearing as compared to possible future hearings, the right to counsel under s. 48.23, and the right to present, confront, and cross-examine witnesses.
(e) If the adult expectant mother is not represented by counsel at the hearing and the adult expectant mother is continued in custody as a result of the hearing, the adult expectant mother may request through counsel subsequently appointed or retained or through a guardian ad litem that the order to hold the adult expectant mother in custody be reheard. If the request is made, a rehearing shall take place as soon as possible. Any order to hold the adult expectant mother in custody shall be subject to rehearing for good cause, whether or not counsel was present.
(3) Continuation of custody. If the judge or circuit court commissioner finds that the adult expectant mother should be continued in custody under the criteria of s. 48.205 (1m), the judge or circuit court commissioner shall enter one of the following orders:
(a) Release the adult expectant mother and impose reasonable restrictions on the adult expectant mother’s travel, association with other persons or places of abode during the period of the order, including a condition requiring the adult expectant mother to return to other custody as requested; or subject the adult expectant mother to the supervision of an agency agreeing to supervise the adult expectant mother. Reasonable restrictions may be placed upon the conduct of the adult expectant mother which may be necessary to ensure the safety of the unborn child and of the child when born.
(b) Order the adult expectant mother to be held in an appropriate manner under s. 48.207 (1m).
(4) Orders in writing. All orders to hold an adult expectant mother of an unborn child in custody shall be in writing, listing the reasons and criteria forming the basis for the decision.
(4m) Effective period of order. An order to hold an adult expectant mother in custody remains in effect until a dispositional order is granted or a consent decree is entered into, the petition under s. 48.25 is withdrawn or dismissed, or the order is modified or terminated by further order of the court.
(5) Amendment of order. An order under sub. (3) (a) imposing restrictions on an adult expectant mother of an unborn child may at any time be amended, with notice, so as to place the adult expectant mother in another form of custody for failure of the adult expectant mother to conform to the conditions originally imposed.
(6) Informal disposition. If the judge or circuit court commissioner determines that the best interests of the unborn child and the public are served, the judge or circuit court commissioner may enter a consent decree under s. 48.32 or order the petition dismissed and refer the matter to the intake worker for informal disposition in accordance with s. 48.245.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/48.213Fetched: 10/7/2026