48.203 Release or delivery of adult expectant mother from custody. (1) A person taking an adult expectant mother of an unborn child into custody shall make every effort to release the adult expectant mother to an adult relative or friend of the adult expectant mother after counseling or warning the adult expectant mother as may be appropriate or, if an adult relative or friend is unavailable, unwilling or unable to accept the release of the adult expectant mother, the person taking the adult expectant mother into custody may release the adult expectant mother under the adult expectant mother’s own supervision after counseling or warning the adult expectant mother as may be appropriate. (2) If the adult expectant mother is not released under sub. (1), the person who took the adult expectant mother into custody shall arrange in a manner determined by the court and law enforcement agencies for the adult expectant mother to be interviewed by the intake worker under s. 48.067 (2), and shall make a statement in writing with supporting facts of the reasons why the adult expectant mother was taken into physical custody and shall give the adult expectant mother a copy of the statement in addition to giving a copy to the intake worker. When the intake interview is not done in person, the report may be read to the intake worker. (3) If the unborn child or adult expectant mother is believed to be suffering from a serious physical condition which requires either prompt diagnosis or prompt treatment, the person taking the adult expectant mother into physical custody, the intake worker or other appropriate person shall deliver the adult expectant mother to a hospital, as defined in s. 50.33 (2) (a) and (c), or physician’s office. (4) If the adult expectant mother is believed to be mentally ill, drug dependent or developmentally disabled, and exhibits conduct which constitutes a substantial probability of physical harm to herself or others, or a substantial probability of physical impairment or injury to the adult expectant mother exists due to the impaired judgment of the adult expectant mother, and the standards of s. 51.15 are met, the person taking the adult expectant mother into physical custody, the intake worker or other appropriate person shall proceed under s. 51.15. (5) If the adult expectant mother is believed to be an intoxicated person who has threatened, attempted, or inflicted physical harm on herself or on another and is likely to inflict such physical harm unless committed, or is incapacitated by alcohol or another drug, the person taking the adult expectant mother into physical custody, the intake worker, or other appropriate person shall proceed under s. 51.45 (11).
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(6) (a) When an adult expectant mother is interviewed by an intake worker, the intake worker shall inform the adult expectant mother of her right to counsel. (b) The intake worker shall review the need to hold the adult expectant mother in custody and shall make every effort to release the adult expectant mother from custody as provided in par. (c). The intake worker shall base his or her decision as to whether to release the adult expectant mother or to continue to hold the adult expectant mother in custody on the criteria specified in s. 48.205 (1m) and criteria established under s. 48.06 (1) or (2). (c) The intake worker may release the adult expectant mother to an adult relative or friend of the adult expectant mother after counseling or warning the adult expectant mother as may be appropriate or, if an adult relative or friend is unavailable, unwilling or unable to accept the release of the adult expectant mother, the intake worker may release the adult expectant mother under the adult expectant mother’s own supervision after counseling or warning the adult expectant mother as may be appropriate. (7) If an adult expectant mother is held in custody, the intake worker shall notify the adult expectant mother and the unborn child’s guardian ad litem of the reasons for holding the adult expectant mother in custody, the time and place of the detention hearing required under s. 48.213, the nature and possible consequences of that hearing, and the right to present and cross-examine witnesses at the hearing. History: 1997 a. 292; 2013 a. 170; 2017 a. 34.
48.205 Criteria for holding a child or expectant mother in physical custody. (1) A child may be held under s. 48.207 (1), 48.208 or 48.209 if the intake worker determines that there is probable cause to believe the child is within the jurisdiction of the court and: (a) Probable cause exists to believe that if the child is not held he or she will cause injury to himself or herself or be subject to injury by others. (am) Probable cause exists to believe that if the child is not held he or she will be subject to injury by others, based on a determination under par. (a) or a finding under s. 48.21 (4) that if another child in the home is not held that child will be subject to injury by others. (b) Probable cause exists to believe that the parent, guardian or legal custodian of the child or other responsible adult is neglecting, refusing, unable or unavailable to provide adequate supervision and care and that services to ensure the child’s safety and well-being are not available or would be inadequate. (bm) Probable cause exists to believe that the child meets the criteria specified in par. (b), based on a determination under par. (b) or a finding under s. 48.21 (4) that another child in the home meets those criteria. (c) Probable cause exists to believe that the child will run away or be taken away so as to be unavailable for proceedings of the court or its officers. (d) Probable cause exists to believe that the child is an expectant mother, that if the child expectant mother is not held, there is a substantial risk that the physical health of the unborn child, and of the child when born, will be seriously affected or endangered by the child 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 that the child 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. (1m) An adult expectant mother of an unborn child may be
May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26)
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held under s. 48.207 (1m) if the intake worker determines that there is probable cause to believe that the adult expectant mother is within the jurisdiction of the court, to believe that if the adult expectant mother is not held, there is a substantial risk that 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. (2) The criteria for holding a child or the expectant mother of an unborn child in custody specified in this section shall govern the decision of all persons responsible for determining whether the action is appropriate. History: 1977 c. 354; 1979 c. 300; 1983 a. 399; 1989 a. 31, 107; 1993 a. 16, 377, 395; 1995 a. 27, 77, 275; 1997 a. 292; 1999 a. 83. NOTE: 1993 Wis. Act 395, which created sub. (1) (am) and (bm), contains extensive explanatory notes. Courts may hold juveniles in contempt of court but only under the criteria under this section and s. 48.208. 70 Atty. Gen. 98.