48.293 Discovery.

(1) Copies of all law enforcement officer reports, including the officer's memorandum and witnesses' statements, shall be made available upon request to counsel or guardian ad litem for any party and to the court-appointed special advocate for the child prior to a plea hearing. The reports shall be available through the representative of the public designated under s. 48.09. The identity of a confidential informant may be withheld pursuant to s. 905.10.

(2) All records relating to a child, or to an unborn child and the unborn child's expectant mother, that are relevant to the subject matter of a proceeding under this chapter shall be open to inspection by a guardian ad litem or counsel for any party and to inspection by the court-appointed special advocate for the child, upon demand and upon presentation of releases when necessary, at least 48 hours before the proceeding. Persons entitled to inspect the records may obtain copies of the records with the permission of the custodian of the records or with permission of the court. The court may instruct counsel, a guardian ad litem, or a court-appointed special advocate not to disclose specified items in the materials to the child or the parent, or to the expectant mother, if the court reasonably believes that the disclosure would be harmful to the interests of the child or the unborn child.

(3) Upon request prior to the fact-finding hearing, counsel for the interests of the public shall disclose to the child, through his or her counsel or guardian ad litem, or to the unborn child's guardian ad litem, the existence of any audiovisual recording of an oral statement of a child under s. 908.08 that is within the possession, custody, or control of the state and shall make reasonable arrangements for the requesting person to view the statement. If, after compliance with this subsection, the state obtains possession, custody, or control of such a statement, counsel for the interests of the public shall promptly notify the requesting person of that fact and make reasonable arrangements for the requesting person to view the statement.

(4) In addition to the discovery procedures permitted under subs. (1) to (3), the discovery procedures permitted under ch. 804 shall apply in all proceedings under this chapter.

History: 1977 c. 354; 1985 a. 262; 1989 a. 121; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 77, 275; 1997 a. 292; 1999 a. 149; 2005 a. 42; 2013 a. 170.

Judicial Council Note, 1985: Sub. (3) makes videotaped oral statements of children in the possession, custody or control of the state discoverable upon demand by the child, child's counsel or guardian ad litem. These statements may be admissible under s. 908.08, stats. [85 Act 262]

The juvenile court must make a threshold relevancy determination by an in camera review when confronted with: 1) a discovery request under s. 48.293 (2); 2) an inspection request of juvenile records under ss. 48.396 (2) and 938.396 (2); or 3) an inspection request of agency records under ss. 48.78 (2) (a) and 938.78 (2) (a). The test for permissible discovery is whether the information sought appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. Courtney F. v. Ramiro M.C. 2004 WI App 36, 269 Wis. 2d 709, 676 N.W.2d 545, 03-3018.