The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that a person accused of a crime has the right to be confronted with the witnesses against him (the confrontation clause), and states that:

“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.”

In Wisconsin, as in all states, the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees criminal defendants certain rights to ensure a fair trial. These rights include the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury in the state and district where the crime was committed. The state of Wisconsin must follow federal law, which requires that the location of the trial be established by law before the offense occurs. Defendants also have the right to be informed of the charges against them, to confront and cross-examine the witnesses who testify against them, and to subpoena witnesses in their defense through the compulsory process. Additionally, defendants in Wisconsin have the right to the assistance of an attorney, and if they cannot afford one, the state is obligated to provide an attorney at no cost to the defendant. These rights are enshrined in both the U.S. Constitution and the Wisconsin State Constitution, and they are upheld by state statutes and the Wisconsin courts.