Legal Question in Criminal Law in Wisconsin

Party to the Crime of Robbery by Three Siblings, Liability as a Lookout, Court Appointed Attorneys

In WI, all defendants charged with major felonies have the right to an attorney. The WI State Public Defender's Office is responsible for representing persons who satisfy the state's definition of indigency (inability to hire one's own lawyer due to lack of assets). Many counties also have local programs for representation of persons who make too much money or own too many assets to get a public defender. If the mother cannot afford an attorney, she should therefore start with your local WI Public Defender's Office. Unfortunately, as for your nephew who was the "lookout," in WI he is liable for all the same penalties as those to actually executed the robbery under the "party to a crime" laws. It might be more possible, however, for someone in his position to obtain more lenient treatment in return for testifying against the others. Armed robberies or roberries by force in WI usually result in long prison terms upon conviction. Maximum penalties can run 25 years or longer. Hence, your relatives really need to be represented as soon as possible. However, my comments in this online forum to not constitute legal advice and do not create any attorney client relationship between us.