Legal Question in Criminal Law in Wisconsin

Loss of Federal Disability Benefits, Re-Opening Guilty Plea for Selling Morphine Prescription

Pleas of guilty or no contest in criminal matters can only be reopened upon a showing that the plea was not knowing, free or voluntary. Most judges will not accept such a plea if these conditions are not met, hence it is extremely difficult to reopen them. I would need to see a transcript of the plea hearing in order to assess your friend's options. Generally speaking, knowledge of the penalties is a required element of a knowing plea, so if your friend was not informed of the conviction's effect on her disability, she may have a valid issue. Additionally, the defendant has a right to effective counsel, although the standard is fairly low on this.