Bill aims to expedite criminal proceedings involving elderly

Listen to this article

Legislation before a Wisconsin State Assembly committee is meant to expedite criminal proceedings involving elderly victims and witnesses.

The Assembly Committee on Judiciary heard testimony on Assembly Bill 479 on Thursday. The bill is meant to expedite criminal proceedings and preserve testimony when a victim or witness is an elderly person. The proposal would give courts 60 days after a lawyers file a motion to preserve testimony in criminal and delinquency cases and juvenile dispositions to hold a hearing to record the testimony.

Sen. Patrick Testin, a Republican from Stevens Point and an author the bill, said his proposal is meant to reduce stress for people who are 60 or older and involved in criminal proceedings. He said the bill’s authors chose the age of 60 to stay in keeping with state and federal statutes.

Helen Marks Dicks, state issues advocacy director of AARP Wisconsin, said the organization supports the bill.

“People who are going through these processes are already upset about being victimized,” Marks Dicks said. “They are reluctant to talk to family and friends about it because it makes them look like they’re not competent. Then to have to worry about the court proceedings and the timing, it’s an increasing drain on both their confidence and their mental health.”.

The committee also held public hearings on bills that would help public defenders in rural areas pay off student loans and rules to clarify standards for private attorneys who take public-defender cases.