ONLINE: Sentencing Part II: Judicial Candidate Forum
press release: Judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys all play a role in sentencing. In Wisconsin, sentencing officials must abide by maximum sentence laws but are generally not constrained by mandatory minimums. They jointly make a decision about what sentence to impose for each case. In Dane County all but about 1% of sentences are set by a plea bargain and a joint agreement between the accused, represented by his or her defense lawyer, and the prosecutor. Consequently, the length of sentences in Dane County are determined largely by a courthouse culture of sentencing which is not necessarily in line with current data driven best practices.
The second forum in MOSES Madison's series takes place March 23, from 6:30 to 8:00. It will start with a presentation by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas McNamara on how the Dane County Court system operates. Then judicial candidates will have an opportunity to briefly introduce themselves to the audience. The event will conclude with a question and answer session with the candidates.
The forum will take place on Facebook. Registration is encouraged.
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