48.08 Duties of person furnishing services to court.

(1) It is the duty of each person appointed to furnish services to the court as provided in ss. 48.06 and 48.07 to make such investigations and exercise such discretionary powers as the judge may direct, to keep a written record of such investigations and to submit a report to the judge. Such person shall keep informed concerning the conduct and condition of a child or expectant mother of an unborn child under the person's supervision and shall report on that conduct and condition as the judge directs.

(2) Any person authorized to provide or providing intake or dispositional services for the court under ss. 48.067 and 48.069 has the power of police officers and deputy sheriffs only for the purpose of taking a child into physical custody when the child comes voluntarily or is suffering from illness or injury or is in immediate danger from his or her surroundings and removal from the surroundings is necessary.

(3) Any person authorized to provide or providing intake or dispositional services for the court under s. 48.067 or 48.069 has the power of police officers and deputy sheriffs only for the purpose of taking the expectant mother of an unborn child into physical custody when the expectant mother comes voluntarily or when there is a substantial risk that the physical health of the unborn child, and of the child when born, will be seriously affected or endangered due to the expectant mother's habitual lack of self-control in the use of alcohol beverages, controlled substances or controlled substance analogs, exhibited to a severe degree.

History: 1975 c. 302, 421; 1977 c. 354; 1979 c. 300; 1985 a. 320; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1995 a. 27, 77; 1997 a. 292.

A judge may order the department to provide information on foster care placements in a county. In Interest of J. A. 138 Wis. 2d 483, 406 N.W.2d 372 (1987).