767.893 Default and stipulated judgments.

(1) Judgment when petitioner fails to appear or is unable to proceed. If a petitioner, other than the state, fails to appear and plead on the date set for the pretrial hearing or the date set for the trial or if the state is the petitioner and is unable to proceed on the date set for the pretrial hearing or the date set for the trial, the court may enter a judgment for the respondent dismissing the action, on the motion of the respondent or upon its own motion.

(1m) Judgment when mother fails to appear. Notwithstanding sub. (1), a court may enter an order adjudicating the alleged father, or male alleging that he is the father, to be the father of the child under s. 767.89 if the mother of the child fails to appear at the first appearance, scheduled genetic test, pretrial hearing, or trial if sufficient evidence exists to establish the male as the father of the child.

(2) Judgment when respondent fails to appear.

(a) Except as provided in sub. (2m), if a respondent is the alleged father and fails to appear at the first appearance, scheduled court-ordered genetic test, pretrial hearing, or trial, the court shall enter an order adjudicating the respondent to be the father and appropriate orders for support, legal custody, and physical placement. The orders shall be either served on the respondent or mailed by regular, registered, or certified mail, to the last-known address of the respondent.

(b) A default judgment may not be entered under par. (a) if there is more than one person alleged in the petition to be the father, unless any of the following applies:

1. Only one of those persons fails to appear and all of the other male respondents have been excluded as the father.

2. The alleged father who fails to appear has had genetic tests under s. 49.225 or 767.84 showing that the alleged father is not excluded and that the statistical probability of the alleged father's parentage is 99.0 percent or higher.

(2m) Judgment upon stipulation.

(a) At any time after service of the summons and petition, a respondent who is the alleged father may, with or without appearance in court and subject to the approval of the court, in writing acknowledge that he has read and understands the notice under s. 767.813 (5g) and stipulate that he is the father of the child and for child support payments, legal custody, and physical placement. The court may not approve a stipulation for child support unless it provides for payment of child support determined in a manner consistent with s. 767.511 or 767.89.

(c) If the court approves the stipulation, the court shall enter an order adjudicating the respondent to be the father as well as appropriate orders for support, legal custody and physical placement. The orders shall either be served on the respondent or mailed by regular, registered or certified mail to the last-known address of the respondent. The orders shall take effect upon entry if the respondent has so stipulated. If the respondent has not so stipulated, the orders shall take effect 30 days after service or 30 days after the date on which the orders were mailed unless, within that time, the respondent presents to the court evidence of good cause why the orders should not take effect.

(3) Motion to reopen. A default judgment, or a judgment upon stipulation unless each party appeared personally before the court at least one time during the proceeding, that is rendered under this section and that adjudicates a person to be the father of a child may be reopened:

(a) At any time upon motion or petition for good cause shown.

(b) Upon a motion under s. 806.07.

(c) Within one year after the judgment upon motion or petition, except that a respondent may not reopen more than one default judgment or more than one such stipulated judgment on a particular case under this paragraph.

(4) Appeal. An appeal of a denial of the petition or motion to reopen shall be to the court of appeals.

History: 1979 c. 352; 1983 a. 447; 1987 a. 27, 403, 413; 1989 a. 31, 56, 212; 1993 a. 481; 1995 a. 100; 1997 a. 191; 2001 a. 61; 2005 a. 443 ss. 203 to 205, 262; Stats. 2005 s. 767.893.

NOTE: 2005 Wis. Act 443 contains explanatory notes.

The respondent must appear personally under sub. (2) (a). An attorney's appearance is insufficient. Paternity of Tiffany B. 173 Wis. 2d 864, 496 N.W.2d 711 (Ct. App. 1993).