State Ex Rel. Sowle v. Brittich

The defendant raises three questions: (1) Was the refusal to grant the defendant’s request for a jury trial a violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights; (2) did the court err in applying to this proceeding sec. 52.355, Stats., which changed the burden of proof in paternity cases from “beyond a reasonable doubt” to that of “clear and satisfactory evidence;” (3) does the evidence sustain the finding of the court ?

What are now designated as paternity proceedings, but formerly as illegitimacy or bastardy proceedings, are in fact civil proceedings. Early in the history of this state such…