B.L.P. v. Circuit Court for Racine County

B.L.P. appeals to contempt finding for violating a dispositional order. Because we hold that juvenile courts must follow the procedures in chapter 785 of the Wisconsin Statutes when exercising contempt powers, we reverse.1

*35On October 26, 1982, B.L.P., a sixteen-year-old girl, was adjudged delinquent after being caught shoplifting. The juvenile court’s dispositional order contained a provision requiring her to attend school regularly with no unexplained absences or tardiness.

On three prior occasions, the juvenile court found B.L.P. in contempt for violating that order by being truant from…