Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Lifetime GPS Monitoring Not Punishment

The Wisconsin Supreme Court says judges don’t need to tell child molesters they’ll be subject to lifetime GPS monitoring when they enter pleas because monitoring doesn’t amount to punishment.

The case stems from convicted child sex offender DeAnthony Muldrow’s 2015 demand to withdraw his guilty plea because he wasn’t told he would be subject to lifetime monitoring. A state appeals court ruled that GPS monitoring isn’t punishment and Muldrow didn’t need to be told about it because it wasn’t a direct consequence of his plea.

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the neither the intent nor the effect of lifetime monitoring is punitive and defendants don’t need to be told about it before they enter pleas.

Muldrow’s attorney, Leonard Kachinsky, says he’s disappointed and hopes judges will still inform defendants.