[WI] Can I sue the sheriff for defamation after being wrongfully charged?
On Dec 29, 2023, I was charged with a crime I didn’t commit. I was acquitted in 2024, but the charge is still online and I can’t find work. I used to get jobs through Care.com but I’m now banned. I’ve sent 50+ applications with only one callback. I have a degree in Early Childhood Education but can’t work in my field. I’m considering going back to school, relocating, and changing careers. I’ve been diagnosed with major depression, PTSD, and anxiety tied to this and the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department. I had no criminal record before. The original charge was “maintaining a drug trafficking place,” but I pled guilty to possession of THC. I want to sue the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department for defamation, get my property back, and be compensated for lost income.
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Thank you—those details help. A lawyer can:
- Seek return of property (including firearms) or compensation, even without receipts, via a motion for return of property.
- Evaluate defamation/civil claims and other potential claims (e.g., civil rights) (Wis. Stat. § 895.05).
- Assess timing (your records request and the summons two days later).
- Address any concern about ongoing surveillance (Wis. Stat. § 995.50).
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On Dec 29, 2023, I was charged with a crime I didn’t commit. I was acquitted in 2024, but the charge is still online and I can’t find work. I used to get jobs through Care.com but I’m now banned. I’ve sent 50+ applications with only one callback. I have a degree in Early Childhood Education but can’t work in my field. I’m considering going back to school, relocating, and changing careers. I’ve been diagnosed with major depression, PTSD, and anxiety tied to this and the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department. I had no criminal record before. The original charge was “maintaining a drug trafficking place,” but I pled guilty to possession of THC. I want to sue the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department for defamation, get my property back, and be compensated for lost income.
Lexi, Chatbot
Sorry you’re going through this. What specific statements or actions by the Sheriff’s Department do you believe are defamatory?
The charge itself being public and the degrading treatment. I’ve been trying to get a job for over a year.
Lexi, Chatbot
Have you consulted a lawyer yet?
No.
Lexi, Chatbot
Anything else we should know?
Yes.
Jon
Hi, I’m Jon, a licensed attorney. I’m here to help. You want to know if you have a defamation case against the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department?
Yes.
Jon
Is this your first step, or have you taken any action yet?
First step.
Jon
Got it. Before I analyze, a few clarifying points would help:
- What exactly did the Sheriff’s Department say or publish (press release, social media, reports)?
- Who saw or heard it?
- What do you mean by “degrading treatment” (specific words/actions)?
- Please keep documentation of job losses (Care.com ban, 50+ applications, rejections).
- List the property you say is being held and why it should be returned.
- Your mental-health diagnoses and how they tie to these events.
- How the original “maintaining a drug trafficking place” charge resolved relative to the later THC plea.
The guns need to be returned. All seized property needs to be returned or I should be compensated. I don’t know everything they took—my husband bought the items and I don’t have receipts. My attorney first told me to plead guilty to “maintaining a drug trafficking place” and said it would come off my record in 2 years. I didn’t believe that and wouldn’t plead guilty to something I didn’t do. I should have gone to trial, but my lawyer advised against it. Two days after I requested police reports (after my husband’s death) I received a court summons. They’re watching me and still are.
On Dec 29, 2023, I called 911 around 8:40 AM because my husband had a gun to his head. At 1:04 PM he shot himself. 911 was called two more times before the Sheriff’s Department arrived around 1:16 PM. They were stationed a half-mile away and didn’t hear a .45 go off. They let his brother and father enter and find him at 1:06 PM. They didn’t release the texts or calls with Dodge County. They told my husband I wouldn’t reconcile with him— I think that’s why he did it. They told me they couldn’t lie to him; I said they should have. I found child pornography on his laptop; police never investigated. I want a competent organization to investigate and ensure the child is safe. The only thing investigated was marijuana plants supposedly in the basement, leading to the “maintaining a drug trafficking place” charge.
Jon
Thank you—those details help. A lawyer can:
- Seek return of property (including firearms) or compensation, even without receipts, via a motion for return of property.
- Evaluate defamation/civil claims and other potential claims (e.g., civil rights) (Wis. Stat. § 895.05).
- Assess timing (your records request and the summons two days later).
- Address any concern about ongoing surveillance (Wis. Stat. § 995.50).
Thank you.
Jon
Glad to help—reach out anytime.
One more question—what type of lawyer should I contact?
Jon
A litigation attorney.
Jon
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