State v. Popanz
Wisconsin Supreme Court
332 N.W.2d 750 (1983)
- Written by Emily Laird, JD
Facts
The state of Wisconsin prosecuted Laurence Popanz (defendant) in state court for violating state compulsory-education statutes requiring the regular attendance of Wisconsin children in public or private schools. In the statute, there was no definition of what constituted private schooling. In the absence of a statutory definition of private school, school attendance officers and school administrators were solely responsible for deciding what sorts of alternative school attendance qualified as private schooling under the statute. Popanz claimed the compulsory-education statute was void for vagueness because the statute contained no definition of private school. The lower state court convicted Popanz of violating the compulsory-attendance statute. Popanz appealed to the state court of appeals, which affirmed the lower court’s conviction. Popanz appealed his conviction again to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Abrahamson, J.)
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