Wisconsin Statutes
Wis. Stat. § 943.24 (2026)
Issue of worthless check
✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
WI-LEGdocs.legis.wisconsin.gov
JustiaChapter on Justia
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
943.24(1)(1) Whoever issues any check or other order for the payment of not more than $2,500 which, at the time of issuance, he or she intends shall not be paid is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
943.24(2)(2) Whoever issues any single check or other order for the payment of more than $2,500 or whoever within a 90-day period issues more than one check or other order amounting in the aggregate to more than $2,500 which, at the time of issuance, the person intends shall not be paid is guilty of a Class I felony.
943.24(3)(3) Any of the following is prima facie evidence that the person at the time he or she issued the check or other order for the payment of money, intended it should not be paid:
943.24(3)(a)(a) Proof that, at the time of issuance, the person did not have an account with the drawee; or
943.24(3)(b)(b) Proof that, at the time of issuance, the person did not have sufficient funds or credit with the drawee and that the person failed within 5 days after receiving written notice of nonpayment or dishonor to pay the check or other order, delivered by regular mail to either the person’s last-known address or the address provided on the check or other order; or
943.24(3)(c)(c) Proof that, when presentment was made within a reasonable time, the person did not have sufficient funds or credit with the drawee and the person failed within 5 days after receiving written notice of nonpayment or dishonor to pay the check or other order, delivered by regular mail to either the person’s last-known address or the address provided on the check or other order.
943.24(4)(4) This section does not apply to a postdated check or to a check given for a past consideration, except a payroll check.
943.24(5)(a)(a) In addition to the other penalties provided for violation of this section, a judge may order a violator to pay restitution under s. 973.20.
943.24(5)(b)(b) In actions concerning violations of ordinances in conformity with this section, a judge may order a violator to make restitution under s. 800.093.
943.24(5)(c)(c) If the court orders restitution under pars. (a) and (b), any amount of restitution paid to the victim under one of those paragraphs reduces the amount the violator must pay in restitution to that victim under the other paragraph.
943.24(6)(a)(a) If the department of justice, a district attorney, or a state or local law enforcement agency requests any of the following information under par. (b) from a financial institution, as defined in s. 705.01 (3), regarding a specific person, the financial institution shall provide the information within 10 days after receiving the request:
943.24(6)(a)2.2. Notices regarding any of the following that were issued within the 6 months immediately before the request and that relate to the person:
943.24(6)(a)2.a.a. Checks written by the person when there were insufficient funds in his or her account.
943.24(6)(a)3.3. Account statements sent to the person by the financial institution for the following:
943.24(6)(a)3.a.a. The period during which any specific check covered by a notice under subd. 2. was issued.
943.24(6)(a)3.b.b. The period immediately before and immediately after the period specified in subd. 3. a.
943.24(6)(b)(b) The department of justice, a district attorney, or a state or local law enforcement agency may request information under par. (a) only if the request is in writing and if it states that the requester is investigating whether the person specified violated this section or is prosecuting the person specified under this section.
943.24(6)(c)(c) A financial institution may not impose a fee for providing information under this subsection.
943.24 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 173; 1985 a. 179; 1987 a. 398; 1991 a. 39, 40; 1993 a. 71; 2001 a. 16, 109; 2003 a. 138, 306; 2005 a. 462.
943.24 AnnotationThe grace period under sub. (3) does not transform the issuance of a worthless check into a debt for which one may not be imprisoned under article I, section 16, of the Wisconsin Constitution. Locklear v. State, 86 Wis. 2d 603, 273 N.W.2d 334 (1979).
943.24 AnnotationChecks cashed at a dog track for the purpose of making bets were void gambling contracts under s. 895.055 and could not be enforced under this section although returned for nonsufficient funds. State v. Gonnelly, 173 Wis. 2d 503, 496 N.W.2d 671 (Ct. App. 1992).
943.24 AnnotationThe distinction between present and past consideration under sub. (4) is discussed. State v. Archambeau, 187 Wis. 2d 501, 523 N.W.2d 150 (Ct. App. 1994).
943.24 AnnotationEach different group of checks totalling more than $1,000, issued during the 15-day period, may be the basis for a separate charge under sub. (2). State v. Hubbard, 206 Wis. 2d 651, 558 N.W.2d 126 (Ct. App. 1996), 96-0865.
943.24 AnnotationAlthough sub. (5) (b) references the procedures spelled out in s. 800.093, which discusses municipal courts, the authority sub. (5) (b) confers on any “judge” continues to apply. A circuit court judge may impose restitution under this section, utilizing the procedures provided for by s. 800.093. OAG 3-12.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 31
cases, 1962–2018 · leading case: Mega Marts, Inc. v. Trevisan (In Re Trevisan), 300 B.R. 708 (Bankr. E.D. Wis. 2003).
Mega Marts, Inc. v. Trevisan (In Re Trevisan), 300 B.R. 708 (Bankr. E.D. Wis. 2003). “Addressing Wis. Stat. § 943.24 in In re Anderson, Bankruptcy Judge Martin stated: “Colliers supports the view of [Western District of Wisconsin Bankruptcy] Judge Bessman arguing that § 523(a)(2)(A) requires a finding of actual fraud other than a statutorily created fraud in…”
State v. Hubbard, 558 N.W.2d 126 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “The information charged six felony counts under § 943.24(2), Stats., on these checks. Each count identifies a different group of checks totalling more than $1,000 written during the six days.”
CoVantage Credit Union v. Stangel (In re Stangel), 593 B.R. 607 (Bankr. E.D. Wis. 2018). “Citing to *612 Wis. Stat. §§ 943.24 and 895.446, CoVantage seeks a money judgment of $7,500.”
Katze v. Randolph & Scott Mut. Fire Ins., 341 N.W.2d 689 (Wis. 1984). “His intent was to promptly sell the cattle and use the proceeds to pay off creditors who were "on his back in Dane County.”
Locklear v. State, 273 N.W.2d 334 (Wis. 1979). “On June 1, 1976 the defendant moved the court for reversal of the county court judgment and dismissal of the complaint based upon the “constitutionality” of sec. 943.24, Stats. The defendant’s brief argued (1) that sec.”
State of Minnesota v. Kristyn Nicole Schouweiler, 887 N.W.2d 22 (Minn. 2016). “2d at 151 ; see Wis. Stat. Ann. § 943.24 (4) (West 2015) (“This section does not apply to a postdated check or to a check given for a past consideration, except a payroll check.”
Munroe v. Lasch, 73 B.R. 909 (E.D. Wis. 1987). “The penalty provision of section 943.24 states that: (b) In addition to the other penalties provided for violation of this section, a judge may order a violator to pay restitution to a victim regardless of whether the violator is placed on probation under s.”
State v. Gonnelly, 496 N.W.2d 671 (Wis. Ct. App. 1992). “The complaint and information had charged Gonnelly with three felony counts of issuing a worthless check, contrary to sec. 943.24, Stats. Gonnelly cashed the checks at Geneva Lakes Kennel Club (GLKC) for the purpose of gambling.”
Pruitt v. State, 114 N.W.2d 148 (Wis. 1962). “The question is: Can a person convicted of a misdemeanor under sec. 943.24, Stats., be sentenced to the state prison? The plaintiff in error argues he cannot be so sentenced because only felonies are punishable by imprisonment in the state prison and the statutory definition of…”
State v. Karpinski, 285 N.W.2d 729 (Wis. 1979). “9 The Waukesha county district attorney has not announced any policy for prosecuting under the state marijuana law. See Locklear v. State, 86 Wis.”
Matter of Van Riper, 25 B.R. 972 (Bankr. W.D. Wis. 1982). “See Wis.Stat. § 943.24(3). 4 . See generally, National District Attorneys Association, National Prosecution Standards, 125-27, 131-32 (1977).”
State v. Tollefson, 270 N.W.2d 201 (Wis. 1978). “At the time of the escape, the defendant was serving a term in the county jail for issuing a worthless check, contrary to sec. 943.24, Stats. That offense is a misdemeanor.”
— Wis. Stat. § 943.24(1) — 6 cases
State v. Karpinski, 285 N.W.2d 729 (Wis. 1979). “9 The Waukesha county district attorney has not announced any policy for prosecuting under the state marijuana law. See Locklear v. State, 86 Wis.”
Locklear v. State, 273 N.W.2d 334 (Wis. 1979). “On June 1, 1976 the defendant moved the court for reversal of the county court judgment and dismissal of the complaint based upon the “constitutionality” of sec. 943.24, Stats. The defendant’s brief argued (1) that sec.”
State v. Krause, 469 N.W.2d 241 (Wis. Ct. App. 1991).
Monsour v. Gray, 375 F. Supp. 786 (E.D. Wis. 1973).
Reinke v. Richardson, 279 F. Supp. 155 (E.D. Wis. 1968).
— Wis. Stat. § 943.24(2) — 7 cases
State v. Hubbard, 558 N.W.2d 126 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “The information charged six felony counts under § 943.24(2), Stats., on these checks. Each count identifies a different group of checks totalling more than $1,000 written during the six days.”
Munroe v. Lasch, 73 B.R. 909 (E.D. Wis. 1987). “The penalty provision of section 943.24 states that: (b) In addition to the other penalties provided for violation of this section, a judge may order a violator to pay restitution to a victim regardless of whether the violator is placed on probation under s.”
State v. Gonnelly, 496 N.W.2d 671 (Wis. Ct. App. 1992). “The complaint and information had charged Gonnelly with three felony counts of issuing a worthless check, contrary to sec. 943.24, Stats. Gonnelly cashed the checks at Geneva Lakes Kennel Club (GLKC) for the purpose of gambling.”
State v. Judd, 433 N.W.2d 260 (Wis. Ct. App. 1988).
State v. Archambeau, 523 N.W.2d 150 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994).
— Wis. Stat. § 943.24(3) — 2 cases
Mega Marts, Inc. v. Trevisan (In Re Trevisan), 300 B.R. 708 (Bankr. E.D. Wis. 2003). “Addressing Wis. Stat. § 943.24 in In re Anderson, Bankruptcy Judge Martin stated: “Colliers supports the view of [Western District of Wisconsin Bankruptcy] Judge Bessman arguing that § 523(a)(2)(A) requires a finding of actual fraud other than a statutorily created fraud in…”
Matter of Van Riper, 25 B.R. 972 (Bankr. W.D. Wis. 1982). “See Wis.Stat. § 943.24(3). 4 . See generally, National District Attorneys Association, National Prosecution Standards, 125-27, 131-32 (1977).”
— Wis. Stat. § 943.24(3)(b) — 1 case
State v. Tolliver, 440 N.W.2d 571 (Wis. Ct. App. 1989).
— Wis. Stat. § 943.24(5)(b) — 1 case
Munroe v. Lasch, 73 B.R. 909 (E.D. Wis. 1987). “The penalty provision of section 943.24 states that: (b) In addition to the other penalties provided for violation of this section, a judge may order a violator to pay restitution to a victim regardless of whether the violator is placed on probation under s.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.