Wisconsin DOJ issues open carry memo

The Wisconsin Attorney General has issued an advisory memorandum to that state's prosecutors on the issue of open carry, and the relationship to that state's disorderly conduct statute.

From the memo (footnotes omitted):

Under Article I, § 25 of the Wisconsin Constitution, a person has the right to openly carry a firearm for any of the purposes enumerated in that Section, subject to reasonable regulation as discussed herein. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (the Department) believes that the mere open carrying of a firearm by a person, absent additional facts and circumstances, should not result in a disorderly conduct charge from a prosecutor. [emphasis added]
...
Applying these principles to open carry matters, we recognize that under certain circumstances, openly carrying a firearm may contribute to a disorderly conduct charge. But this determination must take into account the constitutional protection afforded by Article I, § 25 of the Wisconsin Constitution. The Department believes that mere open carry of a firearm, absent additional facts and circumstances, should not result in a disorderly conduct charge. For example, a hunter openly carrying a rifle or shotgun on his property during hunting season while quietly tracking game should not face a disorderly conduct charge. But if the same hunter carries the same rifle or shotgun through a crowded street while barking at a passerby, the conduct may lose its constitutional protection. See Werstein, 60 Wis. 2d at 672-73 (collecting cases illustrating disorderly conduct) (“In each of these cases, convictions for being ‘otherwise disorderly’ resulted from the inappropriateness of specific conduct because of the circumstances involved”) (emphasis added).

The same concepts should apply to handguns. The state constitutional right to bear arms extends to openly carrying a handgun for lawful purposes. As illustrated by a recent municipal court case in West Allis, a person openly carrying a holstered handgun on his own property while doing lawn work should not face a disorderly conduct charge. If, however, a person brandishes a handgun in public, the conduct may lose its constitutional protection. Again, “[i]t is the combination of conduct and circumstances that is crucial in applying the [disorderly conduct] statute to a particular situation.” Maker, 48 Wis. 2d at 616. [emphasis added]...

Read the advisory memorandum here. I think this is a positive step for Wisconsin open carry, and hopefully should help mitigate some of the law enforcement and prosecutorial harassment of peaceful, law-abiding citizens' carrying openly (which is unfortunately the only option available to them at this time).