Patrick L. Willis

Judge Patrick L. Willis presided over Steven Avery's 2007 trial. On Day 1, he accepted Avery's stipulation to the felony-conviction element of the firearm charge after a rights colloquy. When the defense challenged a statement in the prosecution's opening about the presumption of innocence, Willis agreed it was not technically correct and repeated that instruction to the jury before the defense opening.

Willis declined a mistrial over Bobby Dassey's testimony about an alleged remark by Avery, while offering the defense more time and options for cross-examination. Later, he allowed the State's EDTA expert opinions and denied requests for reconsideration and sequential independent testing. On Day 21, he denied renewed fair-testing and search-suppression motions but dismissed the false-imprisonment charge for insufficient evidence.

Willis also addressed juror service and the instructions governing deliberations. He denied a motion to strike a juror who had served in an earlier civil trial involving Detective Dave Remiker, later questioned seated jurors about possible exposure to publicity and outside contact, and approved a defense-theory instruction while declining separate exhibit-weight and spoliation instructions. He instructed the jury on the three remaining charges and Avery's right not to testify. After a juror was excused for a family emergency, he instructed the substituted alternate and the other jurors to begin deliberations anew.

On Day 27, Willis read the jury's verdicts and polled the jurors. The jury found Avery guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and firearm possession and not guilty of mutilating a corpse. Willis discharged the jurors with guidance on discussing the case, then entered convictions on the two guilty counts and an acquittal on the third. He ordered a presentence report and revoked bail; the post-verdict exchange did not set a deadline or hearing date for defense motions.