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Founding partner of DeWitt Ross & Stevens dies (access required)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 2:44 pm

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

Attorney Jack DeWitt, one of the founding partners of Madison-based DeWitt Ross & Stevens SC, died Tuesday night of natural causes at his home, according to firm marketing director Michelle Friedman.

Brookfield attorney pleads guilty to fraud (UPDATE) (access required)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 2:30 pm

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

A Brookfield attorney who pled guilty to felony fraud charges on Wednesday could face a stricter sentence structure than normal because of missed court appearances that resulted in his arrest and incarceration.

High court torn over law banning lie about medals

The Supreme Court appeared sharply divided Wednesday over a law that makes it a crime to lie about having been awarded top military honors.

Court gives lawmakers last chance to revisit election maps (UPDATE)


POSTED: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 1:21 pm

BY: Associated Press

Federal judges gave Republican lawmakers a final three-hour window Wednesday to decide whether to modify their newly drawn election maps or stand trial on legal challenges.

Incumbent judges move on in primary election (access required)

All four incumbent circuit judges running for re-election in the spring survived the Tuesday primary, but three finished second on the ballots.

Who’s Doing What: Additions to Michael Best & Friedrich staff (access required)

Victor Allen, Dayna Frenkel, M. Rhett Holland, Gregory Tears and Zachary Watters joined Michael Best & Friedrich LLP in its Milwaukee office.

Making the most of expert witnesses (access required)

POSTED: Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 9:04 am

BY: DOLAN NEWSWIRES

At best, expert testimony can be the viewfinder that brings blurry evidence into focus for the jury. At worst, an expert can confuse, bore or even offend jurors.

How to use online jury research (access required)

Online jury research isn’t a standalone tool, but it can be a valuable complement to more traditional research.

Assembly ends workplace discrimination awards

POSTED: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 9:17 pm

BY: Associated Press

The state Assembly has passed a bill that would put an end to punitive and compensatory damages for workplace discrimination.

Complaint filed against Madison attorney involved in redistricting (access required)

POSTED: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 4:48 pm

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

A Madison attorney hired to provide legal guidance on legislative redistricting in Wisconsin is the subject of an ethics complaint filed with the Office of Lawyer Regulation.

Trial to decide who’s responsible for costly cleanup of Fox River?

POSTED: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 1:22 pm

BY: Associated Press

A federal trial in Milwaukee has several paper companies arguing over which firms are responsible for cleaning up the Fox River contaminated decades ago by discharges from the papermaking process.

Tribal court transfer statute up for first review (access required)

For the first time since enactment of sec.801.54(2), governing which court should hear a case when both state and tribal courts have jurisdiction, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will interpret the new rule.

Judges want lawmakers to reassess voting maps 
(UPDATE)

POSTED: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 1:01 pm

BY: Associated Press

Federal judges on Tuesday postponed a trial over the state’s latest election maps, telling lawyers for both sides to spend the day determining whether lawmakers would consider drawing new maps.

Attorney plans to challenge constitutionality of felony gun charge (UPDATE) (access required)

POSTED: Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at 11:08 am

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

A felony gun case against a Wauwatosa attorney took a unique twist Tuesday when the defense announced plans to challenge the constitutionality of Wisconsin’s gun silencer statute.

Circuit court primary elections set for Tuesday (access required)

While there are no statewide judicial races to attract voters this spring, Wisconsin will have six circuit court primaries Tuesday.

Justices to consider error methodology (access required)

POSTED: Monday, February 20th, 2012 at 2:26 pm

BY: David Ziemer, david.ziemer@wislawjournal.com

Few rulings on appeal are as frustrating for a defense attorney as one that holds the defense is correct on the merits, but that the error was harmless.

Department of Labor issues new visa rule (access required)

POSTED: Monday, February 20th, 2012 at 2:22 pm

BY: KIMBERLY ATKINS, Dolan Newswires

The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a new final rule governing the H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker program that the agency said will give U.S. workers greater protections and job access.

Board of Bar Examiners could push mandatory credits outside of the classroom (access required)

The local newspaper disappeared and the Wall Street Journal took its place between the attorney’s face and the bankruptcy presentation at the front of the room.

Contract lawyers see opportunities, limits in same-sex cases (access required)

POSTED: Monday, February 20th, 2012 at 12:11 pm

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

Dissolving same-sex relationships offer business and transactional attorneys a relatively untapped, unexpected market.

Who’s Doing What: New hires at von Briesen; new partner at Axley (access required)

Thomas Burmeister, Nicholas Castronovo, Ryan Gehrke and Eileen Kelley joined von Briesen & Roper SC, Milwaukee.

Hurdles remain for $52 million patent verdict (access required)

POSTED: Friday, February 17th, 2012 at 2:52 pm

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

A $52 million federal jury verdict won by a small Middleton firm is the largest patent infringement award in the history of the Western District and could triple in coming weeks.

At the class certification stage, a harder look at experts (access required)

POSTED: Friday, February 17th, 2012 at 2:42 pm

BY: KIMBERLY ATKINS, Dolan Newswires

In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court made it tougher for large groups of plaintiffs to prove that they should proceed in a class action, courts have been taking a harder look at a key type of evidence plaintiffs use to make that case: expert witness testimony.

Judge denies Walker request for extension (UPDATE)

POSTED: Friday, February 17th, 2012 at 2:32 pm

BY: Associated Press

A judge has denied Gov. Scott Walker’s request for a two-week extension to review recall petition signatures.

Brennan takes road less traveled on career path (access required)

POSTED: Friday, February 17th, 2012 at 11:49 am

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

When attorney Pat Brennan graduated law school in 1981, he could have joined his father’s Janesville law practice, Brennan Steil SC.

Wisconsin Law Journal honors legal leaders

POSTED: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 at 7:16 pm

BY: WISCONSIN LAW JOURNAL STAFF

The Wisconsin Law Journal named its 2012 Leaders in the Law in an event at the Milwaukee Hilton City Center on Thursday night.

Lawmakers introduce SPD pay progression bill (access required)

POSTED: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 at 4:07 pm

BY: Jack Zemlicka, jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com

Legislators introduced a bill Wednesday to establish a pay progression system for assistant State Public Defenders.

Federal court issues scathing order against GOP

POSTED: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 at 3:58 pm

BY: Associated Press

A federal court in Milwaukee has issued another scathing order against Republican lawmakers, forcing them to make public emails and other documents related to redistricting that they wanted to keep secret.

Federal removal statute creates venue changes (access required)

POSTED: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 at 2:10 pm

BY: DAVID E FRANK

Civil practitioners say a new federal venue law that quietly went into effect last month will lead to an increase in diversity-based discovery and cut down on the “jurisdictional gamesmanship” that regularly occurs in litigation.

Democrats use Gableman case to propose series of ethics reforms

POSTED: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 at 12:47 pm

BY: Associated Press

Assembly Democrats are proposing a series of reforms that would make the state Legislature subject to the open meetings law and force members of the Supreme Court to step down from cases involving law firms they’ve received donations from.

New judge assigned to case of former Walker aide

POSTED: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 at 11:53 am

BY: Associated Press

A new judge has been assigned to the case of Timothy D. Russell, a former aide to Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was the Milwaukee County executive.

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