Wisconsin Law Journal – WI Legal News & Resources Wisconsin Legal News & Resources

Wisconsin’s open-records law is most often used by requesters seeking to obtain records from a government agency. But occasionally it works in reverse, allowing someone to block the release of records to a requester.

The patient sat in Dr. Shefaali Sharma’s exam room, distraught. She was pregnant with her third child. Just weeks earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court had revoked the federally protected, constitutional right to an abortion, restoring Wisconsin’s near-total abortion ban from the 1800s.

Law enforcement officers in Wisconsin kill people at among the lower per capita rates in the country. But some agencies, including the sheriff’s departments in Marinette and Walworth counties, have killed people at much higher rates since 2013.

Greg Strickland chuckles when he recalls the extraordinary measures his law firm’s residential real estate attorneys took just to collect signatures on closing packages when the pandemic shut down businesses everywhere in 2020.

Disciplining and terminating employees are realities of doing business, but by adhering to certain practices, employers can help reduce the risk of costly litigation.

The Wisconsin State Supreme Court issued a ruling earlier this month that open government advocates say deals “a body blow to the state’s traditions of open government” and encourages public agencies to work in greater secrecy.

The confluence of law and politics does not always equal good policy. A good example is the continuing efforts over the years to deal with the issue of the effect of deployed service people and the placement of minor children.

It goes back to age thirteen. That is when my current client, we will call her Andrea, first made it known she wanted Dad’s vintage slot machine in the corner of their unfinished basement. At the time, her older sister Rachel couldn’t have cared less.

As employers prepare to carry out possible Reductions-in-Force in anticipation of a looming recession, there are many less drastic alternatives that may be worth considering.

The attack came without warning and, as far as Jessica “Jesi” Ewers could tell, without provocation. It was early in the morning of Oct.19, 2020. Asleep at her home near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, she woke up to her boyfriend, James “J.T.” Budworth, beating her. He punched her, tried to strangle her, destroyed her cellphone and threatened to kill her and her children. He also bit her, once on the collarbone and once on the arm, where he tore off a chunk of flesh. 

On May 24, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, with two justices dissenting, dismissed an appeal of the Court of Appeals decision in State v. Lee, 2021 WI App 12, in a per curium “decision” of less than one page.

On May 31, the Milwaukee Youtuber Tommy Gerszewski, also known as “Tommy G.”, posted a sixteen-minute documentary on the Kia Boys which quickly garnered the attention of local and national media.

Here's a simple idea: Courts should serve the public. In particular, parties should be allowed to be divorced without the costs and inconvenience of a public court appearance.

A lawsuit filed against the Minnesota Department Corrections has brought international attention to the treatment of transgender inmates in prison. Gender Justice, a nonprofit advocacy organization in St. Paul, and Robins Kaplan LLP filed a complaint June 6 in Ramsey County District Court on behalf of a transgender inmate.

The decision whether to litigate in state or federal court is a very important strategic choice that needs to be made at the outset of litigation.

By Phoebe Petrovic Wisconsin Watch and WPR About 50 abortion rights supporters stood on the bridge over the Wisconsin River into Sauk City on a sunny Saturday morning in mid-May. They held signs reading “CHOICE” and “PROTECT ROE v. WADE” and cheered when passing cars honked in support. Jennie Klecker brought three generations of her family out on the bridge ...

Since 1979, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has allowed cameras and microphones in state courtrooms, subject to reasonable restrictions.

NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo has made it clear she intends to ask the Board to no longer allow captive audience meetings, effectively changing how employers have addressed union campaigns for the last 6+ decades.

Second-year UW Law student Jacob Gardner recently published his debut novel North of Highway 8, a story rooted in Wisconsin experiences and values.

Until about the mid-1870's—most aspiring lawyers did not attend law school and did not take a bar examination.

On May 2, 2022, the Supreme Court’s draft majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, was leaked to the public and suggested that the Court intends to overturn Roe. Although the Supreme Court’s draft opinion does not have any binding legal authority, some large, multi-state employers have announced steps to support employee access to abortion and related reproductive medical services, specifically for those employees residing in states that do (or will) restrict abortion.

According to the most recent records published by the Administrate Office of the United States Courts, nearly 60% of new civil cases brought in the federal courts were based on diversity jurisdiction. If you remove cases in which the U.S. is a party, that number jumps to more than 67%. Thus, more than two-thirds of recent civil cases brought in ...

In a politically charged era where activism is considered noble, HR managers are confronting new challenges in the workplace in an attempt to find balance between the expression of disparate views while maintaining a productive and cohesive workplace. Just Another Day at the Office IT specialist Peter is a devout Catholic. His cubicle displays a Papal flag and other religious ...

Intake is one of the most critical aspects of any law firm. But far too often firms don’t give the intake process the special attention it deserves. When that happens, money goes flying out the door.

In all of the columns which I have written for this publication over the years (and there have been many) none have elicited more an angry response than my article on the Court of Appeals decision in Valadez v. Valadez, 2021AP1500: “The Valadez case: A bad start to the year."

With just a few months left to the school year, we all look to a strong, positive finish to what again has been a challenging year for school districts. Though I hope we are moving past mask and vaccine mandate debates and other COVID-related issues, we still have those last couple of warm months to navigate with restless students who ...

Following a federal judge’s ruling last week, striking down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) mask mandate in airports and other public transportation settings nationwide, the agency’s ability to impose future restrictions is in doubt.