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

Lawmakers struck a compromise Tuesday on legislation meant to remove obstacles to the involuntary treatment of people suffering from mental illnesses.

Tagged with: mental illness Scott Walker

Until 5:05 p.m. Wednesday night, state Rep. Gary Hebl thought there would be an amendment to a bill requiring the installation of devices that prevent someone convicted more than once of drunken driving from starting a car after having a drink.

Tagged with: drunken driving Jim Ott

Despite concerns that the move might be “only political” in nature, an Assembly committee on Thursday voted in favor of a measure that would amend Wisconsin’s constitution to require biennial elections of the state’s chief justice.

Tagged with: Elections Wisconsin Supreme Court

Lawmakers are considering special fees for insurers as the price to prevent fraud in the state’s workers’ compensation system.

Tagged with: DOJ DWD John Chisholm workers' comp

A Wisconsin Court of Appeals declined Monday to issue a legal stay the state attorney general had sought in a challenge of a 2011 law stripping most public workers of collective-bargaining rights.

Tagged with: collective bargaining J.B. Van Hollen Juan Colas unions Wisconsin Supreme Court

The Wisconsin Attorney General is calling on the state Supreme Court and court of appeals to allow school union elections to go forward despite a Dane County judge’s order to the contrary.

Tagged with: collective bargaining J.B. Van Hollen Juan Colas unions Wisconsin Supreme Court

As the State Bar and others work on alternatives to Supreme Court elections, a new report pointed to the increasingly high spending on races for Wisconsin’s highest court.

Tagged with: David Prosser JoAnne Kloppenburg Wisconsin Supreme Court

State Supreme Court justices heard arguments Wednesday debating what sort of domestic-partnership law would comply with the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Tagged with: Balisle & Roberson Christopher Krimmer Defense of Marriage Act gay marriage same-sex marriage Wisconsin Supreme Court

The group questioning the constitutionality of Wisconsin’s domestic partnerships registry has changed tactics now that it is bringing its case to the state Supreme Court, according to a lawyer specializing in family law.



Tagged with: Balisle & Roberson Christopher Krimmer gay marriage Wisconsin Family Action Wisconsin Supreme Court

Annette Bruner’s son meant much more to her than $25,000.

Tagged with: Annette Bruner Byron Lichstein DNA Forest Shomberg Michael Schumacher

Bar and liquor owners could obtain judgments of $1,000 against underage drinkers they sue in civil court under a bill passed by the state Senate on Tuesday.

Tagged with: underage drinking

The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday governing what information doctors are obliged to provide to patients.

Tagged with: David Prosser Glenn Grothman informed consent malpractice Wisconsin Supreme Court

The Wisconsin Supreme Court announced Friday that it has accepted five new cases and denied opportunities to review a long list of others.

Tagged with: Rape shield law Wisconsin Supreme Court

In amending a bill concerning what doctors must tell patients about alternatives to prescribed medical treatments, lawmakers have missed the mark, says the president of Wisconsin’s trial lawyers association.

Tagged with: David Prosser Glenn Grothman informed consent Jeff Pitman malpractice Wisconsin Association for Justice Wisconsin Supreme Court

Prosecutors would no longer have to enlist pharmacologists to attest to the psychological effects of synthetic drugs in cases against sellers of the banned substances, under a bill heard by the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor on Wednesday.

Tagged with: Brad Schimel Karie Cattanach synthetic drugs

Republican state senators shot down four amendments Democrats offered Tuesday to a bill that would place a $30 million cap on the contingency fees the state can pay to law firms.

Tagged with: contingency fees Fred Risser Scott Walker Torts

Underage drinkers who use fake IDs to buy alcohol would be subject to civil lawsuits under a bill passed by a state Senate committee.

Tagged with: Scott Walker

State lawmakers approved a bill Tuesday that would require divorcees to provide notice courts of a new marriage, triggering a cessation of child support and maintenance payments.

Tagged with: Fred Risser Glenn Grothman maintenance

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next month in a legal challenge of the 2011 law stripping most public workers of nearly all their collective bargaining rights.

Tagged with: 7th Circuit Court of Appeals collective bargaining Juan Colas unions William Conley Wisconsin Supreme Court

A state Senator is seeking to grant legal immunity to “a new type of good Samaritan:” someone who, despite illegally using drugs or alcohol, takes another person to an emergency room to prevent an overdose.

Tagged with: DOJ heroin

The Wisconsin Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor approved a bill Tuesday that would prevent law firms from receiving more than $30 million from contingency-fee contracts held with the state.

Tagged with: contingency fees Fred Risser G.A.B.

Many of the biggest battles over hotly contested Republican-backed legislation in recent years have been fought a block away from the state Capitol at the Dane County Courthouse.

Tagged with: courthouse Dane County Glenn Grothman Inside Courthouses Richard Niess Steven Means voter ID

State lawmakers on Tuesday approved a bill allowing police officers to search a parolee they reasonably suspect has committed or is about to commit a crime.

Tagged with: parole Probation searches

Wisconsin’s law stripping most public employees of all but a few of their collective bargaining rights does not violate the Constitution, a U.S. district judge ruled Wednesday.

Tagged with: 7th Circuit Court of Appeals collective bargaining J.B. Van Hollen unions William Conley

When David Turnpaugh appeared before the Wisconsin Claims Board on Wednesday for the third time in three years, he knew he would receive compensation for his wrongful conviction on prostitution and bail-jumping charges in 2006.

Tagged with: Brian Hagedorn Court of Appeals David Turnpaugh Paul Van Grunsven Wisconsin Claims Board

A construction company is alleging it is out $217,499 and accusing Wisconsin officials of violating procurement rules by insisting on the use of a particular product for a veterans home project.

Tagged with: DOA Wisconsin Claims Board

Legislation that would deregulate pepper spray in Wisconsin is scheduled for a public hearing Tuesday in Madison.

Tagged with: Frank Lasee

The National Association of Attorneys General are scheduled to meet Sept. 16-18 in Milwaukee on measures that prosecutors and law enforcement officials can take to keep children safe.

Tagged with: J.B. Van Hollen

Brown County officials had to wait months before prosecuting a man arrested in September on suspicion of selling synthetic drugs.

Tagged with: Garey Bies synthetic drugs

Even though independent groups spent $1.2 million on the spring’s Supreme Court election, the contest was one of the cheapest in recent years.

Tagged with: Ed Fallone election Pat Roggensack Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Wisconsin Supreme Court