Commentary: I am not my brother’s dog’s keeper
Mark Twain once remarked that the major difference between a man and a dog is that, if a dog is cold and hungry, and you shelter and feed it, the dog will be grateful. The man, in contrast, will steal your best whiskey. Twain’s remark played out in a case that the Wisconsin Supreme Court […]
Commentary: Sometimes it is personal: Reflections of a criminal attorney
When most of us graduated from law school and started out as attorneys, we were charged with a sobering task — to uphold the law. We were taught that no one principle of the Constitution was more important than another, and that because something is popular does not mean that it is right. We should […]
Commentary: I wish you a Happy New Decade
In a few days a new year, indeed a new decade, shall begin. The last decade sure was grand. Or at least the first nine years of it were. Let’s hope the decade to come is even better. In that spirit, let me wish all our readers a brilliant new decade filled every day with […]
Commentary: Excerpt from the diary of a madman
No reasonable person could possibly dispute that Nikolai Gogol was the greatest writer of his age, in Russian or any other language. Of course, he also wound up stark raving mad. Nevertheless, aware of the risks to my sanity, I shall write about my overcoat. Among my duties here at the Law Journal is attending […]
Commentary: Limited liability? Not so fast
Most attorneys will recommend that when starting a business, a client should form some sort of entity to limit the personal liability that the business owner may face. Usually, this involves a conversation on the limits of a corporation’s or LLC’s liability protection, including a respect for the entity’s separate legal existence to avoid the […]
Commentary: Strive for clarity in your legal writing
The days of lawyers providing a service by either creating or interpreting secret “lawyer code” are gone. I think lawyers at one time felt that by creating a secret language that everyone else had a hard time interpreting, they were creating job security for themselves. But the current trend calls for less flowery language and […]
Commentary: Ideological discrimination in law firm hiring?
I am experiencing something very novel for me – internal conflict. The source is an advice column called “The Ethicist” in the New York Times that has the Internet all abuzz. Here’s the reader’s question: “While interviewing law students for jobs as paid summer interns and full-time associates for my firm, I noticed several had […]
Commentary: Impartial justice or partial justices?
When I sat down to read the “Impartial Justice Bill” (signed into law by Governor Jim Doyle on Dec. 1), which provides government financing for Supreme Court campaigns, my intent was to look at it from a legal perspective. I just assumed that any legislation supported by the so-called “good-governance” groups will offend me on […]
Commentary: Modernizing your office within your means
I can’t tune into HGTV for any length of time because I get too bored, nor can I watch “Extreme Home Makeover” because it makes me cry. I just didn’t get the decorating gene. But I can and do appreciate appealing surroundings. At the recent Solo & Small Firm Conference, more than one speaker emphasized […]
Commentary: Great gifts for the tech-loving lawyer
It’s gift-giving season again, so I’ve been reviewing potential gifts for tech-loving lawyers. Here are three of my favorites that are priced right, will be used often and will make someone’s life in the office a bit better. eOffice 4.7 Software eOffice 4.7 is a software package that lets you view and edit documents and […]
Commentary: Avoiding stereotypes about Generation Y
Just in case you’ve been reading this paper for the last fifteen years and haven’t noticed yet, I’m a total civil procedure dork. As such, I’m invited, from time to time, to talk about civ pro at CLE programs. A couple weeks ago, having a couple hours to kill after a presentation before the next […]
Commentary: FDA should have no power to ban caffeine in alcohol
On Nov. 13, the Food & Drug Administration sent notices to 30 alcohol manufacturers that they may be in violation of the law for adding caffeine to various alcoholic beverages. Since caffeine and alcohol comprise two of my four basic food groups (nicotine and lard being the other two), I am deeply concerned by this. […]
Legal News
- Ruling reinstates lawsuit over ‘Black Lives Matter’ school posters
- Wisconsin Supreme Court to consider whether 175-year-old law bans abortion
- Wisconsin man facing bestiality and felony bail jumping charges
- Waukesha County woman indicted in National Health Care Fraud Law Enforcement Action
- Man sentenced to 15 months for fraud involving luxury vehicles
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Fire Marshal investigating fire that killed six
- Ozaukee County first responders save family of three, father and son on Milwaukee River
- Supreme Court sends Trump immunity case back to lower court, dimming chance of trial before election
- Brewers have American Family Field escalators inspected after malfunction results in 11 injuries
- US wants Boeing to plead guilty to fraud over fatal crashes, lawyers say
- GOP lawmakers in Wisconsin appeal ruling allowing disabled people to obtain ballots electronically
- 11 people injured when escalator malfunctions at Milwaukee ballpark
Case Digests
- Termination of Parental Rights
- First Amendment Rights
- Termination of Parental Rights
- Late Filing
- Real Estate-Attorney Fees
- Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
- Variance-Interpretation of Zoning Ordinances
- Sentencing
- Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause-Jury Instructions
- Unlawful Collection Practices-Evidence
- Sentencing-Vindictiveness
- Prisoner Grievances-Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies