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

Making the most of an expert witness

Although one would hope that facts such as these never repeat themselves, and the case will never be cited as directly applicable precedent; nevertheless, the case is valuable as the first published Wisconsin case discussing the duties of escrow agents ...

What the court held Case: Black v. Metro Title, Inc., No. 2005AP1423. Issue: Does an escrow agent owe a duty to an incidental beneficiary? Holdings: No. An escrow agent is an agent and fiduciary of only the parties to the ...

Sidley & Austin age discrimination case takes another step forward

An important question the decision leaves unanswered is whether a defendant could be convicted of operating while intoxicated if, although he never drives the vehicle or starts the engine, he does place the key into the ignition. In an unpublished ...

Attorneys can use the court system’s Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Access (WSCCA) Web site to track appellate cases as they move through the system. Visit the Web site. The Wisconsin court system has just made it easier ...

It is important to note that, although a district court’s refusal to impose a sentence below the guidelines because of disparity between co-defendants is not grounds for reversal on appeal, it is possible that defendants can still contend in the ...

What the court held Case: U.S. v. Boscarino, No. 05-2657 Issue: Is disparity between co-defendants’ sentences grounds for finding the sentence unreasonable, where the disparity resulted from one defendant’s cooperation with the government? Holdings: No. A sentence within a properly ...

Notice pleading: How to plead the minimum in federal employment claims

Although the court affirmed the court of appeals decision, the remedy the court adopted does not sweep as broadly. The court of appeals held that, because Progressive’s other insurance clause fails to provide uniform coverage to named insureds and occupants, ...

What the court held Case: Progressive Northern Ins. Co. v. Hall, No. 2004AP688. Issue: Can the "other insurance" clause in an automobile policy provide primary uninsured motorist coverage for the named insured, but only excess coverage for occupants? Holdings: No. ...

The decision fails to provide much guidance, either for cases pending now in which the defendant seeks to present expert testimony, or for older cases in which decisions not to admit evidence attacking eyewitness identifications are being reviewed. The court ...

What the court held Case: State v. Shomberg, No. 2004AP630-CR. Issue: Was it an abuse of discretion, in 2002, for the trial court to refuse to allow a defendant to present expert testimony that eyewitness identifications re unreliable? Did the ...

The court’s decision — that sanctions can only be imposed under 28 U.S.C. 1927 based on an attorney’s conduct during litigation — is the correct one, for the reasons given by the court. Without “proceedings” and a “case” pending, there ...

What the court held Case: Bender v. Freed, No. 04-4169. Issue: Can sanctions be imposed pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1927 for conduct occurring prior to the commencement of litigation? Holding: No. Without a case pending, there are no "proceedings" to ...

As China continues to enter the world market, more Wisconsin companies are looking at business ventures there. Those business activities mean opportunities for the law firms representing state manufacturers and entrepreneurs. Many middle-market manufacturers are being drawn toward China as ...

“Simply throwing money at the problem is not the answer. We need strong leadership to take the Bar in the direction necessary to see to it that citizens aren’t denied justice simply because they are poor.” Thomas J. Basting Sr. ...

It is imperative that trial courts and attorneys know that a guilty or no contest plea cannot be conducted with defense counsel appearing only by speakerphone, and that doing so is not subject to harmless error analysis, but is prejudicial ...

What the court held Case: Van Patten v. Deppisch, No. 04-1276 Issue: Can a guilty or no contest plea be entered with the defense attorney appearing by speakerphone? Holding: No. The right to counsel requires that the attorney be physically ...

The court states that the case is distinguishable from Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry, Ltd., v. Community Development Authority of the City of Madison, 2002 WI App 200, 257 Wis.2d 377, 651 N.W.2d 1, but it is difficult to see how. Distinguishing ...

What the court held Case: City of Janesville v. CC Midwest, Inc., No. 2004AP267 Issue: If no comparable replacement properties exist for a condemned business, can the condemnor obtain a writ of assistance to remove the owner? Holding: No. The ...

Even though the plaintiff prevailed on the appeal, the decision is a mixed bag, providing both favorable and unfavorable precedent to both plaintiffs and defendants. For plaintiffs, the court did not merely reject the district court’s conclusion that a plaintiff’s ...

What the court held Case: Nancy R. Murray v. GMAC Mortgage Corp., No. 05-8035. Issue: WWas it error for a district court to refuse class certification of an action under the FCRA because the named class representative is a "professional ...

Sornberger v. City of Knoxville, Illinois, No. 04-3614 The decision is noteworthy for a number of reasons. First, the discussion of whether there was probable cause for Scott Sornberger’s arrest, and whether the officers are entitled to qualified immunity, suggests ...

What the court held Case: Sornberger v. City of Knoxville, Illinois, No. 04-3614 Issue: Where a suspect bore no resemblance to the description given by witnesses to a bank robbery, did his arrest lack probable cause? Where a criminal court ...

A 27-year-old Fall Creek woman, who was injured when an oncoming vehicle crossed the center line and struck her car, is attempting to collect under her underinsured motorist policy. Her insurer says the UIM coverage never took effect because the ...

First Circuit holds SOX has no extraterritorial effect

The decision effectively holds that Wisconsin’s ban on the employment of strikebreakers — sec. 103.545 — is preempted by federal law, as well. Section 103.545(2) provides, “No employer may knowingly employ or contract with another to employ any strikebreaker to ...

What the court held Case: 520 South Michigan Ave. Associates, Ltd. v. Devine, No. 05-2479. Issue: Can a state ban the employment of strikebreakers? Holding: No. Federal law preempts state labor law. The Seventh Circuit held on Jan. 10 that ...

The decision is of particular significance in Wisconsin, although this case arises from Illinois’ courts. In the majority of jurisdictions, it is unlikely that a dispute such as this would even arise, because attorneys are not allowed to assert the ...