In a body blow to open and transparent government and the ability of citizen watchdog groups and journalists, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 last summer that a Waukesha community group, Friends of Frame Park, was not entitled to attorney fees after suing the city of Waukesha for public records that the city later released before being ordered to do so by a court.

Wisconsin Republicans’ move to effectively render a recent state Supreme Court ruling moot is welcome news and should be embraced across party lines.

The dismissal of a complaint against one of the candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court seems appropriate to us, given the underlying accusations. But it should most definitely be a reminder to all those involved in the courts that there’s a great deal more to their credibility than just to be cognizant of the law.

There’s reason to be concerned about some of the responses in the UW System’s survey of student views on free speech, but we’re not convinced the results are as revealing as some might claim.

A good judge is going to disappoint you sometimes.

With the Wisconsin Legislature gearing up, there’s a lot to get done. In discussions at our office this week we thought of something we’d like to see legislators do, but it might take a bit more time than most legislative tasks.

There’s an old adage that says a person “who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.” Generally speaking, it’s true.

Unless we’re dramatically misreading the judge’s comments late last week about Larry Lokken’s bid for an early release, he doesn’t appear to be going home soon. That’s as it should be.

Gov. Tony Evers said last week he will propose legalizing marijuana for Wisconsin residents in his state budget as part of a plan to generate $166 million in revenue to help fund rural schools and programs for marginalized communities.

Gov. Scott Walker has called for elimination of many public and legal notices in his recently proposed budget.

Pity poor defense attorneys. Not only do they tend to work long hours for less pay than many of their colleagues. Their job also can often be worse than thankless.

A proposal in 2006 to let school employees carry concealed weapons popped up five days after a 15-year-old student shot and killed Weston High School Principal John Klang.

The best way to write an opinion is the subject of some debate, but there is no denying that a concise, no-words-minced ruling that cuts through the unnecessary legalese and posturing is an easier and more enjoyable read, and thus, one more likely to affect more people.

Trust is at the heart of the court system.

The state’s civil courts are the realm of the rich, those who can afford as many lawyers as they need.

Lawyers, especially those with a healthy courtroom practice, are expected to fit inside a very narrow sartorial box.

What do you call an 11 percent drop in law school enrollment? A good start.

When justly convicted Wisconsin inmates are released, they walk out of prison armed with a written plan for re-entering society and the phone number of at least one state employee who will guide them through the transition.

State Rep. Evan Goyke is acting on his assumption that Wisconsin residents are a simple bunch so swayed by gossip that they cannot be trusted with basic court records.

Recent proposals to limit or abolish state Supreme Court elections attempt to remedy public perception that the high court is a political hotbed.

Do a quick Google search of “Karie Cattanach,” and it is all there.

Ten defendants have completed the Rock County Veterans Treatment Court program in the three years since the court’s founding, and not one has reoffended.

Politicians love easy sound bites and panacea numbers, and budget season is rife with such vague points of fact.

This month’s Wisconsin Law Journal print edition's cover story about veterans courts has lots of information, but glaringly lacks the answer to the most important question: Are veterans courts successful?

It would be easy to criticize Polk County Judge Jeffrey Anderson for setting a low bail amount for Scott Youngmark less than two weeks before Youngmark allegedly murdered his fiancée, Kari Roberts, on Dec. 1.

Judge Paul Murphy is no slouch, and those who come before him in his West Allis municipal courtroom are witness to his uprightness.

Although it appears Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser is about to win the biggest legal battle of his career, he should be worried, even embarrassed, about the cost.

A Federal Trade Commission spokeswoman had one telling comment to explain the agency’s fight against illegal spam texts.

Brown Deer will soon find out the cost of overestimating the public’s trust in government.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke wants a private attorney to represent him in professional cases.