In a rare unanimous decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court acted to protect a criminal defendant’s statutory right to peremptory substitution of judge.

An Eau Claire criminal defense attorney who sent a letter to a judge containing information normally protected by attorney-client privilege did not violate any ethical rules, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

First Amendment protection does not apply to threatening letters a Wisconsin Rapids man sent to jurors who convicted him of threatening two judges four years earlier, the Court of Appeals ruled Thursday.

In a recent opinion the District 4 Court of Appeals misapplied Wisconsin statutes regarding the meaning of joint custody.