The Wisconsin legislature is considering two proposals that would change the way the chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is selected.
Assembly Joint Resolution 67 and Senate Joint Resolution 57 direct the justices on the high court to elect their chief justice for a two-year term. The proposal limits justices to three consecutive two-year terms. Continue reading “Legislature Mulls Change to Chief Justice Selection” →
The State Bar of Wisconsin is advocating for a change in how members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court are elected. While current law allows members of the high court to run for an unlimited number of 10 year terms, the governing board of the Bar recently decided it would prefer justices only serve one term of 16 years.
Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson delivered the annual State of the Judiciary Address at the Wisconsin Judicial Conference on November 6. Her remarks, titled “Back to the Future,” focused on effort to improve the judiciary by applying cutting-edge innovation to evidence-based lessons learned in the past. Abrahamson focused specifically on judicial selection and recusal, touched on the financial challenges the courts face, and detailed new criminal and family initiatives. Continue reading “Abrahamson Delivers State of the Judiciary Address” →
The Summer 2013 edition of The Third Branch, a quarterly publication of the Director of State Courts Office, is now available. The newsletter includes a court-centric perspective on the legislature’s fall floor period.
The first portion of the 2013-14 legislative session was very busy for the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council (WCJC). Numerous bills supported by WCJC received public hearings, passed the Assembly and now await action in the Senate. We fully expect the Senate to take up an pass several WCJC supported bills when the Legislature reconvenes this fall. Continue reading “Busy Fall Floor Session Anticipated” →
The end of summer means two things for the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council – the beginning of the fall legislative floor period and the start of a new Wisconsin Supreme Court session. WCJC is poised for another successful legislative session, and is working closely with the Great Lakes Legal Foundation to monitor and report on Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Supreme Court arguments and decisions of importance to Wisconsin’s business community. Continue reading “Wisconsin Supreme Court Back in Session” →
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday, July 12, 2013 held that an insurance company had no duty to defend and indemnify an owner of property who hosted an underage drinking party because there was no “accident” and therefore no “occurrence” under the insurance policy. The case is Schinner v. Gundrum, 2013 WI 73. Continue reading “Supreme Court Decides Insurance Company Is Not Liable for Physical Assault that Occurred at Underage Drinking Party” →
Now that it has completed work on the 2013-15 budget bill, the Wisconsin Legislature will take a summer recess and will reconvene in September. Legislative committees will continue to hold public hearings and vote on individual bills.
For the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council (WCJC), the first portion of the 2013-14 legislative session has been very active and successful. Numerous bills supported by WCJC have received public hearings, passed the Assembly and await action in the Senate. We fully expect the Senate to pass these bills when the Legislature reconvenes in the fall.
Below is an update of bills of interest to WCJC. For more information on these bills, please visit WCJC’s website. Also, please contact Andy Cook or Bob Fassbender with any questions. Continue reading “Civil Justice Reforms Move Forward” →
The Wisconsin Assembly voted 88-8 to enact long-needed changes to Wisconsin’s Lemon Law. AB 200 makes several significant changes to Wisconsin’s law, as outlined in this memo from the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council and other supporters, but paramount is the elimination of the punitive double damages mandate. Continue reading “Lemon Law Reform Passes Assembly in Bi-Partisan Vote” →
On April 2, incumbent Justice Patience Roggensack will face Marquette Law professor Ed Fallone for her chance to win another 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. While it may not ignite the same political passions as the 2011 Prosser-Kloppenburg race, the 2013 contest is critical to determining the balance of power on the high court. Continue reading “Supreme Court Race Heats Up” →