Today, Governor Scott Walker signed into law two of the remaining special session tort reforms bills recently passed by the Legislature. The two bills the Governor signed were: TRESPASSER LIABILITY – SPECIAL SESSION SB 22/AB 22 – 2011 WISCONSIN ACT 93Previously, trespasser liability law was based solely on common law, which adopted provisions of the […]
Gov. Walker Signs Trespasser Liability and Reasonable Attorney Fees Bills
Date Wed, Dec. 7, 2011 - 5:05pm By Hamilton
Governor Walker and Legislature Continue Focus on Civil Liability Reforms
Date Wed, Dec. 7, 2011 - 4:57pm By Hamilton
Hamilton Consulting lobbyist, Andrew Cook, had an article published in the most recent edition of the Wisconsin Defense Counsel’s Wisconsin Civil Trial Journal. The article, Governor Walker and Legislature Continue Focus on Civil Liability Reforms, summarizes the slew of civil justice initiatives considered in the regular and special legislative sessions during the last half of […]
Wisconsin Surpeme Court Hears Oral Argument in Case Deciding Default Judgments
Date Thu, Dec. 1, 2011 - 10:08pm By Hamilton
The Wisconsin Supreme Court today heard oral arguments in Johnson v. Cintas Corp. No. 2, et al., 2011 WI App 5, 2009AP2549, which is the latest in a number of recent cases accepted by the Court dealing with default judgments. (The oral argument can be viewed on WisconsinEye.) The issue is whether a default judgment […]
Governor Walker Signs Special Session Bill into Law Limiting Interest on Judgments
Date Thu, Nov. 17, 2011 - 11:42am By Hamilton
On November 16, Governor Walker signed Special Session Senate Bill 14 into law. The new law changes Wisconsin’s pre- and post-judgment interest from 12 percent – the highest in the nation – to the Federal Reserve prime rate plus one percent. The final bill included amendments that apply the interest on judgments to all cases […]
Hamilton Consulting Group Releases Latest Political Tidbits Newsletter
Date Thu, Nov. 10, 2011 - 3:06pm By Hamilton
The Hamilton Consulting Group has released a new Tidbits newsletter highlighting Wisconsin’s recent legislative activity. Hamilton’s Political Tidbits can help you by providing FREE quick, and easy access to the latest happenings in Wisconsin. This issue of Political Tidbits discusses the “Back to Work Wisconsin” special session bills, mining legislation, as well as potential […]
Governor Releases Executive Order on Rulemaking
Date Wed, Nov. 9, 2011 - 7:36pm By Hamilton
Governor Walker issued Executive Order 50, Relating to Guidelines for the Promulgation of Administrative Rules, on November 2nd. The Governor’s executive order is an important step toward implementation and understanding of the new procedures adopted in 2011 Wisconsin Act 21, which passed during the January special session. Under the regulatory procedure, agencies must provide a […]
Bill Advances in Giving Employers Protection in Hiring Convicted Felons
Date Wed, Nov. 9, 2011 - 7:15pm By Hamilton
Senate Bill 207/AB 286, authored by Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc), allows an employer to consider an individual’s felony conviction record when deciding to hire or terminate that individual. Currently, if a person with a felony conviction record who has not been pardoned is either not hired or terminated from […]
Senate Passes Bill Repealing Punitive and Compensatory Damages under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act
Date Wed, Nov. 9, 2011 - 7:07pm By Hamilton
The Senate this week passed Senate Bill 202, authored by Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) and Rep. Michelle Litjens (R-Oshkosh), which repeals a law enacted last session (2009 Wisconsin Act 20) that for the first time imposed punitive and compensatory damages in discrimination cases under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act. Before enactment of Wisconsin Act […]
Daubert Comes to Wisconsin — CLE Summit on Expert Opinion
Date Tue, Oct. 25, 2011 - 3:02pm By Hamilton
This one day “summit” is for trial lawyers who are engaged in the defense of civil litigation as well as those lawyers who represent businesses and professionals, and whose litigation fate relies heavily on the admissibility—or non-admissibility—of expert testimony, including the elimination of “junk science.” A comprehensive understanding of decisions and trends from other jurisdictions […]
Bill Would Provide Employers Protection in Hiring Convicted Felons
Date Tue, Oct. 11, 2011 - 5:06pm By Hamilton
The Assembly Labor and Workforce Development Committee this week held a public hearing on Assembly Bill 286, permitting employers to consider a person’s felony conviction record when deciding to hire or terminate the person. (The Senate companion bill is SB 207). Currently, Wisconsin is one of only four states that include convicted felons as a […]