The Tommy Thompson Center on Public Leadership held a two-day conference last week focusing on Criminal Justice Reform. The program discussed how lawmakers can address criminal justice reform in “more cost-efficient and liberty-enhancing” ways while still prioritizing public safety. Topics included prisoner re-entry into the workforce, prosecutorial discretion, and civil asset forfeiture. The first panels […]
Wisconsin Receives National Recognition for Tort Reform Legislation
Date Mon, Apr. 30, 2018 - 3:56pm By Hamilton
Wisconsin has received national attention after passing Act 235, which contains a number of important civil litigation reforms, including discovery and class action rules. Act 235 is a significant victory for Wisconsin businesses and will reduce the cost of litigation. Click here to read a summary of Act 235. Below are news articles from around […]
Governor Signs Civil Litigation Reforms
Date Fri, Apr. 13, 2018 - 9:24am By Hamilton
This week, Gov. Scott Walker signed Act 235, which contains a number of important civil litigation reforms, including discovery and class action rules. This major legislation will significantly reduce the cost of litigation for Wisconsin businesses. Common-sense reforms under Act 235 will: Prevent litigants from abusing the discovery process to leverage a higher potential settlement […]
Legislature Passes Common Sense Civil Litigation Reforms
Date Fri, Mar. 23, 2018 - 9:21am By Hamilton
In their March 22 extraordinary session, the Wisconsin Assembly concurred in AB 773, which contains a number of important civil litigation reforms, including discovery and class action rules. The bill now heads to Gov. Scott Walker for his signature. AB 773 is a major victory for Wisconsin businesses and will significantly reduce the cost of […]
Assembly Passes Litigation Reform Bill
Date Thu, Mar. 1, 2018 - 5:09pm By Hamilton
In their Feb. 22 session, the Assembly passed AB 773, which contains a number of important civil litigation reforms, including discovery and class action rules. The bill passed the Assembly on a voice vote and has been messaged to the Senate. AB 773 aligns Wisconsin’s civil procedures for discovery and class actions to the corresponding […]
Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Litigation Reform
Date Fri, Feb. 2, 2018 - 10:20am By Hamilton
The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety held a hearing on Jan. 30 on a bill that would reform Wisconsin’s civil liability statutes to lower litigation costs for Wisconsin businesses and government. SB 645, authored by Sens. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) and David Craig (R-Big Bend) and Reps. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and John Nygren (R-Marinette), […]
Court of Appeals Decision Allows Temporary Employees to Sue Employers Rather Than File Worker’s Comp Claim
Date Fri, Feb. 2, 2018 - 10:15am By Hamilton
Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Dist. III, issued a decision (Ehr v. West Bend Mutual Ins. Co.) that significantly altered the Worker’s Compensation Act. The court ruled that the estate of a deceased employee could sue the employee’s temporary employer for an action in tort instead of filing a worker’s compensation claim […]
Assembly Committee Holds Hearing on Litigation Reform Bill
Date Fri, Jan. 5, 2018 - 10:02am By Hamilton
The Assembly Committee on Judiciary held a hearing Thursday on a bill that would reform Wisconsin’s civil liability statutes to lower litigation costs for Wisconsin businesses and government. AB 773, authored by Reps. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and John Nygren (R-Marinette) and Sens. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) and David Craig (R-Big Bend), would further improve Wisconsin’s […]
Litigation Reform Legislation Circulated
Date Fri, Dec. 1, 2017 - 10:33am By Hamilton
This week, Reps. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) and John Nygren (R-Marinette) and Sens. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) and David Craig (R-Big Bend) circulated litigation reform legislation (LRB 4700) aimed at lowering costs for Wisconsin businesses and government. The bill would modernize Wisconsin’s civil procedures for discovery and class actions to align with corresponding federal rules. The […]
Lawsuit and Regulatory Reform on Gov. Walker’s Small Business Agenda
Date Fri, Sep. 29, 2017 - 11:53am By Hamilton
On Sept. 26, Gov. Walker set forth his small business agenda while hosting the seventh annual Small Business Summit. His plan to improve Wisconsin’s business climate includes lawsuit and regulatory reform. At the summit, the governor renewed his commitment “to enact lawsuit reforms to protect small businesses.” According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, […]