The Wisconsin Senate on Wednesday, March 12, passed asbestos trust fund transparency legislation (AB 19). The bill passed on a party-line vote (17-16). The bill was amended and therefore needs to go back to the Assembly for final concurrence. Below is a summary of the legislation: Requires asbestos plaintiffs to disclose any and all claims […]
Senate Passes AB 19 Providing Transparency in Trust Fund Legislation
Date Wed, Mar. 12, 2014 - 12:03pm By Hamilton
Act Amending Wisconsin’s Lemon Law Goes into Effect
Date Thu, Mar. 6, 2014 - 6:11pm By Hamilton
2013 Wisconsin Act 101, which amends Wisconsin’s lemon law, went into effect on March 1. Prior to Act 101, Wisconsin notoriously had one of the worst lemon laws in the country. The law placed unreasonable and unworkable requirements on vehicle manufacturers that allows lawyers like self-proclaimed “Lemon Law King,” Vince Megna, to win outsized awards […]
Public Hearing on Bill Limiting Liability for Parents Negligence of Minor Drivers
Date Fri, Feb. 14, 2014 - 10:39am By Hamilton
Legislation (AB 706) was introduced by Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) and Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) that would protect parents from unlimited liability when their minor child is involved in an automobile accident. Wisconsin is currently one of only 12 states that imposes unlimited liability to parents who sign their child’s driver’s license application. AB […]
Committee Passes Legislation Allowing Strip Searches – Bill Headed to Assembly for Vote
Date Fri, Feb. 14, 2014 - 10:18am By Hamilton
Legislation (AB 556/SB 447) introduced by Rep. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukeville ) and Sen. Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan) amends Wisconsin’s current law to allow strip searches if a person is lawfully arrested or detained by law enforcement and if the person will be incarcerated or detained in a jail or prison with one or more persons. Under […]
Wisconsin Recognized As Leader in Judicial Hellholes Report
Date Thu, Dec. 19, 2013 - 9:45am By Hamilton
Although the American Tort Reform Association’s (ATRA) Judicial Hellholes report is renowned for documenting abuses of the civil justice system in jurisdictions that are among the most unfair and out of balance in the nation, the report also highlights those jurisdictions and states where positive reforms are taking place. For the third year in a […]
Governor Walker Signs Civil Justice Reforms into Law
Date Tue, Dec. 17, 2013 - 5:05pm By Hamilton
Building off of the historic reforms signed into law in 2011-12, Gov. Scott Walker on Friday, December 13 signed three more important civil justice reforms into law. Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting: Authored by Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) and Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend), Act 105 reins in excessive attorneys’ fees by setting tiers […]
U.S. Chamber Applauds Signing of Nation’s Strongest Outside Counsel Sunshine Law
Date Tue, Dec. 17, 2013 - 4:57pm By Hamilton
Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), issued the following statement applauding Governor Scott Walker for signing into law the Transparency in Private Attorney Contracting Act (AB 27). The law promotes transparency and limits contingency fees when the State of Wisconsin hire outside private plaintiffs’ lawyers. “Governor Walker […]
Fall 2013 Issue of “The Third Branch” Now Available
Date Tue, Dec. 17, 2013 - 4:49pm By Hamilton
The Fall 2013 edition of The Third Branch, a quarterly publication of the Director of State Courts Office, is now available. One of many topics covered in this issue is the 35th anniversary of the creation of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
Daubert Still the Law Despite Court’s Ruling
Date Fri, Dec. 6, 2013 - 9:23am By Hamilton
On January 27, 2011, Gov. Walker signed into law 2011 Wisconsin Act 2, which contained numerous civil liability reforms supported by the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council. One of the most important pieces of this legislation was the adoption of the Daubert standards for the admission of expert opinion evidence, bringing Wisconsin in line with the […]
Last Floor Sessions of 2013
Date Tue, Nov. 19, 2013 - 11:59pm By Hamilton
The Senate and Assembly have adjourned their last regular sessions for 2013. Both houses had busy agendas as they moved to get bills passed before the end of the calendar year. Elections and Politics The most contentious issues involved elections – from voting to recalls and redistricting. Party line votes and long debates were abundant. […]