The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard arguments today on whether to take up a lawsuit over the Wisconsin collective bargaining law (2011 WI Act 10).  

The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard both the appeal of the Wisconsin Department of Justice on the original temporary restraining order (TRO) as well has final decision released by the Dane County Circuit Court.  

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne filed the lawsuit in March, 2011 alleging that GOP legislators did not give proper public notice regarding a joint Assembly and Senate committee meeting in which  legislative leaders passed the collective bargaining bill. 

In her final decision, Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi agreed with Ozanne, finding that the GOP legislators violated the open meetings law.

Although the purpose of the oral arguments was to determine whether the Wisconsin Supreme Court will take up the lawsuit, the Court asked attorneys of each parties in the case questions regarding the merits of the lawsuit. At times there was spirited debate over  whether the open meetings law was violated, and whether the judicial branch even has authority to decide the case absent a violation of the Wisconsin Constitution.  

Watch/Listen here. 

This post was authored by Hamilton Consulting Group’s intern Lane Oling, a 2L at the University of Wisconsin Law School.