Wisconsin

Wis. Appeals Court Orders Man to Turn Over Claimed Roadkill Deer Trophy

It’s too late for John Longo to return the deer carcass he is accused of taking from beside a Wisconsin roadway without a permit: He ate it. But a state appeals court has ordered the 69-year-old to return the head, which he had mounted, to state wildlife officials, reports WKOW-TV.…

Jul 1, 2009 5:08 PM CDT

Then There Were 2: Judge Scrubs Milwaukee Sick-Leave Ordinance

Until recently, there were three major local governments with sick-pay ordinances: San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Milwaukee. But last week, a judge in Milwaukee tossed that city’s ordinance. In a 38-page ruling, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Thomas Cooper held that the voter-approved measure that called for private employers to pay…

Jun 18, 2009 11:27 AM CDT

‘Stealth Coop’ Can Smooth Neighbors’ Ruffled Feathers Over Backyard Chickens

Although some neighbors are squawking about a potential farm nuisance in an urban area, backyard chickens are a growing trend in cities throughout the country. Among those now struggling with the issue are officials in New Haven, Conn., who held a contentious public hearing on the issue this month, reports…

Jun 15, 2009 8:53 PM CDT

Fake Lawyer Taught Real CLE Class

A presenter at a 2007 continuing legal education course on sentencing issues in Milwaukee did indeed have a certain amount of criminal experience. But it wasn’t the criminal experience claimed on his resume. Rather than being a lawyer and former congressional aide, as stated on biographical information for a seminar…

Apr 27, 2009 7:27 PM CDT

Company Won’t Reinstate In-House Lawyer; How Much Will That Add to $1.6M Award?

In an unusual decision that could be persuasive in other courts, a Wisconsin appellate panel has recognized the power of an arbitration panel to order reinstatement of an in-house lawyer in an employment discrimination case. Although Menard Inc. argued that it could not be required to employ legal counsel not…

Apr 15, 2009 9:10 PM CDT

Prosecutor Seeks Volunteers for Toilet Test

A Northern Wisconsin prosecutor is looking for women volunteers willing to stick their heads in toilets to help prove his murder theory. District Attorney Al Moustakis of Vilas County wants to do a second round of toilet tests with women about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds—about the…

Apr 13, 2009 1:54 PM CDT

Wis. Appeals Court Raps Lawyer for Failure to Proofread

Irked by a Wisconsin lawyer’s failure to proofread his pleadings, among other errors, a state appeals court has suggested that the longtime practitioner should go back to school for help with his legal writing. A three-judge panel of the District 2 Court of Appeals also fined Patrick Hudec $500 for…

Apr 9, 2009 5:12 PM CDT

Law Prof’s Whirlwind Engagement to Poster on Her Blog Sparks Comments

Law bloggers are in a flurry over news that professor Ann Althouse of the University of Wisconsin School of Law is engaged … to a man she met after he initially made contact with her more than four years ago as a commenter on her law blog. While many commenters…

Mar 30, 2009 6:14 PM CDT

Wisconsin is Still a Relatively Hot Hiring Market for Lawyers at All Levels

Wisconsin isn’t the first place many might think of when planning a job search. But the state’s legal job market is more stable than many and, while it is slower than it was, still offers opportunities for law students, reports the Wisconsin Bar Journal. That is also good news for…

Feb 18, 2009 8:29 PM CST

Wis. Supreme Court Finds Cheerleading is a Contact Sport, Tosses Injury Suit

An injured cheerleader won’t be able to sue her school district and another member of her squad as a result of a ruling today by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The court ruled that cheerleading qualifies as a contact sport under a state statute that provides immunity for athletic participants—in this…

Jan 27, 2009 5:24 PM CST

Rapping Appeal Leads to Win for Pro Se Trombone Player

A litigant who filed his own appeals brief written partially in rap has won a Wisconsin appeals court ruling that he doesn’t have to pay legal fees for a lawsuit deemed frivolous by a circuit court judge. Gregory Royal, a trombone player, argued he shouldn’t have to pay $3,750 in…

Jan 26, 2009 1:10 PM CST

How to Start Your Own Law Firm: Just Do It, Successful Solo Says

It doesn’t necessarily take a lot of money to start your own law practice. But it does take determination. The one most critical factor in establishing a solo practice is deciding to do it, attorney Deborah Blommer tells the Wisconsin Law Journal. She has taught a course at Marquette University…

Jan 22, 2009 6:38 PM CST

Lecture to Black At-Home Dad Requires New Sentence; Irked Ex-Judge Says More

Although an irritated Wisconsin judge apparently didn’t intend his lecture to an African-American stay-at-home dad to reflect any racial bias, phrases such as “baby mama” and “you guys” require that the convicted cocaine dealer be resentenced, a state appellate court has ruled in a 2-1 decision. The decision today further…

Jan 21, 2009 9:49 PM CST

Part-Time Prosecutor Also Defends; Municipality is ‘Client for That Day’

A prominent Wisconsin businessman, Robert John “R.J.” Manders, has been something of a business-generating machine for attorney Tim Kay. Last month, for instance, Kay both defended Manders in a drunken driving case in Waukesha County Circuit Court and, a week later, served as prosecutor in an unrelated trespassing case against…

Jan 12, 2009 11:32 PM CST

Lawyer Wins Best Fib Contest

Here’s the poop: A Wisconsin lawyer’s whopper of a tale about dirty diapers has won a contest for the best champion lie of 2008. Garth Seehawer of Oconto Falls says his legal background gave him no advantage, the Associated Press reports. His winning yarn: “My grandson is the most persuasive…

Jan 6, 2009 1:15 PM CST