General

Most people have heard of small claims court and large claims court, but how do the differences between these two impact the claim that you may have?  Generally speaking, large claims civil lawsuits involve civil claims where the damages are more than $10,000.00, or...

What are the rules for landlords and tenants when it comes to emotional support animals? For landlords there are important rules to follow to avoid running afoul with Wisconsin and Federal Discrimination laws. An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is defined in Wis. Stat....

It is common for a group of people to want one attorney to represent them all in a legal matter. Whether it is a married couple looking for estate planning representation or if it is two people who own a property together and are both looking to evict a tenant or sell...

There are many cases decided by the U.S. Supreme Court that receive scant attention from the public. Despite ideological divisions among the justices, it is not uncommon for the Court to vote 9-0 in case. In the case of Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota, the Court...

For those who may have been involved in an non-injury minor car accident, you may have heard from the other driver or bystander, “that damage is under $1000, no need to get the police involved.” A recent Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision, County of Monroe v. Kling,...

Today social media use is an integral part of everyday life for many.  There are numerous platforms people use for communication, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, emails, texts, etc.  Electronic communications and interactions on social media...

Individuals have a right to self-representation in Wisconsin courts and in federal court.[1]  Pro se is Latin for “on one's own behalf.” When a litigant proceeds without legal counsel, they are said to be proceeding “pro se.” See, e.g. Rivera v. Florida Department of...

In today’s fast paced world, there is no end to the types of scams that target people of all ages, income levels and backgrounds. According to the Federal Trade Commission, one out of every ten adults in the United States will become a victim to a scam or fraud every...

Spoliation is the “intentional destruction, mutilation, alteration, or concealment of evidence.”[1] The legal maxim In odium spoliatoris omnia praesumuntur means “all things are presumed to the prejudice of the despoiler.” If a potential litigant or party destroys,...

In Wisconsin, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) are becoming increasingly popular not only for recreation but for travel between and within local communities. In turn, more cities, villages, towns and counties are opening roads, streets...

Many people are aware that gift taxation rules exist, but do not understand the actual process for determining when reporting or payment is required. Fortunately, the types of gifts most people make each year fall under broad exclusions to the gift tax rules such as...

During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), the State of Wisconsin was required to keep people enrolled in Medicaid as a condition of receiving a temporary increase in the federal share of Medicaid costs.  When the PHE ends (recently extended to January of 2022) so will...

When someone dies and leaves you property in their will, by beneficiary designation, or through the intestate beneficiary laws of their state, it is possible, and sometimes wise, to reject the would-be inheritance by “disclaiming” your legal interest to it. However,...

There is an elephantine book with 995 chapters that most Wisconsinites know exists, but no one has ever read cover-to-cover. The topics in this book are eclectic and cover a staggering range of subjects from “wild animals and plants” to “communicable diseases” to...