State Bar of Wisconsin | Court News

Overruled appeals cases possess no precedential value; uninsured motorist must be negligent to trigger coverage

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 30, 2010 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled 4-3 in Blum v. 1st Auto & Casualty Insurance Co., 2010 WI 78 (July 14, 2010) that appeals court decisions that are subsequently overruled lose all precedential value, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Principal employer not liable to independent contractor in asbestos case

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 29, 2010 – No exceptions applied to place liability on a principal employer for the asbestos-related death of an independent contractor, the Wisconsin Supreme Court recently held.

Supreme Court issues final UPL rule

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 29, 2010 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has issued its final version of a rule regarding the unauthorized practice of law.

Overruled appeals cases possess no precedential value; uninsured motorist must be negligent to trigger coverage

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

Supreme court restricts police authority to search vehicles, but applies good-faith exception

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 21, 2010 – Following a recent United States Supreme Court ruling, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has restricted the authority of police to search an arrestee's vehicle under the Wisconsin Constitution's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

With warrant, police can use GPS device to monitor criminal suspect more than five days

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 22, 2010 – A warrant that authorized police to use a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking device to monitor a stalking suspect for 60 days was valid, and execution of the warrant was reasonable, the Wisconsin Supreme Court recently held.

Sand removal rights for cranberry bog transferable without express language to the contrary

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 23, 2010 – Under Wis. Stat. section 706.10(3), a deed transferring sand removal rights to a "grantee" and not expressly to the "grantee, his heirs, and assigns" does not limit transferability of the sand removal rights, the Wisconsin Supreme Court recently held.

Proceeds of letters of credit not property of insolvent debtor's estate, supreme court holds

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 27, 2010 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently ruled that proceeds from a standby letter of credit are not the property of the debtor's estate for purposes of bankruptcy proceedings that would limit a lessor's claims to damages under a lease agreement.

State's $200 million transfer from patient compensation fund unconstitutional

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:00:00 CDT

July 20, 2010 – Wisconsin's Department of Administration must return $200 million plus interest and lost earnings to a statutorily established fund supported by mandatory assessments on physicians, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has held.