In Wisconsin, pets are classified as personal property. Courts approach disputes over pets by analyzing them as they would any other piece of property, such as a refrigerator or stove. If you and your spouse cannot agree on who will keep the pet, the court is obligated to divide assets and debts equitably. This process involves assigning a monetary value to the pet and awarding ownership (along with the associated value) to one spouse. Unlike minor children, courts are
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Changes to H-1B Program Now In Effect
By: Samantha J. Wood
January 31, 2025
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a new regulation to modernize and improve the H‑1B program, a visa program commonly used by U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers for specialized occupations. The new regulation took effect on January 17, 2025.
The intent of the H-1B program is to help employers who cannot otherwise obtain needed business skills and abilities from the U.S. workforce by authorizing the temporary employment of…
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Build stress reduction into your routine
As a senior in high school, I must make a lot of decisions for the next steps in my life. The questions people always have for me these days are; “How is senior year going?” “Do you know what you want to do or where you want to go?” I always reply that I am ready to be done and move on to the next chapter in life! Or that I plan to go for political science, but I…
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New Legal Scholar Ranking Offers Insight on What Makes Legal Scholarship Impactful
A new study by Rob Willey and Melanie Knapp from George Mason University Law Library ranks The Top 100 Legal Scholars of 2024. The study continues their methodology that counts citations to law journal articles in HeinOnline, limiting to articles written in a recent, three-year period of time (2018-2020). By focusing on more recent scholarship, their approach makes the ranking more inclusive of women scholars, newer academics, and non-traditional scholars like practitioners who may have more limited time…
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‘First principles were never more important.’

“First principles were never more important.”
William Goodell, January 1866
During Black History Month, it is worthwhile examining some of the writings of Lavinia Goodell’s father, Reverend William Goodell, a lifelong abolitionist.
Rev. William Goodell
During the Civil War years, William Goodell was the publisher of The Principia, an anti-slavery newspaper. Lavinia assisted in all aspects of the publication process from writing articles to preparing the papers for mailing to serving as editor-in-chief in her father’s absence. By 1865,…
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Look for My Brick at the New Jersey Law Center

I don’t have a trip back to New Jersey planned. But when I do go, I think I’m going to have to make a stop in New Brunswick. (And not for the whoring and the drinking.)A brick I bought to support the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and commemorate my term as Chair of the Young Lawyers Division (YLD) has now been installed on the patio of the Law Center! Participating in this fundraiser was a way for…
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Bondi Blues
Earlier this week, and mostly along party lines, the Senate confirmed Pam Bondi to serve as the United States Attorney General.
You will note that this job is not called “Attorney General of the President,” and at least for now, the Department of Justice’s website includes this definition:
The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Office of the Attorney General which evolved over the years into the head of the Department of Justice and chief law enforcement officer of…
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Essential Estate Planning Documents for Illinois Residents
Estate planning is vital for everyone, regardless of age or financial status. Illinois law clearly outlines key documents that residents should have in place to protect their assets and ensure their wishes are honored. Proactively creating these documents can save your loved ones significant stress and confusion in the future.
Essential Estate Planning Documents for Illinois Residents
1. Last Will and Testament
A Last Will and Testament allows you to outline how your assets will be distributed after your…
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‘You’ve Been Served’ – Responding after Service of a Subpoena
A process server or sheriff knocks on your door, or shows up at work, and serves you with a subpoena. It’s not something that happens often, so how do you respond?
The easiest and most efficient way to respond to service of a subpoena is to call a lawyer. They can advise you on the legality of the subpoena and advise if there are any options for responding. Some of the things the attorney can advise on are: Was…
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The Human Touch in Trademarking: Why Soft Skills Matter in a Digital Age
In today’s digital era, the world of intellectual property is evolving rapidly. With technology making the technical aspects of filing trademark applications more accessible than ever, it might seem like the process is becoming straightforward. And to a certain extent, it is. With user-friendly USPTO interfaces, AI-driven tools, and abundant resources, the barriers to entry are indeed lowering.
However, while the “how” of trademarking is becoming more accessible, the “why” and “what next” are where the true value of…
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Recent UW Law Faculty Scholarship
Here is the latest faculty scholarship from the University of Wisconsin Law School Legal Studies Research Papers series vis SSRN.
- A Progressive Judiciary? Judicial Review and National Politics from Reconstruction to the Present by Joshua Braver, University of Wisconsin Law School and Gregory Elinson, Northern Illinois University – College of Law
- Remedying the Google Dual Bottleneck Monopoly in Search and Text Advertising by Peter Carstensen, University of Wisconsin Law School, American Antitrust Institute and Darren Bush
Stay Up to Date on New Laws in Illinois for 2025
As of January 1, 2025, more than 300 new laws have taken effect in Illinois, impacting various aspects of daily life, business regulations, and consumer protections. From digital driver’s licenses to salary transparency, these changes may affect individuals, businesses, and professionals across the state. Below is a summary of some of the most notable new laws and their implications.
New Laws in Illinois for 2025
Digital Driver’s Licenses
Illinois residents may soon have the option to carry a digital…
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Wire Fraud and Identity Theft Investigations Go Hand in Hand

Wire Fraud and Identity Theft Investigations Go Hand in Hand
Posted on January 30, 2025 in White Collar Crimes
Some criminal investigations go hand in hand, such that if you find yourself being investigated for one crime, it is likely that you will be investigated simultaneously for the other. This is the case with wire fraud and identity theft. A scheme to commit one is likely to involve the other because the criminal activities needed to commit wire fraud…
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The First One’s on the House? Wisconsin’s Unusual OWI Laws
Wisconsin is no stranger to unique quirks in its legal system. It is one of the few states in the country that 17-year-olds are charged as adult defendants. It is also the only state where law school graduates can become attorneys via diploma privilege, bypassing the Wisconsin bar exam.
This article centers around Wisconsin’s unorthodox operating while intoxicated (OWI) laws – a where a first offense is a noncriminal traffic citation as opposed to a much more serious misdemeanor…
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Appeal Denied: The Finality of Orders at Issue in Post-Divorce Case

Jan. 28, 2025 – Although a legal issue remained in the future, an order in a divorce case was final – killing the ex-husband’s appeal because it arrived too late – allowing the Wisconsin Supreme Court to reiterate the standards for finality critical for appeal deadlines.
A 4-2 majority denied the ex-husband’s appeal in Morway v. Morway, 2025 WI 3 (Jan. 22, 2025). Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler did not participate in the case.
Although Justice Rebecca Frank…
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Supreme Court: Appeals Court Wrongfully Overruled Precedent in Public Records Case

Jan. 27, 2025 – In Wisconsin Voter Alliance (WVA) v. Secord, 2025 WI 2 (Jan. 17, 2025), a 5-2 majority reversed and remanded a District II Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision because it violated the prohibition defined in Cook v. Cook, 208 Wis. 2d 166 (1997), which held that the court of appeals cannot reverse its own decisions.
The supreme court did not decide the merits: whether state public records law requires release of Notice of Voting…
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