I get this question a lot, and for good reason. On one hand: Every bit of information related to representation is presumptively confidential per Rule 1.6 and its state equivalents. (Different states interpret the rule differently; Wisconsin takes a particularly restrictive view.) On the other hand, if you need to move a court to withdraw, they usually want a reason (see Rule 1.16), and most of those reasons are going to contain, well, information related to representation. This…
Continue Reading "I need to bail. What can I tell the court about why I'm withdrawing?"

Your guide to building lasting bonds with your children through effective communication and growth, to create a winning custody strategy.

Why Family Law is About More Than Paperwork

At HKK Law Offices we view every case as a chance for transformation. When families move through conflict, they often emerge with clearer relationships, steadier finances, and a renewed sense of purpose. Custody isn’t just a legal award. It is an opportunity to become a stronger, healthier, consistent, and more engaged parent.

Our mission: …
Continue Reading TRANSFORMING CUSTODY CHALLENGES INTO STRONGER CONNECTIONS

ArticleOn November 26, 2025, the Supreme Court of Illinois agreed to address whether state common law claims for negligent hiring/selection are preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA). This decision will determine whether or not plaintiffs in Illinois are permitted to assert claims for negligent hiring/selection against freight brokers.
Continue Reading Supreme Court of Illinois to Address Whether the FAAAA Preempts Negligent
Hiring/Selection Claims Against Freight Brokers

ArticleOn December 1, 2025, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced its intent to overhaul the vetting process for electronic logging devices (ELDs). According to the agency, the new, more rigorous process will help ensure that only fully compliant devices appear on the federal registered ELD list.
Commercial motor carriers can expect to see reductions in cost and operational disruptions, but the updated policy may also create new litigation and compliance considerations.
Continue Reading FMCSA Set to Strengthen ELD Certification Process: What Commercial Motor
Carriers Should Know

Studies have shown those who win bronze at the Olympics are happier than the silver medal winners. It is because they know their hard work paid off, but they very easily could not have been on the medal stand.

Tal Ben-Shahar is a teacher and writer in the areas of happiness, positive psychology, and leadership. In his book, Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment (2007), he informs us that people who are pursuing self-concordant…
Continue Reading HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY!

Dec. 2, 2025 – The State Bar of Wisconsin, along with more than a dozen other state bar associations nationwide, is experiencing a new and highly targeted phishing attack aimed at our members. We want to ensure you are aware of this threat so you can protect your personal information and help prevent further exposure.
What’s Happening
Multiple bar associations, including ours, have reported a surge in phishing emails sent to members. These emails appear to come from organizational…
Continue Reading Scam Alert: New Phishing Campaign Targeting State Bar of Wisconsin Members

While WisBlawg typically focuses on resources for practicing attorneys, this post highlights a tool that may be of interest to any readers who teach legal research and writing or know faculty members preparing courses.
As spring semester approaches, law faculty face a familiar challenge: developing hypothetical assignments that effectively teach while engaging students. A well-designed hypothetical needs realistic facts, authentic documents, and just the right balance of complexity to challenge students without overwhelming them. Enter the University of Wisconsin…
Continue Reading Spring Semester Planning? Explore UW Law’s Legal Hypothetical Archive

When Migraines Become Disabling
Migraines are one of the most common neurological conditions in the world, yet they are also one of the most misunderstood. Far beyond a “bad headache,” migraines can cause severe pain, visual changes, nausea, dizziness, brain fog, light and sound sensitivity, and an inability to manage even simple tasks, let alone maintain full-time employment.

For individuals with chronic migraines, defined as 15 or more headache days per month, the impact on daily functioning can be…
Continue Reading Don’t Let The Insurance Company Downplay Your Migraines: How to Prove Your Long-Term Disability Claim

For fathers in Sheboygan, Random Lake, Mequon, and across Wisconsin, the legal relationship with a child born outside of marriage is vital. Establishing paternity means more than simply having your name on a birth certificate; it locks in essential rights and obligations for both the parent and the child. This process provides you with the opportunity to seek custody and placement, while ensuring your child has access to essential benefits.

Whether you are preparing for a birth or seeking…
Continue Reading Understanding Paternity Laws in Wisconsin: What Fathers Need to Know

By Attorney Kristin Leaf, Partner in the Family Law Department at GRGB

If a judge has appointed a guardian ad litem in your custody case, you may understandably feel some nervousness about this stranger who now has significant influence over what happens with your children. The GAL will investigate your family, interview you and your children, and make recommendations to the court about custody and placement. Understanding how to work effectively with the GAL can make the difference…
Continue Reading How to Work with a Guardian ad Litem in Your Custody Case

After divorce, many fathers find themselves newly single and taking on a major parenting role. Between adjusting to new routines, managing work, and caring for your children full-time or part-time, you may feel stretched thin. The good news is that you are not alone. Thousands of Wisconsin fathers successfully share or manage custody every day.

Whether you have primary placement of your children or share custody equally, these practical tips from our family law attorney Kristin Leaf can…
Continue Reading 8 Tips for Fathers Who Are Single Parenting After Divorce

If you are reading this blog, you probably have already suffered significant harm. Maybe you lost your business, suffered serious injuries, or are dealing with serious partnership disputes. But when you talk to lawyers about suing, you learn that Wisconsin law caps your damages at an amount far below what you actually lost.

These statutory damage caps may seem to prevent you from recovering fair compensation, and sometimes they do; but often, the reality is more…
Continue Reading Strategic Litigation for Getting Around Statutory Damage Caps in Wisconsin

  • According to a recent EY report commissioned by the AHA, nonprofit hospitals provide over $149B in annual community benefits, as compared with $13.2B in forgone federal income tax revenue. Even when factoring in state and local exemptions ($54B per year), community benefits were three times higher than total forgone taxes. The largest share of benefits is patient financial assistance and unreimbursed costs from government payors, valued at $65B.
  • Leaders at a recent Becker’s panel noted that cardiology is becoming

    • …
    Continue Reading Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing, Nov. 26, 2025

    WisconsinEye, the statewide public affairs network that broadcasts Wisconsin capitol proceedings, will stop event coverage on December 15 due to lack of funding, according to a statement on their website. Their archive of more than 30,000 hours of footage will also go offline.

    Impact on Government Transparency and Legal Research
    For legal practitioners conducting legislative history research or tracking statutory developments, this is significant. WisconsinEye has been an invaluable resource since it began broadcasting capitol proceedings in 2007.
    Continue Reading WisconsinEye to Suspend Coverage Dec. 15 Due to Funding Shortfall

    Yeah, detail-oriented readers of our blog may have figured out that…whoops, I was supposed to draft this post last week and forgot. So here we go this week, and because I cannot help myself when it comes to celebrating every major holiday with Garfield, you are getting a Frankenstein post that covers two topics: one concerning and one thankful (Garfield).

    First, the concerning bit.

    The government is open again. I am thankful to our elected representatives that the brownout…
    Continue Reading Concerned, But Still Thankful

    Nov. 25, 2025 – In what may be the first case of its kind, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in

    State v. Melssen    , No. 2024AP1942-CR (Nov. 20, 2025) (recommended for publication) vacated an order denying suppression of evidence obtained from an overly broad search of a smartphone. Presiding Judge Rachel A. Graham, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, concluded “the warrant to search [Emil] Melssen’s smartphone – which authorized officers to search virtually all of the messages, images,…
    Continue Reading Court of Appeals: Smartphone Search Unconstitutionally Overbroad