“I am studying law.”
Lavinia Goodell, March 7, 1872
After moving to Janesville in the fall of 1871 to take care of her aging parents, Lavinia Goodell spent the first few months organizing the household and settling into her new home, but by the start of the new year, she was ready for new challenges. In early March she wrote to her cousin, Sarah Thomas:
Since you have told me so much – I will tell you what I…
Continue Reading “I am studying law.”
Senior Associate Attorney at Hawks Quindel to Focus on Mentorship, Professional Development, and Expanding Access to Justice Across Dane County.
The Dane County Bar Association (DCBA) has elected attorney Naomi Swain as its new President-Elect. Swain, a Senior Associate Attorney at Madison-based firm Hawks Quindel, steps into the leadership role with a defined agenda focused on expanding mentorship, enhancing professional development, and strengthening local pro bono initiatives.
Swain’s election follows years of prominent advocacy within the Wisconsin legal community.
Continue Reading Dane County Bar Association Elects Naomi Swain as President-Elect
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) recently issued Advisory Opinion 26-15 addressing a subscription-based referral management software platform used during hospital discharge planning. OIG concluded that, under the facts presented, the arrangement could generate prohibited remuneration under the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”) because providers paying subscription fees received a competitive advantage in obtaining referrals for federally reimbursable services.
Although advisory opinions apply only to the requesting parties, Advisory Opinion 26-15 reflects OIG’s…
Continue Reading Post Acute Update: HHS-OIG Issues Unfavorable Advisory Opinion on Subscription-Based Referral Management Software
EEOC Rescinds Affirmative Action Guidance: What Employers Need to Know About Title VII, DEI Programs, and Compliance RisksThe Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) formally rescinded the federal guidance employers have relied on for nearly 50 years when designing voluntary affirmative action plans under Title VII. In a June 29, 2026 vote, the EEOC voted to rescind the two documents that provide a long-standing roadmap for employers. This move follows the EEOC’s recent National Enforcement Plan (NEP), which signaled that…
Continue Reading EEOC Rescinds Affirmative Action Guidance: What Employers Need to Know
About Title VII, DEI Programs, and Compliance Risks
After thousands of consumers paid steep up-front fees for promised but unfulfilled timeshare exits, Wisconsin and federal authorities secured a significant judgment against the operation. Kevin Trost examines the case and the private remedies available under Wisconsin law.
Continue Reading Wisconsin Victory Highlights Legal Tools to Fight Timeshare Exit Scams
Alexandria Staubach By Alexandria Staubach WJI received a report in late June from controversial nonprofit Enough is Enough about reckless driving cases in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, highlighting significant differences in judges’ sentencing patterns. The court watch group, which was the subject of an open letter to the Milwaukee County judiciary last year, advocates against reckless driving and for “stronger measures to protect our communities,” according to its website. “ENE” was founded after the death of Erin Morgensen, who was killed while…
Continue Reading Opinion: New report shows concerning constrast in reckless driving sentences among Milwaukee judiciary
On 16 June 2026, the state supreme court accepted Abby Windows LLC v LIRC, 2025 WI App 50, 418 Wis.2d 92, 25 N.W.3d 631, for review. This case concerns whether a door-to-door sales person paid on a commission basis and then laid off is eligible to receive unemployment benefits based on that sales work. Here are the basic facts:
The claimant went into prospective customer’s homes and sold doors, windows, roofs, gutters, and siding for the employer. The…
Continue Reading A test for covered employment and for statutory interpretation
”Evers’ judges” is our effort to present information about Gov. Tony Evers’ appointees to the bench. The information is taken from the appointees’ own judgeship applications. Italics indicate direct quotes from the application. Typos, including punctuation errors, come from the original application even though we have not inserted “(sic)” after each one. WJI has left them as is. Name: Samuel T. Berg Appointed to: Walworth County Circuit Court Appointment date: Nov. 7, 2025, to term ending July 31, 2027 Education:…
Continue Reading Evers' judges: Samuel T. Berg
By McKenna K. Coffeen | Elder LawJuly 8, 2026
One of the most common concerns families face when discussing long-term care is cost. Whether care is provided at home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home, long-term care expenses can become significant very quickly.
In Wisconsin, nursing home care can cost thousands of dollars each month, and even part-time in-home assistance may create substantial financial strain over time. Because Medicare coverage for long-term care is…
Continue Reading How Much Does Long-Term Care Cost and How Do I Pay for It?
The Supreme Court of the United States has at last addressed a years’ long debate: How is the term “sex” defined under Title IX? In its landmark decision West Virginia v. B.P.J., the Court found the term means one’s sex at birth, rather than one’s gender identity. As a result, the Court determined public institutions may implement sex-based eligibility restrictions for women’s and girls’ sports focused on the athlete’s sex assigned at birth without violating Title IX. The…
Continue Reading Title IX and "Sex": What B.P.J. Means for Wisconsin Schools
The results of the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown (the “Takedown”) were announced on June 23, 2026; the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) charged 455 individuals in connection with alleged health care fraud schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims. Ninety of the charged individuals were physicians or other medical professionals.
The Takedown, dating back to 2007, is conducted annually by DOJ, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), the Federal Bureau…
Continue Reading DOJ’s Continued Focus on Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Produces $6.5 Billion Health Care Fraud Takedown
Earlier this year, Congress enacted Section 6225 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (“CAA”), establishing a new Medicare condition of payment for off-campus hospital outpatient departments beginning January 1, 2028. As discussed in our prior alerts (here and here), the statute generally prohibits Medicare payment for services furnished by an off-campus hospital outpatient department unless the department bills under a separate National Provider Identifier (“NPI”) assigned to that off-campus department, the hospital submits an initial provider-based attestation…
Continue Reading Mandatory Provider-Based Attestations Are Taking Shape: CMS Releases Proposed Implementation Framework
By Nick Hierlmeier
This weekend was the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. You may not have known that unless you read Erin’s blog post from last week. 😉
While we took last week and this past weekend to celebrate our country, let’s take this week to celebrate our state.
Before we start, I’ll answer a few questions that I know will come up:
July 7, 2026 – A 2023 civil commitment order had sufficient evidence to support it beyond the alleged hearsay, and collateral consequences made the issue suitable for resolution, a 5-2 majority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided in Waukesha County v. R.D.T., 2026 WI 24.
“We hold that Ryden’s appeal is not moot,” wrote Justice Rebecca Frank Dallet for the majority. “We further conclude that the order should not be vacated because, even if the circuit court erred,…
Continue Reading Supreme Court: Recommitment Hearing Hearsay Only Harmless Error
July 7, 2026 – The lack of an examiner’s required written report no later than 48 hours before the final involuntary civil commitment hearing “did not deprive the circuit court of competency to proceed,” a unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court held in
Outagamie County v. M.J.B., 2026 WI 23. “Although this time limit protects important interests,” wrote Justice Susan M. Crawford, “nothing in the statutory scheme suggests that the legislature intended that failing to make the examiners’ reports accessible…
Continue Reading Supreme Court: 48-Hour Rule Didn’t Affect Circuit Court Competency
