State Bar of Wisconsin​

We are a professional association for Wisconsin lawyers. The State Bar provides educational, career development, and other services to more than 25,000 members. We also provide public services, including attorney referrals, public education, and reduced-fee legal assistance for low-income state residents. Our mission is to improve the administration of justice and the delivery of legal services and to promote the professional interests of Wisconsin lawyers.

Website: https://www.wisbar.org/
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State Bar of Wisconsin​ Blogs

Agricultural Law & Rural Practice | Solo Small Firm & General Practice Section
Bottom Up | A WisLawNOW Podcast
Business Law Blog | Business Law Section
Children & the Law Section Blog | Children & the Law Section
Construction Blog | Construction & Public Contract Law Section
Criminal Law Section Blog | Criminal Law Section
Dispute Resolution Section Blog | Dispute Resolution Section
Elder Law & Special Needs Section Blog | Elder Law and Special Needs Section
Environmental Law Section Blog | Environmental Law Section
Family Law Blog | Family Law Section
Health Law Blog | Health Law Section
International Practice Blog | International Practice Section
Labor & Employment Law Blog | Labor & Employment Law Section
Litigation Blog | Litigation Section
Nonresident Lawyers Blog | Nonresident Lawyers Division
Public Interest Blog | Public Interest Law Section
Real Property Probate & Trust Law Blog | Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section
Sua Sponte | Appellate Practice Section
Taxation Law Blog | Taxation Law Section
WisBar Court Review
WisBar News

Latest from State Bar of Wisconsin​

Wisconsin, like most states, has a growing shortage of skilled civil trial lawyers, especially in rural areas throughout the state. Jeffrey Muszynski discusses the steps Wisconsin is taking to address this issue and urges members of the bar to do more to keep alive the tradition of highly skilled advocates in the state.

For many younger attorneys in Wisconsin, trial work can feel increasingly out of reach. This is especially true outside of criminal cases, as civil trials become

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Continue Reading To Build Trial Lawyers, Give Young Attorneys Their Day in Court

As part of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) new National Enforcement Plan (NEP), the commission stated its intent to “eliminate the use of disparate impact liability theories in investigations,” and vowed “not [to] commence, develop, or continue to pursue litigation advancing disparate impact claims.”

The NEP, voted into effect on June 4, 2026, replaces the EEOC’s Biden-era Strategic Enforcement Plan and is intended to comply with the Trump Administration’s Executive Order 14281, issued in April 2026, directing…
Continue Reading Profound Changes Afoot to EEOC’s Guidelines and Enforcement in Disparate Impact Cases

July 27, 2026

In family court you will encounter a lot of voices – parents, their attorneys, maybe a child support attorney, and often, a guardian ad litem representing the best interests of the child.

In Wisconsin, a guardian ad litem (GAL) is another attorney in the courtroom, and what they determine to be in the child’s “best interest” is directly dictated by statute.

But the way that we do it here in Wisconsin is just one of the

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Continue Reading Beyond Best Interests: Rethinking Child Representation

July 22, 2026 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed with the Wisconsin attorney general in his dispute with the Wisconsin Legislature to cont​rol settlement funds that the Wisconsin ​Department of Justice (DOJ) receives, in Wisconsin State Legislature v. Kaul, 2026 WI 28 (July 10, 2026).

“We conclude that the attorney general complies with [Wis. Stat. section 165.10] when, in accordance with the straightforward language of the statute, he deposits settlement funds into the general fund,” wrote…
Continue Reading Supreme Court: Attorney General Controls Settlement Funds

July 22, 2026 – A 65-year-old man’s appeal of a circuit court order continuing his protective placement in a nursing facility generated dissent among Wisconsin Supreme Court justices on whether the majority properly applied the standard of review in Racine County v. R.P.L., 2026 WI 26 (July 7, 2026).

The court held 4-3 in a decision authored by Justice Susan M. Crawford that under the “mixed question of fact and law” standard of review, the evidence was…
Continue Reading Supreme Court Debates Protective Placement Evidentiary Standards

  • July 21, 2026

     

    Guardians ad litem play an important role in adult, child, and family matters. A GAL provides recommendations to the court that shape decisions involving adult and minor guardianships, protective placement, physical placement, and legal custody, among other matters.

    If you already are a guardian ad litem (GAL), thank you for using your skill, knowledge, and experience in making best-interest recommendations for the vulnerable populations whose cases you are appointed in.

    GAL work can be incredibly

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Continue Reading Guardian ad Litem Work: Challenging, Meaningful, and Needed

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René Jovel, an assistant general counsel, shares his inspiring journey from L.A. to Milwaukee, with a pit stop at Northwestern University, navigating multiple cultural environments and forging a unique legal career path. Discover insights on the realities of law school, the impact of constituent services in the U.S. Senate, and the evolving landscape of in-house legal roles.

Host Emil Ovbiagele leads this lively discussion, which centers on René’s road less traveled, the power of staying true to oneself, and…
Continue Reading Episode 31: René Jovel’s Unique Journey from L.A. to Milwaukee, from Political Sphere to In-house Counsel

July 15, 2026 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court denied a records request for Notice of Voting Eligibility (NVE) forms because a 5-2 majority interpreted the guardianship statutes as excepting the forms from a public records request in
Wisconsin Voter Alliance (WVA) v. Secord, 2026 WI 27.

“The legislature said, with limited exceptions, ‘court records pertinent to the finding of incompetency are closed,’” wrote Justice Janet C. Protasiewicz for the majority. “Thus, the [WVA] does not have a right…
Continue Reading Supreme Court: Voter Eligibility Forms Confidential

Timeshares are not for everyone.

Many people appreciate the regularity of knowing they have a block of time reserved to vacation in a specific resort each year. However, preferences change, the ability to utilize the timeshare may not be as initially advertised, and annual resort fees and maintenance costs often increase each year.

Owners often conclude the time has come to divest themselves from their timeshare interest and find themselves stuck in a contract of indefinite length.

For…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Victory Highlights Legal Tools to Fight Timeshare Exit Scams

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July 7, 2026 – Tribal sovereign immunity defeated a claim to bind real estate covenants to the Menominee Indian Tribe and its representative, a 4-3 Wisconsin Supreme Court majority held in Legend Lake Property Owners Association, Inc. v. Keshena, 2026 WI 21.

“We conclude that nothing abrogates, waives, or otherwise precludes the Tribe’s sovereign immunity in this case,” wrote Justice Susan M. Crawford for the majority. “Accordingly, we affirm the circuit court’s judgment of dismissal.”

Chief Justice…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court: Sovereign Immunity Stops Covenant Enforcement

Stock Photo of a Clock on Court Files Held by Lawyer 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

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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

Rental registries are essentially databases that contain information about rental properties and their owners. They can be used to track information about ownership, document certification or licensing based on rental inspections – a powerful local tool to identify and stabilize deteriorated but occupied rental properties. Sometimes, where applicable, these registries can help enforce municipal rent stabilization ordinances.[1] Historical Context Before 2016, many Wisconsin municipalities, including Milwaukee, had rental registry programs and proactive inspection programs.[2] Enacted in…
Continue Reading Rental Inspection Restrictions Put Childhood Lead Prevention at Risk

You ask a junior associate to draft a services agreement. A day later, a polished-looking document lands in your inbox. You later learn much of it was written not by the associate, but by a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

This is no longer hypothetical. Generative AI is now used to draft and redline contracts, write and polish memoranda, and review volumes of documents in data rooms, among other things. Already in use at many firms, these tools offer…
Continue Reading When Associates Use AI: The Supervising Lawyer’s Responsibility

In the realm of Wisconsin family law, “service by publication” is often viewed as the procedural safety net of last resort. Under Wis. Stat. section 801.11(1)(c), when a spouse cannot be located after “reasonable diligence,”[1] the law allows for notice to be published in a newspaper to satisfy due process. However, for practitioners dealing with spouses residing in countries that criminalize defamation for revealing secret of family life, this procedural requirement creates a dangerous paradox: complying with Wisconsin…
Continue Reading Conflict of Laws: The Perils of Divorce by Publication and International Laws

Running a solo or small law office means managing every aspect of the practice. Roles as attorney, receptionist, intake coordinator, billing department, IT support, marketer, and file clerk can all become part of the workday.

One theme becomes clear quickly: efficiency is not optional. It is survival.

Even modest operational changes can have a significant impact. Improving productivity does not always require additional software or expanded staffing. Thoughtful systems and consistent practices that reduce friction and preserve focus on…
Continue Reading Efficiency is Not Optional: Productivity Tips for Solo and Small Firm Attorneys