Milwaukee is again facing a nearly $100 million dollar gap between what it wants to fund and the cash it will have in the coming year.Despite the shortfall, the Milwaukee Police Department’s budget is likely to significantly increase.

Proposed areas for cuts include election operations and civic engagement, library hours, sanitation and street maintenance.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson is seeking input from city residents as his office works to close the $96 million dollar gap. The city has posted…
Continue Reading Milwaukee Mayor Asks Residents to Weigh In on Budget Cuts as MPD’s Share of Expenditures Swells

The Indiana Health Coverage Programs announced that it has received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) to implement a statewide provider certification and enrollment moratorium for numerous Home- and Community-Based Services (“HCBS”) 1915(c) waiver providers. The moratorium becomes effective August 1, 2026, and initially will remain in effect for six months, although Indiana may seek six-month extensions.

Unlike many Medicaid enrollment moratoria that apply to a single provider type or geographic area, Indiana’s action applies…
Continue Reading Indiana HCBS Update: Indiana Imposes Statewide HCBS Provider Certification and Enrollment Moratorium

Calculating accurate wages and hours for employees remains a persistent risk area for Wisconsin employers, particularly those operating in construction and other job site–driven industries. While many employers understand the basic requirement to pay hourly employees for time worked, less obvious issues, such as travel time, pre- and post-shift activities, and overtime calculations, often create significant exposure. Missteps in these areas can quickly lead to costly claims, audits, or class-based litigation.
Overtime: the Baseline Obligation
Under Wisconsin law, most…
Continue Reading Wage & Hour Traps on Wisconsin Construction Sites: Travel Time, Prep Time, and Misclassifications of the Workforce

Divorce is rarely an easy or straightforward process. Emotions often run high as families navigate significant changes involving finances, parenting, and the future. While some level of conflict is expected, prolonged and intense disputes can create consequences that extend far beyond the courtroom.

When thinking about the cost of divorce, people often focus on the most obvious and immediate expense: attorney fees. However, the hidden costs of a high-conflict divorce can be far greater, affecting mental and emotional well-being,…
Continue Reading High Conflict Divorce – The Costs, Challenges, and Options

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…
Continue Reading Beyond Best Interests: Rethinking Child Representation

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

If you applied for Social Security disability benefits, were denied, and did not appeal before the deadline, you may be wondering whether the Social Security Administration (SSA) can reopen your prior application. In some cases, SSA may accept a late appeal if you had good cause for missing the deadline. If the prior denial has already become final, however, reopening is a different legal process. Oftentimes, you will first have to file a new application and then persuade SSA…
Continue Reading Can I Reopen My Prior Social Security Disability Application?


Milwaukee County’s Aaron Hertzberg speaking at WJI’s Salon on July 15, 2026, at Turner Hall in Milwaukee. Photograph by Margo Kirchner.

Aaron Hertzberg, Milwaukee County’s Executive Director of Administrative Services, spoke at Wisconsin Justice Initiative’s July 15 Salon about plans to replace Milwaukee County’s 100‑year‑old Public Safety Building. Hertzberg and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Chief Judge Carl Ashley spearhead the Investing in Justice: Courthouse Complex project, aimed at replacing the Safety Building with a modern, efficient, and safe justice…
Continue Reading Plans to Replace Milwaukee County’s Safety Building

By Erik Reinthaler
WJI Intern

Growing opposition to proposed data centers, persistent concerns about the cost of living, and renewed public opinion on Act 10 were among the findings in the latest Marquette University Law School Poll, released Wednesday.

The latest poll gathered information from 838 Wisconsin registered voters from July 8-16.

Poll Director Charles Franklin presented the survey results at an event hosted by Derek Mosley, director of the law school’s Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and…
Continue Reading Marquette Poll Results Beyond the Governor’s Race

  • According to a recent report, cardiology outpatient strategy is shifting towards ambulatory surgery centers (“ASCs”) and away from hybrid office-based lab/ASC models to streamline staffing, space and back-office functions. Many health systems are prioritizing cardio ASC developments that are physically connected to, or in close proximity with, hospitals to support clinical integration and quality oversight.
  • Nearly one in ten private U.S. hospitals are now private equity-owned, totaling 447 facilities. Of the total PE-owned hospitals, REITs own about one-third while 

    • …
    Continue Reading Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing: Nearly 1 in 10 US Hospitals Now PE-Owned | Pearl Innovation District Generates $224M in Economic Impact | AdventHealth Continues Land Banking

    July 23, 2026

    When applying for Wisconsin Medicaid long-term care programs, financial eligibility is only part of the process. Individuals must also demonstrate that they meet the required level of care through what is known as the functional screen test.

    The functional screen is a standardized assessment used in Wisconsin to determine whether an individual qualifies for Medicaid-funded long-term care services. Rather than focusing on finances, the screening evaluates a person’s ability to safely care for themselves and function…
    Continue Reading Understanding the Functional Screen Test

    Here is the latest faculty scholarship from the University of Wisconsin Law School Legal Studies Research Papers series via SSRN.
    SSRN is discontinuing its research paper series platform this year. Sign up for our new email distribution list to receive updates on Wisconsin Law faculty scholarship. Or continue to watch for updates here on WisBlawg.

    Jason Reinecke (UW Law), What Makes Federal Circuit Opinions Influential?, 109 Marq. L. Rev. 717 (2025)
    Reinecke draws on a novel, largely…
    Continue Reading Recent UW Law Faculty Scholarship: Analysis of Fed Circ Opinions, Patent Experts, Second Look Sentencing, Milk Markets, & Surveillance Procurement

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) treats SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) benefits and SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits differently. If you receive SSDI benefits, SSA generally won’t reduce your benefits just because you live with a family member who has their own income. However, the rules for SSI are different.
    In previous blog posts, we discussed how SSI beneficiaries might see their benefits reduced if they receive help paying for food and shelter, how to avoid such a …
    Continue Reading Understanding When Social Security Reduces Supplementary Security Income Benefits: Part 3

    On July 6, 2026, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin held in a narrow 4-3 decision that the ‘ensuing loss’ exception to the “Construction Defect” exclusion (or “Faulty Workmanship” exclusion) contained in the policyholder-defendants’ homeowner’s insurance policy reinstated coverage for damages caused by rainwater entering the policyholder’s dwelling as a result of construction defects, regardless of whether such defects existed from the time of original construction. Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Ropicky, 2026 WI 25. While the Court recognized and…
    Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Holds That the Ensuing Loss Exception Reinstates Coverage for Rainwater Damage Caused by Construction Defects

    If your typical Wednesday involves writing a college tuition check in the morning and interviewing in-home nurses for your parents by lunch, then you are officially part of the “Sandwich Generation.” It is a role rooted in deep family loyalty, but let’s be honest: Being in the middle can feel more like a pressure cooker than a privilege. Between the emotional weight and the financial complexity, it is easy to feel like you are constantly reacting to the next…
    Continue Reading The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide: Protecting Your Family and Your Sanity

    The Department of Workforce Development and Wisconsin Watch indicate that a scam has started up of FAKE HEARINGS for workers compensation benefits. As Wisconsin Watch explains:

    DWD spokesperson Haley McCoy told Wisconsin Watch that 10 Wisconsin workers reported receiving emails instructing them to attend “online workers’ compensation hearing(s)” via video call. The emails’ senders generally use “.org” addresses and bill themselves as government agencies like the “Workers’ Compensation Board.”
    Workers who joined the calls via Zoom, WhatsApp, Teams and…
    Continue Reading Fake Hearing Scams