How Is Child Support Calculated Under Wisconsin’s Guidelines?
 Posted on March 28, 2024 in DivorceIssues related to child support often play a crucial role in family law cases. The costs of raising children can be significant, and they should be shared by both parents. For those who are going through a divorce or who need to resolve child custody issues as unmarried parents, it is important to understand the methods that will be used to calculate child
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March 28, 2024 – An interlocutory appeal or an appeal from a final judgment or order is the preferable way to challenge a denial of a request to substitute a judge, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled.In Antonio Davis v. Circuit Court for Dane County, 2024 WI 14 (March 26, 2024), the Supreme Court also held (4-2-1) that a defendant was not entitled a substitution of his trial judge where the request was made 71 days after his
Continue Reading Interlocutory Appeal Is Method For Appealing Denial of Judicial Substitution

March 27, 2024 – State Bar of Wisconsin President Dean R. Dietrich lauded the enactment of bipartisan judicial security legislation today.

The package of three bills aims to bolster security for judicial officers by protecting personal information and shielding judges’ residences from protestors.

The bills were authored by Representatives Ron Tusler (R-Harrison), Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milwaukee), and Sheila Stubbs (D-Madison), and Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and former Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee). Governor Tony Evers signed the bills into law during
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If you intend to bring a claim for or find yourself defending a claim for punitive damages, you will likely discover that there is simply not much case law in Wisconsin on the issue (specific to personal injury actions). However, understanding the current statute, the legislative history behind the “new statute,” and the body of case law that does exist is as good a place as any to start. Current and ‘New’ The statutory scheme for punitive damages is
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March 27, 2024 – A decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in an employment case involving Amazon has renewed a debate among the justices about the wisdom of dismissing petitions as improvidently granted without an explanation.In Amazon Logistics, Inc. v. Labor and Industry Review Commission, 2024 WI 15 (March 26, 2024), the Supreme Court, in a per curiam decision, ruled that the case should be dismissed as improvidently granted.The case involved a dispute between Amazon Logistics, Inc. (Amazon)
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The idea of a family drug treatment court is that it takes teamwork, collaboration, and commitment to successfully rehabilitate participants with substance use disorders via a community-based alternative to incarceration.

Milwaukee County’s Family Drug Treatment Court (FDTC), begun in May 2011, and was a first for Wisconsin. The program diverts participants from the traditional justice system into a specialty court and creates an individualized plan that takes into account the participant’s mental and physical health as well as any
Continue Reading An Overview of Milwaukee County’s Family Drug Treatment Court

Ever heard of imposter syndrome? In this episode of the Bottom Up podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, co-host Emil Ovbiagele and guest host Joe Forward interview Samantha Huddleston Baker, a partner at OVB Law and Consulting S.C. in Milwaukee. They discuss impostor syndrome and carving out paths in the early years of a legal career.

Samantha shares her background and journey to law school, as well as her experience joining the law firm and overcoming impostor
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 17: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Samantha Huddleston Baker

I feel gratitude commemorating two enriching years at Ogden Glazer + Schafer (“OG+S”) as a Paralegal in the Intellectual Property practice. As I reflect on this milestone, I am struck by the journey, the career shift and finding myself in an environment that fosters growth, champions values of DEI, continual learning, and collaboration. Influential author Brené Brown reminds us, “vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change” and this change left me feeling unsure yet eager to delve
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Each year, Wisconsin Lawyer Magazine does a round-up of the latest legal trends. For the second year in a row I shared my thoughts on a legal marketing trend everyone should be paying attention to.
“Whether you routinely celebrate the work anniversaries of connections on LinkedIn, or have recently purchased a Stanley Quencher, social media is influencing your actions and ideas. And it’s doing the same thing to your clients,” said Emily Stever Kelchen of Kelchen Consulting in Tennessee.
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Have you ever felt groggy and exhausted after a night of tossing and turning in bed? Many people have experienced the effects of poor sleep, but did you know that it can have serious consequences when it comes to driving?

Drowsy driving is a major issue on the roads, leading to countless accidents and injuries each year.
The effects of insufficient sleep
When people don’t get enough quality sleep, their bodies and minds suffer. Lack of sleep can impair
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Life insurance in estate planning is a crucial aspect of financial management often overlooked or delayed by many individuals. Yet, it holds significant importance in securing the future for your loved ones and ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Among the myriad tools available for estate planning, life insurance stands out as a versatile and powerful instrument. In this blog post, we delve into the vital role of life insurance in estate planning and why it’s
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March 22, 2024 – Four sub-entities of the charitable arm of the Roman Catholic Church don’t qualify for an unemployment tax exemption because their activities are secular, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled (4-3) in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. State of Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission, 2024 WI 13 (March 14, 2024).Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote the 50-page majority opinion, joined by Justice Rebecca Dallet, Justice Jill Karofsky, and Justice Janet Protasiewicz.Justice Rebecca Bradley dissented, joined
Continue Reading Catholic Charities Don’t Qualify for Unemployment Tax Exemption

On Wednesday, March 6, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted an amendment to the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, titled “The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors.”

After a two-year process involving intense lobbying from global industry leaders and influential climate groups, the 3-2 vote in favor of adopting the rule prevailed.

The final rule seeks to meet investors’ demand for “consistent, comparable, and reliable information
Continue Reading The Impact of the SEC’s New Rule on Climate-related Risks

Last week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued its decision in Catholic Charities v. LIRC, 2024 WI 13. At issue in this case was whether the Catholic Charities entities would be exempt from paying any unemployment taxes (and their employees no longer eligible for unemployment benefits when laid off) because the Catholic Charities entities are, like churches themselves, operated for faith-based reasons.
Note: Articles on the decision have appeared in the Wisconsin Examiner, WisPolitics, and Urban Milwaukee
Continue Reading Religious Exemptions to Unemployment Taxes in 2024

We are excited to share with you a Forensics piece by our high schooler, Carter.
P.s. – He’s going to State!

Democracy lives in the people, democracy is the people, democracy is our best hope. This is a quote of Vice President Kamala Harris, and I think her words are undeniable. Democracy, an idea entrenched in the United States. An idea that the United States has helped spread all over the world. But what truly holds a democracy together?
Continue Reading American Democracy  

March 18, 2024 – The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association arbitrarily applied its own rules by disqualifying a high school wrestler from competing in a regional meet after receiving two unsportsmanlike conduct calls at the prior meet, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals (District II) has held (2-1) in Halter v. Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, 2021AP525 (Feb. 28, 2024).Judge Maria Lazar wrote the majority opinion, joined by Judge Mark Gundrum. Presiding Judge Lisa Neubauer dissented.Unsportsmanlike ConductOn Feb. 2, 2019, Waterford
Continue Reading Court of Appeals: WIAA Was Arbitrary in Declaring Wrestler Ineligible