State Bar of Wisconsin

Nov. 20, 2009 – “Day in and day out, our judges work on the front lines of our judicial system,” says Justice Ann Walsh Bradley. “It’s a challenging, rewarding, and tough job – often times without a lot of recognition.” Watch a video in WisBar InsideTrack calling for nominations for 2009 judicial award nominations. Nominate a judge today.

Nov. 19, 2009 – Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen finds that municipal courts may not charge a separate fee for each warrant or commitment order issued in a single proceeding. But the court may recover costs for each warrant and commitment order successfully served or executed by municipal employees – even if more than one is served or executed in a single municipal court action.

Nov. 18, 2009 – The Wisconsin Court of Appeals rejected due process arguments that the evidentiary rules at a civil commitment hearing should be as restrictive as those of a criminal trial.

Nov. 17, 2009 – To support Wisconsin’s first responders who are prepared to pay the ultimate price in the line of duty, a group of volunteers from several groups and organizations have worked with the State Bar pro bono program to launch the Wisconsin Wills for Heroes program. The program offers free preparation of basic estate planning documents.

Nov. 16, 2009 – Today the Federal Nominating Commission announced its recommendations for the pending vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The opening results from Judge Terence T. Evans’ announcement in July that he will be taking senior status in January 2010.

Nov. 13, 2009 — Wisconsin ranks third in the nation for its Hmong population, while refugees from Bhutan, Myanmar, and Iraq are recent arrivals. Given this population shift, the legal system has seen a dramatic increase in the need for interpreter services. Learn more in the Nov. 4 issue of WisBar InsideTrack.

Nov. 12, 2009 – Madison lawyer Jacquelynn Rothstein will begin work on Jan. 4 as the Board of Bar Examiners director. The new director is expected to lead the board through reforms of continuing legal education accreditation and a review of the bar exam.

Nov. 11, 2009 – Veterans Day is observed across America each year to honor the past service and sacrifices made by the nation’s nearly 25 million military veterans. But in Wisconsin, Veterans Day 2009 offers an opportunity to look forward to the benefits of a new court program shaped by the state’s legal community and others to respond to the unique needs of combat veterans processing through the criminal justice system.

Nov. 11, 2009 – The Wisconsin Legislature concluded its regular fall 2009 floor period on Nov. 6, drawing to a close a highly productive lobbying year for the State Bar of Wisconsin.