Spotlight
One-Third of a Penny for the Wisconsin Judicial Branch
How much of Wisconsin’s state budget supports the judicial branch? Less than one penny of every dollar.
In FY 2023–24, the state spent about $172.3 million on its Judicial Functional Area, compared with $50.86 billion in total state spending — roughly 0.34% or about one-third of a penny per dollar.
The figure reflects state expenditures only, not county or municipal expenses for operating courts.
Source: wicourts.gov.
Wisconsin Court Update
Justice on Wheels Rolls into Chippewa Falls
On Oct. 13, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear two cases at the Heyde Center for the Arts in Chippewa Falls — the 34th stop for the court’s Justice on Wheels program, which has brought oral arguments to communities outside Madison since 1993. Students, lawyers, judges, and members of the public can attend or watch online.
Wisconsin Administers its First Uniform Bar Examination
Wisconsin gave its first UBE on July 28–29, making qualifying scores portable among participating jurisdictions. A total of 122 applicants registered for the two-day examination.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Heard First Oral Arguments of 2026–27 Term
The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard its first oral arguments on Sept. 8, after reviewing more than 340 petitions for review this summer. It’s also the first term for Justice Chris Taylor, who joined the Court Aug. 1.
Source: Wisconsin Court System
Got a Nugget to Share?
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Good Idea?
Wisconsin Courts Launch Pilot Portal for Restraining Order Petitions
A new online, mobile-first portal piloted by the Wisconsin Court System aims to simplify filing for domestic abuse restraining order petitions. The plain-language tool lets petitioners create or log in to an eFiling account, generate standard court forms, and submit them to the circuit court in one guided process.
“When survivors of domestic violence come to the court system seeking protection, it is our job to make sure the process is as clear, accessible, and supportive as possible,” Chief Justice Jill J. Karofsky said.
The pilot is underway in eight counties — Adams, Barron, Brown, Dane, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Sauk, and Waukesha — with CCAP and court operations staff training participating counties before the portal is made available statewide.
Source: wicourts.gov
By the Numbers
1,395
The number of state and federal cases that have reportedly involved AI-generated errors, despite three years of sanctions and judicial warnings.
Examples include nonexistent cases, fabricated testimony, and inaccurate factual assertions.
Lawyers may generally use generative AI, but professional-responsibility rules continue to place responsibility for accuracy, confidentiality, and competent representation on the lawyer.
Of note: A Florida appeals court recently used the term “AI slop” while ordering a lawyer to explain why she should not be sanctioned for confusing and allegedly frivolous filings.
Source: Reuters
On the Radar
Illinois Assisted-Suicide Law Draws Religious-Liberty Challenges
Effective September 2026, a new Illinois law, “Deb’s Law,” allows certain terminally ill adults to obtain prescription medication to end their lives. The patient must be informed about alternatives, including hospice, palliative care, comfort care, and pain management.
Patients may withdraw the request at any time and are never obligated to take the prescribed medication; if they do, the death certificate lists the underlying terminal illness, not the medication, as the cause of death.
Muslim physicians and Catholic organizations are challenging the law, arguing it requires them to inform patients that medical aid in dying is available and may require referring patients elsewhere to obtain it.
Source: NBC-Chicago
» Cite this article: 99 Wis. Law. 6 (October 2026).
