Dane Co Legal Resource Center Blawg

SCR 20 conference

2006-08-14T12:54:00.000-05:00

Supreme Court Order 04-07, dated 8/7/06, announces the open administrative conference where the Court will discuss the final issues relating to the proposed draft to amend Supreme Court Rules Chapter 20, the Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys and will determine the appropriate effective date for amendments to be held on Oct 25, 2006 at 9:30 am.

(FYI "As this matter has already been the subject of a public hearing, general public testimony will not be entertained at the open conference.")

For the full-text of this order, see the court system website:
http://www.wicourts.gov/supreme/sc_hearing_rules.jsp

LegalTrac Users: Look for a New Interface

2006-08-03T11:05:00.001-05:00

Users of the LegalTrac database will notice a new homepage and changes in how search results are displayed and organized. Watch for more info about these changes in an upcoming newsletter of the State Law Library.

Thanks to WSLL staff for pointing these changes out.

Changes coming to Statutes online!

2006-08-03T11:05:00.000-05:00

Users searching the Wisconsin statutes using the FOLIO interface will notice that they are presented with a screen asking them to choose the old display using SiteDirector or a new display using the Nxt site. Both are current. The new display will go into full effect this fall. The challenge screen also goes into more detail about what's different in the new interface and where to go for help or linking.

2 New SC Orders

2006-08-01T14:34:00.000-05:00

Order 06-02, dated 7-26-06, announces the public hearing and conference on the DWD's petition to amend Wis. Stat. s.(rule) 809-19(3) stating that a respondent who is not a party in interest to an appeal may file a statement that no brief will be filed.

Order 06-05, dated 8-1-06, announces the public hearing and conference on the petition for adoption of a procedure to suspend or deny the license to practice law of a person certified as delinquent in payment of Wisconsin state taxes.

For the full-text of these orders, see the court system website:
http://www.wicourts.gov/supreme/sc_hearing_rules.jsp

From Angela S. at the State Law Library.

DCLRC Staff Changes

2006-07-31T15:58:00.000-05:00

Friday August 4 is Branch Librarian's Paula Seeger's last day at DCLRC after 5 years of service. Library Associate Lisa Winkler will work full time until a new Branch Librarian is named. A search is currently underway for a new Branch Librarian.

DCBA increases mediation fee

2006-07-31T15:55:00.000-05:00

Effective June 1, 2006, the Dane County Bar Association’s Case Mediation Program increased from $50 to $75 the required contribution for participation in the program.

If you have any questions regarding the fee increase or the program, please contact Le Jordan at (608) 848-1477 or mediate@dcba.net.

August LAW luncheon features AG candidates

2006-07-26T11:27:00.000-05:00

The Legal Association of Women announces their August luncheon:

When: August 9, 2006 at 12:00 noon.

Topic: "Candidates for Wisconsin Attorney General Debate"

Speaker: Peg Lautenschlager and Kathleen Falk have confirmed their participation. J.B. Van Hollen is tentatively scheduled to participate.

Location: The Edgewater Hotel, 666 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison, WI. Free parking is available in the Edgewater Hotel's parking lot.

Menu:
1. Edgewater Chef's Salad Bowl: ham and turkey, Swiss and cheddar cheeses, cucumber, egg and tomato wedges on a bed of mixed greens; choice of 3 dressings.
2. Chicken Florentine: tender spinach leaves blended into a savory bread stuffing, encompassed by a boneless breast of chicken, baked and topped with "supreme sauce" and served over a bed of white rice.
3. Ravioli Florentine: tender pillows of pasta stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese, served with a marinara sauce.

Program: Candidates for Wisconsin Attorney General will participate in an informal debate on a wide range of issues. If you would like to submit a question for possible inclusion in the debate, please e-mail Kelda Helen Roys at kelda@elitemail.org.

RSVP: Please RSVP by Friday, August 4, 2006, to Margit Kelley, mkelley@staffordlaw.com or 259-2611.

Price: $13 members and $17 non-members.

August DCLRC Newsletter Available

2006-07-26T11:25:00.000-05:00

The August issue of the DCLRC Newsletter is now online. Check it out at: http://wsll.state.wi.us/branch/dclrc/pub/docket/06aug.pdf

New Leg History Brief

2006-07-17T14:29:00.000-05:00

The Legislative Reference Bureau has released a new 25-page brief on Researching Legislative History in Wisconsin. Among the features are figures of actual documents used in this type of research. Access the brief here: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lrb/pubs/wb/06wb10.pdf

New Consumer Complaints Legal Topics Page!

2006-07-13T14:55:00.000-05:00

ANNOUNCEMENT: The State Law Library has launched a new Consumer Complaints page under their "Legal Topics A-Z" section on their website.

July DCLRC Newsletter

2006-07-05T13:18:00.000-05:00

The July issue of the DCLRC Newsletter is now online. Check it out!

New FCRB available

2006-06-29T08:28:00.000-05:00

Hot off the presses! An updated Dane County Family Court Resource Booklet has now been published. You may purchase the booklet from DCLRC (Room L1007 in the Courthouse) or the Family Court Counseling Service (Room 2030 in the Courthouse) for $3.00 per copy. You may also view the booklet online at: http://www.countyofdane.com/familycourtcounseling/page1.html

Notice of Retired Dane Co Judge's Death

2006-06-13T08:52:00.000-05:00

Jones, Charles P., Judge
SPRING GREEN/ MADISON - Judge P. Charles Jones, age 70, passed away on Monday, June 12, 2006.

For A Time of Remembrance and Sharing, family and friends are invited to gather at the Jury Assembly Room, 1L [Room L1000], Dane County Courthouse, 215 S. Hamilton, Madison, at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 16, 2006.

There will be a visitation for family and friends on Thursday, June 15, 2006, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at CRESS FUNERAL SERVICE, 6021 University Ave., Madison. A full obituary will be published in the Wednesday paper. Cress Funeral & Cremation Service 6021 University Ave. (608) 238-8406 www.cressfuneralservice.com

From the WI State Journal

New article on Miranda rights

2006-06-01T15:32:00.000-05:00

The World Almanac has published an article in its June newsletter on the Miranda decision and gives a nice history and overview on the topic. Read the article at: http://www.worldalmanac.com/newsletter/200606WAE-Newsletter.html#06

June Newsletter Available

2006-06-01T15:31:00.000-05:00

The June newsletter of the DCLRC is now available at: http://wsll.state.wi.us/branch/dclrc/pub/docket/06june.pdf

DCLRC featured in WI State Jnl

2006-04-17T07:34:00.000-05:00

DCLRC is featured in the April 17th issue of the WI State Journal, on page 1 of the Local section. You can also read the story on the WSJ website.

Governor Creates Office of Privacy Protection

2006-04-14T09:19:00.000-05:00

Gov Doyle has created the Office of Privacy Protection to combat ID theft.

From the Press Release: "Anyone who has been the victim of an identity crime or wants more information how to protect themselves or their business should contact the Office of Privacy Protection at toll-free 1-800-422-7128 or on the web at privacy.wi.gov"

View the Press Release:
http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=1910

Thanks to Heidi at the State Law Library for the tip.

Pictures from DCLRC Grand Opening

2006-04-10T13:51:00.000-05:00

There are photos from the April 3 DCLRC Grand Opening on the DCLRC website under "News"

Wireless Hot Spots in the Courthouse

2006-03-27T08:44:00.000-06:00

There are at least four wireless access points, or "hot spots," in the Dane County Courthouse. Some of these locations have limited availability due to hours of operation or room availability.

2nd Floor: Court Commissioner Center area

Lower Level: Legal Resource Center (Open 8:30-4:30)
Assembly Room (Limited availability)
Themis Cafe

When you log on and try to access the internet, after by-passing your security settings if necessary, you will arrive at a "challenge screen" produced by Dane County Info Mgmt, asking you to log-in as a registered user. Scroll down on this screen and click on the button called "Log on as guest." This should allow you to start using the internet.

April DCLRC Newsletter

2006-03-20T09:50:00.000-06:00

We've published the April DCLRC Newsletter a little early to give you a chance to sign up for workshops and classes held during National Library Week, April 3-7. Hope to see you at the Grand Opening/Ribbon Cutting Reception on Monday April 3 at 2:00 p.m.

Madison Metro schedules neighborhood meetings

2006-03-06T10:27:00.000-06:00

From the Metro Rider Alert, a weekly email from Madison Metro Transit:

SERVICE CHANGE PROPOSALS
Neighborhood Meetings Scheduled!
Metro Transit is in the process of developing service change proposals that would affect service in several neighborhoods.

If you are interested in Metro Transit services, you are encouraged to attend one or more of these meetings to learn what these proposals are and provide input to help guide Metro staff through its planning process.

View Meeting Schedule

Would Ready Return Work in Wisconsin?

2006-03-06T08:44:00.000-06:00

From Mother Jones comes this interesting article that seems to encapsulate what a lot of taxpayers ae thinking: The government should complete tax forms for the taxpayers. They have all the information anyway, so why not? Joe Bankman, Law Professor at Stanford, created Ready Return to help California taxpayers. Could a similiar program work in Wisconsin? For more on Ready Return, visit Bankman's faculty profile page where there are links to FAQ.

New Statewide Divorce Forms Debut

2006-03-02T15:23:00.000-06:00

The WI Court System has debuted the first batch of divorce and legal separation forms on their website. PDF and fillable Word versions are now available. An interactive version will roll out later this month and will feature county-specific instructions. View the forms

Are you aware of your first amendment freedoms?

2006-03-02T09:17:00.000-06:00

From the ResourceShelf's DocuTicker:

Americans’ Awareness of First Amendment Freedoms (PDF; 232 KB)
From press release: "A new McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum survey finds that only about one in four Americans (28 percent) are able to name more than one of the five fundamental freedoms granted to them by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Yet when it comes to knowledge of popular culture, Americans are considerably more tuned in. For example, almost twice as many Americans (52 percent) can name at least two members of 'The Simpsons' cartoon family."

New article on line item veto

2006-03-02T07:49:00.000-06:00

The March issue of the World Almanac newsletter has an interesting article offering an historical look at the line-item veto as used in Federal Government. Link to the article or link to the entire newsletter

“The Little Law Library That Could” Celebrates Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting, Proclamation

2006-02-28T16:19:00.000-06:00

PRESS RELEASE:

Just a little over three years ago, the Dane County Legal Resource Center (DCLRC; formerly Dane County Law Library) faced closure and staff layoffs due to a Dane County budget crisis. On Monday April 3 at 2:00 p.m., the “Little Law Library that Could” is celebrating its move into a larger space in the new courthouse with a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony and reception.

DCLRC is a branch of the State Law Library funded through a contractual arrangement with Dane County. Nearly 30,000 people use the DCLRC each year. Librarian Paula Seeger estimates that about 75-80% of DCLRC’s users are members of the public interested in representing themselves in court actions. “Pro se folks are by far our biggest user group, and often our most challenging,” says Seeger. “They have the widest variety of requests and really keep us on our toes.”

DCLRC moved into a new library space on the lower level of the Dane County Courthouse January 13. “People have been able to locate us, and, if anything, I’d say we’re a bit busier now than in our old space,” admits Seeger. “We wanted to wait until we were settled in before having our grand opening.” DCLRC’s grand opening corresponds to National Library Week, April 2-8, and features week long events, classes, and door prizes. Visit the DCLRC website to access a full list of events: http://wsll.state.wi.us/branch/dclrc/servicesevents.html.

Seeger confesses, “There were times we thought we’d never make it to the new library, with budget problem after budget problem. We kept on. We cut where we could, collaborated more, and found creative solutions to our problems. All in all I think we offer more services now than we ever did and do a great job of keeping our users informed of the latest court procedures and laws.” For more information about the Dane County Legal Resource Center, visit their website at: http://wsll.state.wi.us/branch/dclrc/index.html or call 266-6316.

March DCLRC Newsletter Available

2006-02-28T07:52:00.000-06:00

The March issue of the Dane Co Legal Resource Center newsletter is now online at: http://wsll.state.wi.us/branch/dclrc/pub/docket/06mar.pdf Enjoy!

New report: Use of libraries grows

2006-02-23T10:53:00.000-06:00

The American Library Association has released a study finding "that Americans overwhelmingly are very satisfied with their public libraries, agree more public library funding is needed and believe public libraries will be needed in the future. Two-thirds of adult Americans (roughly 135 million people) visited their public libraries last year." Read the study or summary.

Women and Girls in the Criminal Justice System

2006-02-17T07:28:00.000-06:00

From the National Criminal Justice Reference Service comes this new resource:
Women and Girls in the Criminal Justice System

From the Summary:
"According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) publication, Prisoners in 2004, collected from the National Prisoner Statistics, which obtains yearend and midyear counts of prisoners from departments of corrections in each of the 50 States and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, at yearend 2002, there were 26,300 female prisoners incarcerated in State prison for a violent offense. Violent offenders accounted for 33% of the female prison population under State jurisdiction at yearend 2002 (Prisoners in 2004, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005).

The growth in the female offender population can be seen in each component of corrections. As of June 30, 2004, the number of women under State or Federal jurisdiction was 103,910, a 2.9% increase from June 30, 2003. At the same time, there were an estimated 86,999 female jail inmates, about 12.3% of the jail population. Overall, about 8.6 % of persons incarcerated in prison and jail were women (Prison and Jail Inmates at Midyear 2004, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005). "

State Internet Filtering Laws

2006-02-17T07:25:00.000-06:00

State Internet Filtering Laws
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/lis/CIP/filterlaws.htm
Includes a handy chart of state laws governing schools and public libraries, along with links to the specific state codes.

From: Neat New Stuff I Found This Week
Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2006.

Default Jdgmt SC/CV Cases Require Extra Form

2006-02-09T14:18:00.000-06:00

A friendly reminder from the Clerk of Courts office:
In order to be awarded a default judgment in a small claims or civil case, you need to file an Affidavit of Nonmilitary Service with the Clerk of Courts. The form is available on the Court System's website as Form GF-175.

Cafe in Courthouse Menu

2006-02-07T09:50:00.000-06:00

The menu for the Themis Cafe in the Courthouse is now viewable online (in PDF). You can link to it here: http://www.co.dane.wi.us/pdf/themis_menu_printable.pdf

Enjoy new photos!

2006-02-06T09:46:00.000-06:00

We have photos of the move and new DCLRC available on our website under "News" at: http://wsll.state.wi.us/branch/dclrc/. Enjoy!

February Newsletters Available

2006-02-01T12:03:00.000-06:00

The February issue of the Dane Co Legal Resource Center newsletter is now available online at: http://wsll.state.wi.us/branch/dclrc/pub/docket/06feb.pdf

The February issue of the State Law Library's newsletter is now available online at:
http://wsll.state.wi.us/newsletter/0602.html

Two chances to weigh in on proposed rule changes

2006-02-01T11:04:00.000-06:00

Here are two opportunites to address upcoming proposed Supreme Court Rules changes:

05-01 (Jan 27, 2006) Open Administrative Conference re Amendment to Supreme Court Rule 22.001(3) Relating to Cost Assessments in the Lawyer Regulation System - Tuesday, March 7, 2006, 9:30 a.m., Supreme Court Room, State Capitol, Madison.

06-01 (Jan 30, 2006) Public Hearing re Amendment to Supreme Court Rule 72.01 regarding record retention - Tuesday, April 25 2006, 3:30 p.m., Supreme Court Room, State Capitol, Madison.

Full text of Supreme Court Order 06-01, dated Jan 30, 2006, available online.
http://www.wicourts.gov/supreme/sc_hearing_rules.jsp

Source: WI State Law Library, Angela Sanfilippo, Documents Librarian

New WSCCA unveiled

2006-01-30T10:19:00.000-06:00

The Clerk's office of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals of Wisconsin announces that the new web-based public access case site for the appellate courts (WSCCA) is now available. The site is very similar to the circuit court case access site (WCCA), including offering similar search options.

If users have questions or comments, they are asked to use the contact email available under "Help." Access the site here: http://wscca.wicourts.gov/index.xsl

Access to Public Legal Notices

2006-01-30T09:33:00.000-06:00

To promote better citizen awareness of local government actions, public legal notices are now available on a statewide web site hosted by member newspapers of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. Notices will be accessible for 90 days after publication date. Some advanced features will be free until February 28, but require fee subscriptions beginning March 1. Access the notices by clicking on “Public Notice Web Site” on this page: http://www.wnanews.com/

Update on Legal Asst Programs in Courthouse

2006-01-24T09:26:00.000-06:00

Here is an update on the status of the Legal Assistance Programs offered at the Dane County Courthouse (215 S Hamilton Street).

Mondays: Restraining Order Clinic from 8 a.m. to Noon in Room 1001 (next to Probate), for assistance with Restraining Order procedures and forms

Tuesdays: Small Claims Assistance Program from 9 to 11 a.m. in Room L1000 (Jury Assembly Room), for assistance with small claims procedures and forms

Family Court Assistance Project from 9 to Noon in Room L1000 (Jury Assembly Room), for assistance with family court procedures and forms

Wednesdays: Family Law Assistance Center from 11:30 to 1:30 in Room L1000 (Jury Assembly Room) for assistance with family court procedures and forms

Family Court Assistance Project from 11 to 2 in Room L1000 (Jury Assembly Room), for assistance with family court procedures and forms

Thursdays: Family Court Assistance Project from 9 to Noon in Room L1000 (Jury Assembly Room), for assistance with family court procedures and forms

Fridays: Restraining Order Clinic from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 1001 (next to Probate), for assistance with Restraining Order procedures and forms

Book moving day!

2006-01-11T14:06:00.000-06:00

We're moving books today! The boxes move on Friday, but our collection moved today. Please be patient as we transfer our location to the new courthouse.

New Resource from the LRB

2006-01-10T15:01:00.000-06:00

LRB's series "Governing Wisconsin" continues to add to its collection. The latest report is on "Juries in Wisconsin" and examines the three types of juries used in Wisconsin.

Stump the Law Librarian

2006-01-04T08:56:00.000-06:00

Q: My friend works out at East Towne Mall and said there was some sort of robbery in the parking lot a couple weeks ago. Is there anywhere I can check online to see what that was about?

A: Sure! The Madison Police Department has a resource listed under "Press Releases" that connects users to the "Current News Media Releases." You can search by date, type of incident, or text. Taking a quick look down the list, there is an entry on 12/22/05 regarding a strong armed robbery in the East Towne Mall parking lot.

Updated Probate Pages

2005-12-27T09:55:00.000-06:00

The Probate Court web pages on the Clerk of Courts website have been updated with new FAQ, forms, and more current information. Thanks go again to the great folks at Dane Co Info Mgmt for their speedy work!

New Drug Court Info

2005-12-20T09:47:00.000-06:00

Two updated or new documents have been added to the Clerk of Courts website regarding Drug Court in Dane County. One is "10 FAQ about Drug Court" and the other updates the information that was previously on the site. Find them under "Related Documents" on this page.

Statewide Study Report Now Available!

2005-12-16T15:17:00.000-06:00

The Public Access to Legal Information Committee of the Law Librarians Association of Wisconsin is pleased to announce the results of a year-long study of the public access to legal information and assistance in Wisconsin. Published in a 40-page report, the study compares access levels across libraries and courts, as well as noting success stories in the area of legal assistance to the public. An historical overview of the laws regarding county law libraries, as well as several sets of data, are included.

Print copies are available for $5.00 each, otherwise the report is available on the LLAW website at:
http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/llaw/paliguide/PALIFullReport2005.pdf

Many, many thanks go out to the LLAW members who helped with this study, especially those who offered significant comments on the drafts. A special thank you to Wisconsin State Law Librarian Jane Colwin, who read every single draft!

New Resources

2005-12-16T10:31:00.000-06:00

The Clerk of Courts website has added two new resources:

A new page for important notices and reminders regarding court operations.

The rotation plan that judges participate in explains the judicial divisions and case assignment.

New Resource: Wex

2005-11-21T09:20:00.000-06:00

Legal Information Institute has released a new resource called "Wex" and describes it as:
"...an ambitious effort to construct a collaboratively-created, public-access law dictionary and encyclopedia." Check it out.

New Look for Dane County Home Page!

2005-11-15T13:43:00.000-06:00

"Like a moth cocooned
Our home page has been transformed"

So say the web designers in Dane County Info Management. Check out their new home page: http://www.co.dane.wi.us/

One neat feature are links under "Public Safety, Courts, and the Law" that connect users right to the internal pages on the COC pages. The list of county departments is now right on the front page and a list of "most viewed" pages has been aded to the top left. Looks very colorful too! Check it out!

Stump the Law Librarian

2005-11-14T14:28:00.000-06:00

Q: I heard that I'll need to show a passport when I go to Canada or Mexico. Is that true?

A: From the US Dept. of State's Travel pages:
"The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere who do not currently possess valid passports. This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement. "

Read more, including FAQ, on the Travel.state.gov page.

New Look for RSB Home

2005-11-09T12:29:00.000-06:00

The Revisor of Statute Bureau's website has debuted a new look! Check it out: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html

Internet Tips 22

2005-11-08T14:08:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the next issue of "Internet Tips"! There are three sections to this post: a beginner's tip, an advanced tip, and a useful internet link. Enjoy!

Beginner's Tip: Those three little buttons
Those three little buttons on the upper right-hand corner of an open window are the Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons.
The "X" closes the window.
The "Box" maximizes the program, making it full screen. If it's already maximized, it looks like a box on top of another box. If you click it in that state, it will make your window smaller.
Finally, the little "_" is the minimize button. It reduces the current window to a Taskbar button. Clicking the button on the Taskbar restores the window to its former state.

Advanced Tip: Resizing Scrollbars
Want to change the size of the scrollbars so they're easier to use?
1. Right-click your desktop and select Properties
2. Select the Appearance tab .
3. The second drop down box should be labeled "item" select "Scrollbar"
4. You'll be able to increase or decrease the size of your scrollbars by using the little box to the right of the drop down box (it's labeled "size").

Thanks again to WorldStart for these tips!

Useful Internet Link: ResourceShelf
Information and news about new resources and documents.

New Dane Co Family Law Resource Guide

2005-11-08T12:33:00.000-06:00

A new Dane Co Family Law Resource Guide, highlighting the resources available at DCLRC, is now available on the DCLRC Website.

Stump the Law Librarian

2005-11-04T15:35:00.000-06:00

Q: What can you tell me about tests for drunk driving? For example, when they make you follow a penlight with your eyes, is there a certain distance they're supposed to stand away from you?

A: The test you're referring to is called "horizontal gaze nystagmus." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a resource guide just on this test. In addition, the Wisconsin State Patrol's training manual answers the distance question: the object that the suspect is following with his or her eyes should be 12 to 15 inches in front of the eyes for ease of focus and held above eye level so the eyes are wide open when the suspect looks directly at it. You can also find information about breath tests for intoxication in the WI Statutes sections 343.303-343.305 and other resources on the WI State Law Library's website.

New "Crime and Arrests in Wisconsin" Report Issued

2005-11-04T13:50:00.000-06:00

Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT PERSON:
Paul Guequierre
Office of Justice Assistance
(608)266-6476

SUMMARY

Violent Crime in Wisconsin Decreased by 2.2 Percent and Property Crime Decreased by 5.2 percent in 2004. Wisconsin’s Crime Rate Is Considerably Less than Both the Midwest and National Average.

Reported Index crime decreased by 5 percent in 2004, including a 11.5 percent decrease in murder, according to the “Crime and Arrests in Wisconsin - 2004 Report” issued today. The report was prepared by the Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance and is based upon monthly reports submitted by more than 370 law enforcement agencies within the State.

The Property Crime Index decreased by 5.2 percent while the Violent Crime Index decreased by 2.2 percent. There was a 22.8 percent decrease in arson after a 6.4 percent increase last year. The overall decrease in crime was due to individual decreases in seven of the eight Index Crime categories. The only category showing an increase was aggravated assault which increased by 0.2 percent. Index Crime, established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a basis for nationwide crime data collection through the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, is the sum of the number of reported crimes for eight serious offense types including the four Violent Crimes of murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault, together with the four Property Crimes of burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and arson.

The 2004 Crime and Arrests Report indicates that total adult arrests increased by 5.2 percent from 2003 to 2004, while total juvenile arrests decreased by 3.1 percent.

The percentage of Index Crimes cleared by law enforcement agencies improved somewhat, from 52.0 percent for violent crimes and 22.3 for property crimes in 2003 to 55.1 percent for violent crimes and 23.4 percent for property crimes during 2004. Last year’s clearance rate is much greater than the national clearance rate (47 percent for violent crimes and 16 percent for property crimes in 2003).

In addition, the report contains ten-year trends on offense and arrest patterns for reported Index Crime. For example, total Index Crime in Wisconsin decreased by 27.2 percent from 1994 to 2004. While total Violent Crime declined by 22.4 percent during the decade, total Property Crime decreased by 27.6 percent. From 1994 to 2004, adult arrests for Index Crimes declined by 7.4 percent. During the same period, juvenile arrests for Index Crimes decreased by 38.8 percent.

The total amount of property stolen decreased by 5 percent in 2004 when compared to 2003, and the recovery rate decreased from 42 percent in 2003 to 41 percent in 2004.

Wisconsin’s 2004 Violent Crime rate was more than 47 percent less than the 2003 Midwest rate and nearly 56 percent less than the 2003 rate in the United States. The Property Crime rate in Wisconsin was 20 percent less than the 2003 Midwest rate and nearly 25 percent less than the 2003 rate in the United States. Further, the odds of a Wisconsin resident being victimized by Violent Crime declined from 1994 to 2004. The likelihood of being a Violent Crime victim in Wisconsin decreased from 1 in 369 during 1994 to 1 in 475 in 2004.

Two Wisconsin law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty during 2004. There were 901 assaults on Wisconsin law enforcement officers reported during 2004, 17 percent more than the 767 assaults reported during 2003.

* * * *

The Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance is the state agency specifically charged with juvenile/criminal justice planning in Wisconsin and for administering funds made available to the state under provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, the Violence Against Women Act, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, and other Federal programs. The agency also operates the Statistical Analysis Center, which is responsible for the state's Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

2 new Wis Sup Ct Orders

2005-11-04T10:09:00.000-06:00

Two new Supreme Court orders were issued Oct 28, 2005:

04-09 Amendment of the Rules of Evidence: Wis. Stat. ss 908.03(6), 909.02(12) & 909.02(13) (Effective January 1, 2006) 04-09 amends the statutes dealing with records investigation, to conform with the 2000 amendments of the Federal Rules of Evidence.

04-11 Amendment of Wis. Stat. RULE 809.19 (Briefs and appendix) relating to the certification of compliance with Wis. Stat. RULE 809.19(2) (Effective January 1, 2006)

From Angela S., WI Collections Librarian at WI State Law Library

Stump the Law Librarian

2005-11-02T09:11:00.000-06:00

Q: I am a landlord of a building with a "no-pets" policy. Do I need to allow service animals?

A: You will find the answers in the following Federal laws:
According to 42 USC 3604(f)(3)B, the US Code section on discrimination in the sale or rental of housing and other prohibited practices, discrimination includes a "refusal to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when such accommodations may be necessary to afford such person equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling."

In additon, according to 24 CFR 100.204, the Code of Federal Regulations section on the Fair Housing Act:
"Reasonable accommodations. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices, or services, when such accommodations may be necessary to afford a handicapped person equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling unit, including public and common use areas.

(b) The application of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:
Example (1): A blind applicant for rental housing wants live in a dwelling unit with a seeing eye dog. The building has a no pets policy. It is a violation of Sec. 100.204 for the owner or manager of the apartment complex to refuse to permit the applicant to live in the apartment with a seeing eye dog because, without the seeing eye dog, the blind person will not have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling."

New from the LRB: Forms and Function of Local Gov't

2005-11-01T07:46:00.000-06:00

New from the LRB's series "Governing Wisconsin":
"Counties, Cities, Villages, Towns: Forms of Local Government and their Functions" A 2-page research report on the differences between state and local governments and their functions.

From the report, I learned that county government is the oldest form of local government in the state. "Local government is important in Wisconsin because it is closest to us and impacts our lives most directly. It gives us an excellent opportunity to view government close up, and maybe even to get involved." Read more...

Internet Tips 21

2005-10-25T07:58:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of "Internet Tips"! There are three sections to this post: a beginner's tip, an advanced tip, and a useful internet link. Enjoy!

Beginner's Tip: An icon by any other name...
Want to rename an item on your desktop? Highlight it and tap F2. The text box will then allow you to change the name.

Advanced Tip: To Run or Save...that is the question
When you are downloading a file off the internet you may get the option to "Run" or "Save". Either of these options will lead you to the setup for the program and install it on your computer, but the difference lies in where the setup file opens from.

If you click "Save" you can specify where the setup file goes ("My Downloads" or the desktop). From there you could put it on a disk or in a different location just in case you need to reinstall it.

By choosing "Run" the setup process starts once the setup file is downloaded to your temporary internet file. When you empty your temp file the setup download goes away.

More great tips at: http://www.worldstart.com/tips/index.php

Useful Internet Link: Learn Library Call Numbering
Always been curious about how library call numbers are formulated and what they mean? Check out this link to understanding Library of Congress call numbers.

Legal Research Tip 21: Finding legal periodical articles

2005-10-25T07:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of the DCLRC E-Newsletter "Legal Research Tips"! You can view back issues of these tips through other posts in this blawg. Enjoy!

You may think you can find all legal resources contained in the library through the library catalog. However, the catalog only lists books and journals received by the library, not individual article titles or authors.

To find articles in legal periodicals, you will need to use a periodical index. Index accesibility is limited to those in the library or courts, as well as anyone with a library card.

LegalTrac covers legal newspapers and journals.

HeinOnline covers law reviews, federal and international legal resources.

There is a list of serials available electronically through the State Law Library as well.

Stump the Law Librarian

2005-10-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

Q: I was refused service in a restaurant and I think I was discriminated against. The manager says he has a right to refuse service. What is the law on this and what are some legal actions I can take?

A: If you believe you were discriminated against, section 106.52 of the Wisconsin Statutes provides that it is against the law to deny service or to give unequal treatment in service because of sex, race, color, creed, disability, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry. Discrimination in relation to age, 18 and older, is only unlawful in regard to lodging establishments. "Public accomodations" includes, but is not limited to, hotels, motels, restaurants, taverns, retail stores, exercise clubs, dry cleaners, auto repair shops, and other service establishments. The law does not apply when a private, nonprofit organization provides goods or services to only its members or their guests.

This section is enforced by filing a complaint with the Equal Rights Division of the Department of Workforce Development within 300 days of the discriminatory action. They have complaint forms and procedural information on their website.

In additon, you may want to research the common law topic of "Right to Refuse Service" with regard to the 14th amendment and caselaw at your local law library.

Stump the Law Librarian

2005-10-12T11:31:00.000-05:00

Q: I'm looking for information on how subsidized housing units adversely affects the value of a neighborhood's property. Do you know where I should look?

A: Here are a few ideas for resources to begin your search, from Connie VonDerHeide, librarian at the State Law Library:
Dane County Housing Authority (DCHA)

Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)

"Field Guide to Effects of Low Income Housing on Surrounding Property Values" (last updated May 2003) This is a list of links to a variety of studies and reports

"Low Income Housing Tax Credit Housing Developments and Property Values" (dated 2002)NOTE: This Wisconsin study was done on Section 42 developments, not Section 8 housing, but some parts of the report might possibly correlate.

"Does Affordable Housing Detrimentally Affect Property Values? A Review of the Literature" byMai Thi Nguyen, San Francisco State University. Published in the Journal of Planning Literature, Vol. 20, No. 1, 15-26 (2005). NOTE: This article is not available in full text for free on the web. Try submitting an Interlibrary Loan request at your local public library.

National Affordable Housing Trends/Issues/Future"
The above PowerPoint presentation frequently cites the study "Siting Affordable Housing: Location and Neighborhood Treands of Low Income Housing Tax Credit Developments in the 1990s" published in March 2004 as part of its Census 2000 Survey Series. See http://www.brookings.edu/urban/pubs/20040405_Freeman.pdf for more info.

WI Court System Primer

2005-10-04T16:23:00.000-05:00

The Legislative Reference Bureau has produced this two-page primer on the basics of the WI Court System.

In addition, the Blue Book of state government is now available online and features a substantial article highlighting the Judicial Branch of Wisconsin.

BBW Event photos

2005-10-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

Photos from last week's Banned Books Week event at the Courthouse are now online. Enjoy!

New Special Collection at DCLRC

2005-10-04T09:11:00.000-05:00

DCLRC has a new special collection: Drug Court Collection. Designed for litigants, attorneys, advocates, and court staff, the collection contains both legal and medical books, articles, and other resources highlighted in a resource guide. The books are either donated by members of the community or on loan from the WI State Law Library. For more information on other Special Collections at DCLRC, see this page.

Legal Research Tip 20: Sports Law

2005-10-04T08:17:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of the DCLRC E-Newsletter "Legal Research Tips"! You can view back issues of these tips through other posts in this blawg. Enjoy!

Looking for resources on Sports Law?

First, check the WI State Law Library's legal topic "Sports Law" where there are many links to local and national sports law resources.

Check out the Sports Law Blog for the latest news and information on the topic.

Looking for an overview of the topic, check out the Legal Information Institute's page on Sports Law.

Internet Tips 20

2005-10-04T08:09:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of "Internet Tips"! There are three sections to this email: a beginner's tip, an advanced tip, and a useful internet link. Enjoy!

Beginner's Tip: Going Home
Here's a two-second tip that could save you lots of time. It seems like the "Print" or "Email" or whatever link you're looking for is always at the top of a long web page.Wanna get up to the top of the page in no time? Hit the <HOME> button on your keyboard!

Advanced Tip: CAPS LOCK
If you have accidentally typed a bunch of stuff all in caps, or if you inherited a document from someone who typed all the headings in all caps, and you want to change it, here's a quick way to do it:
1. Highlight the text that is in caps.
2. Hold down the key, and then hit
3. Keep hitting until the text looks the way you want it: It will toggle between ALL CAPS, First Letter Caps, and lowercase.

Or...if you prefer menus:
1. Highlight the text that is in caps.
2. From the "Format" menu, choose "Change case"
3. Check the case you would like, and then click "OK"

Tips courtesy South Central Library System Web Guru Stef Morrill.

Useful Internet Link: Learn the Net
You'll find all sorts of interesting things on learnthenet.com

Bankruptcy Court Pro Se Resource Page

2005-09-30T14:20:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Wisconsin has developed a resource page especially for those filing without an attorney's assistance. In addition, there are several new and enhanced web pages on the home page.

Limits on Property Tax Levies

2005-09-30T14:15:00.000-05:00

State law now limits municipal and county property tax levies
"The state budget signed into law as Act 25 includes property tax levy limits prohibiting municipalities and counties from increasing their total property tax levy by more than a specified percentage for each of the next two years. The law allows levies to increase by either two percent or the percentage change in the municipality's or county's equalized value due to net new construction, whichever is greater. The Department of Revenue (DOR) has posted 2004-05 net new construction values for each Wisconsin municipality and county on its website at www.dor.state.wi.us/equ/levylmt.html. These figures will be used to determine levy limits for next year.

Please note that the levy limits are based on the total municipal or county levy, not separately to the level of library funding provided by a municipality or county. An individual department or service could receive a higher appropriation, as long as the total increase for the municipality or county does not exceed the total levy limit.

Amounts levied for debt service are generally exempt from the levy limits. In addition, levies can be increased above the allowable limits if the amount is approved by referendum. The DOR has a FAQ page on the levy limits at www.dor.state.wi.us/faqs/slf/levy.html."

Source: Channel Weekly (Vol. 8, No. 3 -- Sept. 15, 2005)

Wis receives funding to improve criminal records

2005-09-29T08:16:00.000-05:00

From the E-lawlibrary blog comes news that 21 states have been awarded $26 million in funding from the Dept. of Justice to enhance or improve their state criminal records. Wisconsin received $562,733 according to the DOJ's press release.

From the release: "These awards will improve the accuracy of criminal history records and ensure that qualified persons are placed in positions of trust and other sensitive areas," said Regina B. Schofield, Assistant Attorney General for the Department's Office of Justice Programs (OJP). "Improving linkage of records between state and federal agencies additionally improves the nation's ability to immediately identify persons prohibited from purchasing a firearm."

Citizen's Guide to FOIA requests

2005-09-28T08:59:00.000-05:00

From the ResourceShelf's DocuTicker comes news of this Citizen's Guide on Using the Freedom of Information:
"This Guide is intended to serve as a general introduction to the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act. It offers neither a comprehensive explanation of the details of these acts nor an analysis of case law. The Guide will enable those who are unfamiliar with the laws to understand the process and to make a request. In addition, the complete text of each law is included in an appendix."

Spotlight on: CR/TR info on COC website

2005-09-27T08:03:00.000-05:00

I'd like to highlight a couple new resources on the Criminal and Traffic Court sections of the Clerk of Courts website. In addition to the resources already there, we've added links to forms and information in Spanish, including the Plea Questionnaire/Waiver of Rights form. Also added are FAQ about Payment Plans and new Payment Plan options.

FCAP featured in local news

2005-09-23T08:14:00.000-05:00

The Capital Times featured the Family Court Assistance Project in a 9-22-05 article. The Project, discussed in length on the UW-Law School's website, has recently resumed regular hours at the courthouse. Call 262-2301 for more information about the program.

"Report a Problem" Feature added to Madison web

2005-09-23T08:08:00.000-05:00

The City of Madison has added a "Report a Problem" feature to their website. Citizens will be able to report everything from trash and recycling problems to identifying sidewalk and pothole concerns. This site is for non-emergency issues only and users can expect a response in 3-5 working days.

Banned Books Week event

2005-09-22T16:25:00.000-05:00

MADISON, WI - The American Civil Liberties Union is teaming up with the Dane County Legal Resource Center (DCLRC) to observe Banned Books Week, which runs the last week of September. On Wednesday, September 28th they will host bilingual readings of the Bill of Rights and a brief presentation planned for the lunch hour on the steps of the Dane County Courthouse at 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. (Rain location: Room 315 (DCLRC) inside the Courthouse) In addition, free copies of the Bill of Rights will be available to all.

According to the American Library Association (ALA), Banned Books Week is now a 23 year-old United States tradition. Initiated in 1982, the event is intended to remind US citizens not to take their rights for granted. Echoing the sentiments of the First Amendment of the US Constitution, ALA states that Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express ones opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular.

ACLU Madison Area Community Advocate, Dianne Riley encourages everyone to turn out, particularly those working in the downtown area who can easily take a few moments to join us in reflecting on the instances that have tested our right to express ideas. In the abstract, freedom of speech and press sounds like a good idea, but people dont often realize how tenuous that freedom is…at least not until they see the examples of books that have been challenged.

For more information on Banned Books Week, see
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm

Please share this information with others so the event is widely publicized. Call the Dane Co Legal Resource Center if you have any questions, (608) 266-6316.

New Resource: Uncovering Local Legal Resources

2005-09-22T15:01:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to announce the following article is now available in the September 21, 2005 issue of Wisconsin Law Journal: "Unmined Gold: Finding Wisconsin Local Legal Resources."

Colleges that have Closed or Changed Names

2005-09-19T07:45:00.000-05:00

Completing historical research and come across a name of a college but can't find any reference to its current location, website, statistics? Perhaps the college has closed or changed its name. This list has compiled the colleges that have closed or the name has been changed due to a merger or for other reasons.

Constitution Day 2005

2005-09-16T11:09:00.000-05:00

Constitution Day 2005 is Sept. 17. Here are some interesting resources to help you celebrate and learn more:

Schools Required to Teach about Constitution Day

What is Constitution Day?

From about.com: Constitution Day

Celebrate Constitution Day!

Constitution Day across the country

How WI Lawyers can help Hurricane victims

2005-09-15T13:31:00.000-05:00

The State Bar has created a page on their website listing ways Wisconsin lawyers can help with hurrican relief. On the page is a statement by the Bar president, help for lawyers displaced by the hurricane, and resources to help lawyers offer legal services to evacuees. Visit the page.

If you can imagine it...

2005-09-14T12:14:00.000-05:00

Here is the latest image of the new courthouse from the outside. Note the windows closest to the corner on the lowest level are where the library will be (corner of Wilson and Hamilton Streets). The address will be 215 S. Hamilton Street. (Photo courtesy Connie Von Der Heide)

Legal Research Tip 19: Small Claims Strategies

2005-09-14T09:38:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of the DCLRC E-Newsletter "Legal Research Tips"! You can view back issues of these tips through other posts in this blawg. Enjoy!

If you haven't checked out the legal topics on Nolo.com recently, please do. They provide easy-to-understand explanations of common legal terms and procedures. For example, here is a link to their thorough examination of small claims strategies and commonly asked questions.

For the lay person, Nolo provides useful information with less legal jargon. For the professional, Nolo provides a good place to start on topics that are not so familiar, and not necessarily Wisconsin-specific. Keep in mind that Nolo is a general site, but has some state-specific information as well. Doublecheck with your local law library to make sure the information you read on Nolo is true for your state.

Internet Tips 19

2005-09-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of "Internet Tips"! There are three sections to this email: a beginner's tip, an advanced tip, and a useful internet link. Enjoy!

Beginner's Tip: From Inter-Alia blog: Computer Tip of the Day
"You can never have enough keyboard shortcuts, can you?
Here are some shortcuts you might not know about:
Windows Key + E = Open Windows Explorer to My Computer
Windows Key + R = Open the Run dialog box
Ctrl+Shift+Esc = Open Windows Task Manager
Shift+Delete = Delete with using the Recycle Bin
F2 = select a file or a folder, and F2 will let you rename it quickly."

Advanced Tip: Burning CD's
Do you burn a lot of CD's? Then you'll want to check out these tips from WorldStart.com.

Useful Internet Link: Looking for blogs on your favorite topic? Try Google's new Blog Search at: http://blogsearch.google.com/

Finding Jobs in the Court

2005-09-09T14:52:00.000-05:00

Interested in working in the Third Branch of government? Here are a few places that list job openings:

WI Circuit Courts: Many circuit court jobs are county employment. Check the county's job postings for openings. Dane County's job openings are on their website.

WI Court System: The System has an employment page on their website where openings are listed. Other states also have judicial system websites with listings.

Federal Courts: There are searchable listings on the US Courts website.

National Center for State Courts: The Center has an employment page where openings are listed.

More listings are on "Who Has Court Jobs?" as well.

State Laws Relating to Same-Sex Relationships

2005-09-08T07:45:00.000-05:00

From the Family Law Prof Blog:
"The Human Rights Campaign has developed a series of color-coded maps of the United States that give a "snapshot" of state laws relating to same-sex relationships. Featured maps include: Statewide Marriage Laws, Relationship Recognition, and Second-Parent/Stepparent Adoption Laws. By the Human Rights Campaign." Link to Website

New from the LRB

2005-09-06T10:32:00.000-05:00

Discover the role of political parties in WI government with this new 2-page information sheet from the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Also new is this info sheet on bicameralism and this Budget Brief on recent state tax law changes.

New Divorce Lawyer Website

2005-09-06T09:13:00.000-05:00

From Kansas Family and Divorce Lawyer blog:
eJustice Group Unveils New Divorce Lawyer Source Website
Newly remodeled divorce lawyer Website launched.
(PRWEB) September 01, 2005 -- eJustice Group has announced the re-launch of its Divorce Lawyer Source Website, featuring new resources for consumers.

In addition to a complete redesign of the site, Divorce Lawyer Source features a zip code search to help enable consumers to locate a divorce or family law attorney with greater ease. By simply typing in a United States zip code, consumers are able to get in touch with an experienced divorce lawyer in their area. Because divorce laws vary from state to state, and laws change within those states, it can be difficult to determine what laws affect splitting couples.

Divorce Lawyer Source was created as a tool for consumers to find comprehensive information about divorce laws, including child custody, alimony, division of assets and other topics. Consumers are also able to access regularly updated breaking news stories about divorce law and find information about available resources for individuals and families going through and coping with a divorce.

The new Website can be found here: www.divorce-lawyer-source.com

Dane Co Courthouses

2005-09-01T13:49:00.000-05:00

There's a new page on the Clerk of Courts website that shows images of Dane Co Courthouses past and present.

Speedy Trial

2005-08-24T15:55:00.000-05:00

This feature introduces a member of Dane County's legal community as they answer five questions posed to them by DCLRCBlawg. If you would like to participate, please email Paula Seeger for more information.

Meet Attorney Charles V. ("Buck") Sweeney from AXLEY BRYNELSON, LLP

1. What's the favorite part of your job?

Helping people to solve problems.

2. What's the greatest challenge facing Dane Co. courts or legal professionals today?

Having patience to listen to some of the issues, and using common sense to address the problems between individuals with very diverse views of reality.

3. What's the one thing that has changed the most since you took your job?

Technology has required lawyers to be available 24 hours a day and respond to E-mails on computers and the Blackberry.

4. You would describe your legal research style as:
A: Legal Research...what's that?
B: Thank Goodness for staff attorneys and office staff!
C: Mostly at home, mostly as needed
D: All research, all the time.

5. What three pieces of advice would you give to someone new to your line of work?

Be willing to listen to your client’s needs and be responsive.
Answer phone calls and respond to people to give them the impression that they are the most important client to you.
Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know, but will find out”.

Legal Research Tip 18: A Subpoena Primer

2005-08-23T15:33:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of the DCLRC E-Newsletter "Legal Research Tips"! You can view back issues of these tips through other posts in this blawg. Enjoy!

Brief definitions of the terms:
subpoena - A document issued by the court to compel a witness to appear and give testimony or to procure documentary evidence in a proceeding. From ABA

subpoena duces tecum - A process by which the court commands a witness to produce certain documents or records in a trial. From ABA

request to produce documents - When one party wants an opposing party to produce documents, usually before a trial.

subpena - The modern spelling of subpoena. A subpena is a court order issued at the request of a party requiring a witness to appear in court. From Nolo

Where are the forms?
A subpoena and cerificate of service is a mandatory form for use in the Circuit Courts of Wisconsin and can be found on the Courts System's forms web page.

Requests to produce and subpoenas duces tecum are not online, but are available in the Wisconsin Civil Litigation Forms Manual as sample forms. That books is available in law libraries.

In addition, Dane Co Circuit Court Rule 114 requires this ADA Notice to be included on all notices, warrants, and subpoenas: "If you need help in this matter because of a disability, call (608) 266-4311 or TDD (608) 266-4625 and ask for the court ADA coordinator."

What's the law?
Subpoenas are covered extensively in statute 885: Witnesses and Oral Testimony and section 805.07: Civil Procedure--Trials. In addition, there are other statutes regarding subpoenas for specific documents or with specific agencies. Complete a search for the word "subpoena" in the statutes and you'll see several chapters with more specific information.

For more information see How to Represent Yourself FAQ.

Internet Tip 18

2005-08-23T14:56:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of "Internet Tips"! There are three sections to this email: a beginner's tip, an advanced tip, and a useful internet link. Enjoy!

Beginner's Tip: Clear Documents from your Start Menu
As you know, Windows adds a short cut to the recently used documents in the "Start-- Documents" menu. If you wanted to get rid of all the short cuts to most recently used documents all you have to do is:
Right Click on the Task Bar and click on "Properties"

Select "Advanced" (or "Start Menu Programs") tab and click on "Clear" ("Documents Menu").

This tip comes with an advanced portion that you are welcome to read here.

Advanced Tip: Learning HTML
Click here for an introduction and FAQ on learning HTML.

Useful Internet Link: Learn how blogs work! Comes with easy to understand explanatin of common blogging terms.

Speedy Trial

2005-08-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

This feature introduces a member of Dane County's legal community as they answer five questions posed to them by DCLRCBlawg. If you would like to participate, please email Paula Seeger for more information.

Meet Chris Malloy, local legal professional

1. What's the favorite part of your job?

Seeing justice done.

2. What's the greatest challenge facing Dane Co. courts or legal professionals today?

Lack of resources/funding

3. What's the one thing that has changed the most since you took your job?

Volume of cases

4. You would describe your legal research style as:
A: Legal Research...what's that?
B: Thank Goodness for staff attorneys and office staff!
C: Mostly at home, mostly as needed
D: All research, all the time.

5. What three pieces of advice would you give to someone new to your line of work?

Be flexible!

New Resource: Burning Ears

2005-08-11T12:15:00.000-05:00

A new blog called "Burning Ears" has been created to track local news reports about law libraries and librarians across the US. If you have a local news story you'd like to share, please email me with the details. If it is available free online, a link will be provided, otherwise just a cite and description.

New Resource: Progress in the States

2005-08-10T09:48:00.000-05:00

From the Center for Policy Alternatives comes this 16-page report of progressive legislative action in states on topics such as voting reform, business and labor, and civil rights and liberties. Read more...

Speedy Trial

2005-08-09T11:27:00.000-05:00

This feature introduces a member of Dane County's legal community as they answer five questions posed to them by DCLRCBlawg. If you would like to participate, please email Paula Seeger for more information.

Meet Allyn Lepeska, Office of Legal Counsel Wisconsin Dept of Transportation

1. What's the favorite part of your job?

Winning

2. What's the greatest challenge facing Dane Co. courts or legal professionals today?

Providing service at reasonable fees but generating enough income to pay professionals.

3. What's the one thing that has changed the most since you took your job?

The availability of information.

4. You would describe your legal research style as:

If it is not on the web, no one will find it.

5. What three pieces of advice would you give to someone new to your line of work?

Stay ethical, work hard but remember there is more to life than work.

Resource: WI Judicial District OWI Sentencing Guidelines

2005-08-04T15:28:00.000-05:00

Many people know that the state has sentencing guidelines for those convicted of certain crimes, but the judicial districts around the state create their own OWI guidelines. You can view these guidelines on the State Bar website.

From the website: "Under Wis. Stat. 346.65(2m), each judicial administrative district is required to adopt guidelines for judges to follow in sentencing for operating while intoxicated. The constitutionality of the guidelines was upheld in State v. Jorgensen, 2003 WI 105; 264 Wis. 2d 157; 667 N.W.2d 318."

How to Direct Complaints

2005-08-02T10:28:00.000-05:00

Recently, someone posted a complaint about how the courthouse has too few hours of staffed weapon screening. However, the person didn't suggest what could be done to adequately get his concerns heard by someone who could make changes. DCLRC staff receive several requests a week for who to complain about various legal or court personnel. Here's a guide to directing complaints and concerns about legal and court-related functions:

Complaints about judges: The Wisconsin Judicial Commission investigates allegations of judicial misconduct. They provide an online complaint form.

Complaints about lawyers: The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) investigates grievances about attorney misconduct or medical incapacity. OLR provides instructions on how to file a grievance, outlines the grievance process, and explains under what circumstances you may learn whether other grievances have been filed or whether the attorney has been previously disciplined. For more information visit the for attorneys section of the site. If your complaint deals with malpractice rather than misconduct, you may wish to consult a different attorney to pursue the matter.

Complaints about court commissioners: Read Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 75.06. Contact the chief judge. In Dane County, that's Judge M. Nowakowski. Or contact the Wisconsin Judicial Commission. They provide an online complaint form.

Complaints about court staff: Contact the Clerk of Courts office and talk to a court manager.

Complaints about weapon screening, security, or other courthouse functions: If it is a complaint about staff, contact the Facilities Management department. They supervise most courthouse physical building functions, such as weapon screening, heat, lights, or sidewalk entrances.

If it's a complaint about the hours of weapon screening, which is a hot budget issue every year, you should contact your county board supervisor or a member of the Public Protection and Judiciary committee of the County Board. You can find your supervisor on the Board's home page, or call 266-5758.

Stump the Law Librarian

2005-08-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

Q: How do I complete historical research on local laws and cases? For example, tracking how a local ordinance has changed.

A: Many county and city ordinances have history notes that are a good place to start. For example, Madison General Ordinance 32.01 regarding the statement of the purpose of the landlord/tenant ordinance has a note directly following its text that reads:
(Cr. by Ord. 6098, 1-6-78) That notation means that the section was created by ordinance 6098 on January 6, 1978. That corresponds to a book in the City Clerk's office that contains the past changes. The city attorney's office also keeps old ordinances.

For Dane County ordinances, it's a little trickier. If there is no history note, it will be difficult to track changes because the county clerk's office does not keep any old ordinances. A person would most likely need to track the law back through the county board proceedings.

Finding older circuit court cases can be difficult without complete case information, such as a case number or party names. Supreme Court Rule 72 regulates how long circuit court records must be retained by the courts. If you cannot access a case file directly through the court, here are some other options that you might try:

1. Was the case appealed? If so, there's a good chance that the circuit court decision is included in an appendix to the briefs on appeal. The State Law Library has a large number of briefs in print and the UW Law Library has made several years worth available online.

2. You can check the collection of the WI Historical Society for local records and cases.

3. Looking for a Dane County court decision? Check the index of cases donated to DCLRC from the circuit court judges.

For more information on finding court documents, see a recent Wisblawg post on the topic.

New Resource: Financial Crimes Report

2005-07-29T12:46:00.000-05:00

From the Librarian's Index to the Internet (lii.org) comes news of a report from the FBI on financial crimes:

"This report addresses the various priorities of the FBI in financial crimes and the FBI's efforts to combat them. Each section provides an overview, statistical accomplishments, and successful investigations for the identified crime problem. Where appropriate, each section also provides ways in which the public can protect themselves from being victimized." View the Report from the FBI.

Speedy Trial

2005-07-26T16:18:00.000-05:00

This feature introduces a member of Dane County's legal community as they answer five questions posed to them by DCLRCBlawg. If you would like to participate, please email Paula Seeger for more information.

Meet Anne T Wadsack, attorney at Dewitt, Ross, & Stevens.

1. What's the favorite part of your job?

Meeting people, analyzing problems, reading

2. What's the greatest challenge facing Dane Co. courts or legal professionals today?

Unprepared (overworked/overscheduled) judges, who are probably buried in pro-se stuff most of the time. For an attorney, it is distressing to walk into court, as I have several times in the last twleve months, only to have the judge say "Oh, and I haven't read any of the briefs." We try to make the issues clear cut, succinct, and give the court reference to its authority to do what we're asking. If the briefs haven't been read, then the whole thing is just a free for all and a terrible time waster.

3. What's the one thing that has changed the most since you took your job?

Women in the law. (been practicing 34 years)

4. You would describe your legal research style as:
A: Legal Research...what's that?
B: Thank Goodness for staff attorneys and office staff!
C: Mostly at home, mostly as needed
D: All research, all the time.

None of the above. I do my own research in most cases, although will throw a narrow question to a law clerk for depth.

5. What three pieces of advice would you give to someone new to your line of work?

Your time is valuable. Charge for it.
Your wisdom is a rare commodity in this world. Develop it.
Your common sense is an amazing tool. Use it often.

Well said. Thanks for your thoughts!

Reminder from COC about Pleadings format

2005-07-22T13:12:00.000-05:00

Vicki, court manager in the Clerk of Courts, asks us to please issue a reminder to litigants regarding Dane Co Court Rule 107 regarding the format of case pleadings, especially section 2's format requirement highlighted below:

107: Case Captions
1) Caption
In the initial pleadings (e.g., complaint) the caption shall include the case classification type and code. The title of the action shall include the full names and addresses of all the parties, including persons appearing in a representative capacity (e.g., a guardian of a ward).

All pleadings/papers shall be captioned State of Wisconsin, Dane County Branch ___, Circuit Court. The caption shall include the title of the action, the case number, and a name of document (e.g., answer). Subsequent documents filed after the pleadings should, at a minimum, state the full name of the first party, followed by “et al.”

2) Pleadings
Every pleading, motion or other paper of a party represented by an attorney shall contain the name, state bar number, telephone number, and address of the attorney. A party who is not represented by an attorney shall include on the pleading, motion or other paper his or her name, signature and address.

Papers that do not contain the required information will not be accepted for filing.

If more than one case number is listed on any document, a duplicate signed original must be filed for each additional case number on the document.

Documents exceeding one page in length will not be accepted for filing unless fastened or stapled at the top of the document.

New Resource: Archive of Dane Co Judges

2005-07-19T15:07:00.000-05:00

Recently added to the Clerk of Courts website is a pictorial archive of all the judges who have served Dane County Circuit Court from 1848 to current.

Legal Research Tip 17: Finding instruction in using legal resources

2005-07-19T12:35:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the next issue of the DCLRC E-Newsletter "Legal Research Tips"! You can view back issues of these tips through other posts in this blawg. Enjoy!

Looking for learning opportunities about legal topics and resources? Here are a few local places to check.

1. WI State Law Library's Classes and Tours page lists upcoming learning opportunities and other events.

2. Madison Public Library's Program and Events page lists upcoming classes and other events, some of which may be law-related.

3. UW-Law Library's Instructional Services page lists tips and guides for using the library's resources and services.

4. DCLRC's Classes and Information Sessions page lists upcoming classes and events, but also look at the most recent issues of DCLRC Docket newsletter for more information on upcoming classes.

5. Some community groups offer classes and other events that are law-related. Look especially at those agencies who also offer legal assistance to see what they may offer.