Notice of Wisconsin Supreme Court Orders
Final Orders
Order 16-01: Repealing the “Deadman’s Statutes”
The Wisconsin Judicial Council petitioned the supreme court to repeal the so-called “Deadman’s statutes,” Wis. Stat. §§ 885.16 (Transactions with deceased or insane persons) and 885.17 (Transactions with deceased agent), and to amend Wis. Stat. § 906.01 (General Rule of Competency) to remove references to the Deadman’s statutes.
ORDER ISSUED: Feb. 21, 2017
DISPOSITION: Petition granted repealing “Deadman’s statutes,” effective July 1, 2017.
Order 16-04: Amending SCR Chapter 20 Relating to Limited Scope Representation to Allow Lawyer-Mediators to Draft Settlement Documents in Family Cases
On. Oct. 14, 2016, the Director of State Courts on behalf of the Planning and Policy Advisory Committee petitioned the supreme court to amend SCR 20:2.4 to create a new sub. (c) to allow lawyer-mediators to draft settlement documents in family cases.
ORDER ISSUED: Feb. 21, 2017
DISPOSITION: Petition granted creating SCR 20:2.4(c), effective July 1, 2017.
Order to Return Petition
Order 16-02: Returning Petition to Amend Various Evidence Statutes to Wisconsin Judicial Council
On April 19, 2016, the Wisconsin Judicial Council filed a petition with the supreme court to amend Wis. Stat. §§ 901.07 (Rule of Completeness), 906.08(2) (Evidence of Character and Conduct of Witness), and 906.09 (Impeachment by Evidence of Conviction of Crime), and create Wis. Stat. § 906.16 (a new “bias rule”that reflects established common law but is not expressly mentioned in the rules of evidence). Following discussion and a public hearing, the court returned the petition with directions for further proceedings consistent with this order.
ORDER ISSUED: Jan. 20, 2017
DISPOSITION: Petition returned to Wisconsin Judicial Council for further proceedings.
Quick Reference for Official Notices
Visit the Official Notices page for a quick reference for locating recent official notices of Wisconsin Supreme Court orders adopting, amending, or repealing rules, statutes, or policies related to Supreme Court rules and State Bar of Wisconsin rules and bylaws. SCR 10.12 allows the State Bar to provide these notices to members through print or electronic media, including the Wisconsin Lawyer magazine, WisBar InsideTrack, or WisBar.org.
For a comprehensive collection of all official notices, including pending rule petitions, court orders, and other material such as audio of public hearings, visit the Wisconsin Court System’s website or use the quick links on this page. Refer to the Publication Plan for more information on how the State Bar delivers notices to its members.
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