This week’s pair of decisions delivered a point to the Waivers from an amicus brief by von Briesen & Roper in Andrade v. City of Milwaukee Board of Fire and Police Commissioners—thereby moving the Waivers into a first-place tie with the Writs.

Click here for the complete, updated standings.

The time has arrived for our annual estimate of the number of decisions that the justices will file by term’s end this summer.  With just a few months now remaining before that date, we can zero in quite precisely on a total that is stunningly unparalleled over a period covering not only recent decades but the entire 20^th century.  Even if we include two deadlocked (3-3) per curiam decisions from October^[1] and Dean Phillips v. Wisconsin Elections Commission,^[2] the term’s output will be nothing more than miniscule, as demonstrated by the graph.[Continue Reading…]

No decisions were filed this week–hence, no change in the standings.

These tables are derived from information contained in 370 Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions that were turned up in a Nexis Uni search for decisions filed between September 1, 1931, and August 31, 1932.  The total of 370 decisions does not include various orders pertaining to petitions, motions, and disciplinary matters involving lawyers and judges. [Continue Reading…]

No decisions were filed this week–hence, no change in the standings.

No decisions were filed this week–hence, no change in the standings.

Four terms have passed since our last update, and they have generated a good deal of information on the justices’ receptiveness to Sixth Amendment arguments.  These cases address a defendant’s right to (1) have a prompt and public trial, with an impartial jury, (2) know the nature of the charges and the identity of one’s accuser, (3) confront adverse witnesses, (4) testify and present witnesses on one’s behalf, and (5) have a competent lawyer.^[1]  In today’s post we’ll highlight the range of sympathy for such arguments mustered by numerous justices—and compare these findings regarding the Sixth Amendment with the justices’ willingness to favor Fourth Amendment defenses.[Continue Reading…]

No decisions were filed this week–hence, no change in the standings.

This week’s sole decision, Antonio S. Davis v. Circuit Court for Dane County, delivered six points to the Gavels of the State Public Defender’s Office—their first points of the season.

The Waivers also scored (with an amicus brief by Henak Law Office), moving them just one point behind the league-leading Writs.

Click here for the complete, updated standings.

(Amazon Logistics, Inc. v. LIRC, dismissed as improvidently granted, does not figure in the scoring.)

These tables are derived from information contained in 386 Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions that were turned up in a Nexis Uni search for decisions filed between September 1, 1932, and August 31, 1933.  The total of 386 decisions does not include various orders pertaining to petitions, motions, and disciplinary matters involving lawyers and judges. [Continue Reading…]