Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. v. Circuit Court for Milwaukee County, 2012 WI App 120(recommended for publication); case activity A court doesn’t possess inherent authority to impose on counsel a sanction (here, monetary) for pre-litigation advice, that is, conduct occurring before the court’s jurisdiction was invoked: ¶3 We conclude that the record, particularly the trial court’s own… Read more
G. Sanctions
7th circuit decision, imposing discipline Sanctions – Abandonment of Client It is apparent from this final motion for additional time that Boyle-Saxton elected to put work for other clients ahead of her obligations to Rodriguez and this court. That is unprofessional; lawyers have an ethical obligation to take no more work than they can perform… Read more
State v. Luke T. Nirmaier, 2011AP1355-CR, District 3, 12/28/11 court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Nirmaier: Michael M. Rajek; case activity The odor of alcohol on Nirmaier following a traffic accident resulting in substantial bodily injury triggered the implied consent law, notwithstanding absence of probable cause to arrest at that point: ¶9 Wisconsin Stat. § 343.305(3)… Read more
Nielsen sanction after show cause (summary order, not citable), on remand from State v. Nielsen, 2011 WI 94 Sanction for Incomplete Brief Appendix The appellant’s brief argued that the circuit court failed to fulfill the mandate articulated in State v. Gallion, 2004 WI 42, 270 Wis. 2d 535, 678 N.W.2d 197, to explain the rationale for… Read more
In the Matter of Sanctions in: State v. Gregory K. Nielsen, 2011 WI 94, remanding sanctions order; for State Public Defender: Joseph N. Ehmann; case activity; subsequent history: sanction re-imposed on remand Monetary sanction summarily ordered by court of appeals against appellate counsel for allegedly violating appendix-content rule reversed, with following “suggestion” for procedure to be followed in… Read more
seventh circuit court of appeals decision Inadequate Argumentation – Sanction Counsel’s woefully inadequate argumentation (“a single, underdeveloped legal argument” that, “(w)orse yet … was foreclosed by” prior precedent) not only dooms his client’s effort to resist deportation, notwithstanding palpable equities on her side, but has consequences for counsel himself: … We are disturbed, however, by Baniassadi’s perfunctory… Read more
Estate of Brianna Kriefall v. Sizzler USA Franchise, Inc., 2011 WI App 101 court of appeals decision (recommended for publication); case activity ¶24 n. 7: On page 36 of its brief responding to Excel’s main appellate brief, E&B asserts: “[n]ot a single non-Kriefall [Pierringer] settlement agreement” is in the Record. That is not true, as Excel’s reply… Read more
State v. Marilee Devries, 2011 WI App 78 (recommended for publication); for Devries: Matthew S. Pinix; case activity OWI – Repeater – Proof, Prior “Conviction” Certified copies of proceedings in foreign jurisdictions established adequate proof of prior OWI “connvictions,” § 343.307(1)(d). ¶9 When Wisconsin’s driving laws provide for the enhancement of penalties for a current… Read more
