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State justices rule against dog-sitter

December 29, 2009 By

The state Supreme Court has ruled against a woman in a dog attack case. It doesn’t really matter who let them out, or who owns them. If the dogs are staying under your roof, you’re liable, says the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The ruling stems from a case in Menasha, where a woman allowed a friend and his two dogs stay at her home. The dogs got outside and bit a neighbor, causing injury. The woman’s “bone” of contention: she didn’t own the dogs, so she shouldn’t be responsible. But the justices ruled she was barking up the wrong tree with that assertion, determining that she was “keeper” of the dogs and was thus responsible.

Robin Colbert, WIBA

Robin Colbert (:38) AUDIO: Robin Colbert reports (:38 MP3)

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Human Interest Tagged With:

Doyle to sign Impartial Justice bill

December 1, 2009 By

Governor Jim Doyle will sign the Impartial Justice Bill today. The bill, passed in both chambers of the Wisconsin Legislature, will provide full public financing for qualifying candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court who voluntarily agree to a spending limit of $400,000.

But where does that public financing come from? Jay Heck is with Common Cause in Wisconsin. “It’s an enhanced checkoff on the state income tax, of which two dollars will go just for supreme court justices,” explains Heck. “It’s then paid for out of the general fund, it that doesn’t provide enough.” Heck calls that about as secure a funding source as there is, although he notes other states do things differently. For example, North Carolina, assess every attorney $50. Heck says Wisconsin may want to tweak funding at some point in the future. For now, though, he’s pleased Governor Jim Doyle is signing the bill.

Bob Hague (:65) AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:65 MP3)

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:
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