Wisconsin State Law Library

New Wisconsin Jury Instructions for January - Carol Hassler

New releases for all three sets of the Wisconsin Jury Instructions are now available at https://wilawlibrary.gov/jury/ The most recent supplements to the Wisconsin Criminal Jury Instructions, Wisconsin Civil Jury Instructions, and Wisconsin Children Jury Instructions have been approved by the Wisconsin Judicial Conference Committees. These three releases include a new date format: 1/2023 to reflect both the month and the year the instructions were published.

For those updating their print sets, each supplement has a printable update available:

• Criminal release 61
• Civil release 54
• Children release 1

Criminal

The 61st release of the criminal jury instructions includes 11 new instructions and 36 revised instructions, including one renumbered instruction. Updates include revised commentary on gender neutral language, homicide, gambling, child abduction, and reckless driving. New instructions cover issues like mail theft, money laundering, and speeding offenses.

Civil

The 54th release of the civil jury instructions includes 1 new instruction and 18 revised instructions. Revisions cover topics on misrepresentation, defamation, theft by contractor, involuntary committment, property, and eminent domain.

Children

There are 2 new instructions, 2 revised instructions, and 2 withdrawn instructions included in release no. 1. Updates include instructions on transcripts and involuntary termination of parental rights (TPR).

Previously the children's jury instructions were printed as a single, bound book. To better reflect the organization of the two other titles, releases for this book will now include release numbers. For this first looseleaf-ready release since 2019, we are starting with Release No. 1 (1/2023).

To keep a print copy of the Children's Jury Instructions that can be updated in the future, print out a full copy of existing and updated instructions using the latest release. If you have already printed a copy, make note of the instructions listed in the release letter to print only the updated instructions, cover sheet, introductory materials, table of contents, table of cases, table of statutes, and index in your print copy.

Staying up-to-date

The Library partners with the Office of Judicial Education to provide free access to the Wisconsin Jury Instructions on our website. While updated instructions can be downloaded at any time from our website, many readers may wish to keep their print sets up-to-date. To do so, download and print the latest release(s) for your set. Blank pages have been inserted to make double sided printing easier. File new and updated instructions, along with updated tables and index in your print set. A complete, printable version of each title is linked from https://wilawlibrary.gov/jury/.

For information on the status of the committees' work, please contact Bryce Pierson at Bryce.Pierson@wicourts.gov.

For technical help or questions about filing, please contact Carol Hassler at Carol.Hassler@wicourts.gov.

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New Books - Kari Zelinka

New Edition! Worker's Compensation Handbook, 10th edition, by State Bar of Wisconsin, 2022
Call Number: KFW 2742 .N43 W69 2022

If you represent employers or employees in workers comp cases, including personal injury and insurance law, check out the 10th edition of Worker's Compensation Handbook. It contains the latest decisions and analysis in workers comp situations so you can contemplate how they might impact your client's case. Along with sample forms and checklists, you get access to an annotated test of the Worker's Compensation Act, the maximum wage and rate charge, mileage rates and a chart of effective dates for statutes of limitation. 

Chapters include:

• Employment relationship
• Injury sustained in court of employment
• Injury arising out of employment
• Calculating wage
• Medical terminology for injury
• Disability benefits
• Death benefits
• Penalties
• Claims
• Review and appeal
• Settlements

New Edition! Trial Objections, Revision 27, by Rogge Dunn, 2022
Call Number: KF8935 .D651 2022

In the latest revision of Trial Objections, author Rogge Dunn explains the timing and reasoning behind objections. He gives valuable advice for how to get your evidence admitted and the other parties excluded. This text contains pattern objections, forms, responses, and references to state and federal cases. Consider this your go-to quick reference to objections.

Topics include:

• Introduction to voir dire
• Opening statement
• Evidence
• Hearsay exceptions
• Witnesses
• Leading questions
• Privilege
• Closing argument

 See our latest New Titles list for a list of new books and other resources.

For assistance in accessing these or other resources, please contact our Reference Desk.

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Tech Tip - Heidi Yelk

Looking to lose yourself on a website that is NOT social media related? Try Omni Calculator. This site includes 3,061 free calculators (currently) in more than a dozen categories. Need to calculate simple interest on a debt, how much gravel is needed for your driveway or how long it takes to chill a room temperature can of soda in the freezer? Omni Calculator has you covered.

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Library News - Carol Hassler

New Cataloging and Metadata Librarian

The library welcomes Keely Wrolstad as the new Cataloging and Metadata Librarian at the State Law Library. Keely has over 15 years of state service in libraries and records management, including experience with the Theobald Legislative Library at the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. Keely graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Master's degree from the Library and Information Studies program, and additional specialization in instruction and data management. Welcome, Keely!

Researching Business Contracts

Business and contract law are both incredibly broad areas of law. Librarian Carol Hassler provides an overview of some popular sources and offers tips on narrowing your search in the February 1 issue of the State Bar of Wisconsin's InsideTrack. Get book suggestions and quick tips to start your research in Legal Research 101: Business Contracts Resources.

Free Spring Classes

Our 2023 classes are now open! Registrations will be approved by the moderator. Once your registration is approved, you will get an email confirmation with connection information. Please reach out to Abigail Case with questions.

Basic knowledge: an introduction to the form and content of Wisconsin laws and legislative documents
Wednesday, January 18, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Live webinar - Register for Basic Knowledge
FREE
A basic demonstration of what information is conveyed by Wisconsin Legislative bills and acts, with a discussion of the information available in the statutes that illuminate the law.

Special problems in researching Wisconsin legislation
Wednesday, February 15, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Live webinar - Register for Special problems in researching Wisconsin legislation
FREE
A look at finding aids used to trace the origins and fate of certain unusual laws, such as non-statutory provisions, private and local laws and whole-numbered statute sections, plus help in finding the fate of repealed or renumbered statutes.

Introduction to legislative history
Wednesday, March 15, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Live webinar - Register for Introduction to legislative history
FREE
I need the legislative history of a Wisconsin statute. Where do I start? What do I do? Participants will look at the primary resources used to research Wisconsin legislative history, learn about the online Wisconsin legislative drafting files, and learn some helpful tips and tricks along the way. This introductory class covers basic research strategies and sources.

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February Snapshot

Faisal Abdu'Allah's Blu³eprint

Faisal Abdu'Allah's Blu³eprint is pictured here, in front of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Read about the artist and this inspired, majestic sculpture on the MMoCA page and the Wisconsin State Journal's story of its debut. (reader submitted)

We are accepting snapshots! Do you have a photo highlighting libraries, attractions, or points of historical interest? Send your photo to the editor at carol.hassler@wicourts.gov to be included in a future issue.

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