WSLL @ Your Service March 2025
Contents
Wisconsin Statutory Elements and Consequences - Carol Hassler
Researching criminal law can feel like a daunting task. A new resource published on the State Law Library’s website, Wisconsin Statutory Elements and Consequences, aims to make looking up criminal statutory information a little easier.
The Wisconsin Statutory Elements and Consequences is a compilation of criminal statutory components, organized by Wisconsin statute chapter. Written by Bryce Pierson, jury instructions reporter with the Wisconsin Court System, each statutory element includes a short summary and elements of the offense. Elements are organized by statute chapter and section.
Many elements are enhanced with links to definitions of frequently referenced terms. Definitions for commonly used terms can also be browsed on the complete Definitions page.
The Wisconsin Statutory Elements and Consequences project ties into the Wisconsin Jury Instructions as well. Most of the elements include links to current jury instructions on the issue.
While researchers can quickly browse to a statute by knowing the citation, the Offense Index by Subject gives another way to locate essential elements. The information provided in the Wisconsin Statutory Elements and Consequences should not be construed as legal advice and is meant for informational purposes only.
The next time you need a quick reference guide to frequently-used criminal statutes, turn to Wisconsin Statutory Elements and Consequences. For more information about this new resource, contact Bryce Pierson.
April Open House
Come celebrate spring at the library with our April open house! Scheduled during National Library Week, our open house features a dessert reception over the lunch hours on Thursday, April 10. Take a self guided tour of the library, check out our latest displays, and enjoy delicious sweets.
You’re invited to our April Open House!
When: Thursday, April 10, 2025
11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Where: Reading room of the Lavinia Goodell State Law Library
120 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, on the second floor
New Books - Noelle Brasch
New Edition! Wisconsin family law with forms, by Jennifer Binkley
Call number: KFW 2494 .A15 2025
The second edition of this title is a valuable resource for law students, practitioners, judges, and commissioners navigating issues in the field of family law. With a historical overview of family law in Wisconsin as well as basic templates of forms, author Binkley guides the reader through legal matters regarding the dissolution of marriages, child custody, the Wisconsin Indian Child Welfare Act, and many more.
Topics include:
- Client relationships
- Divorce, annulment, and legal separation
- Child placement and custody
- Marital property
- Special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS)
New Edition! Home business tax deductions: keep what you earn, by Stephen Fishman
Call number: KF 6395 .B88 F57 2025
Home business tax deductions helps those with home businesses to claim all the tax deductions they are entitled to. As Tax Day approaches, use this resource for tips to navigate home business expenses and how to keep detailed records. This newest edition includes updated information regarding Section 179 expensing and bonus depreciation.
Topics include:
- Tax basics
- Deductions
- Operating, travel, and medical expenses
- Tips for avoiding an IRS audit
- Using cryptocurrency in business
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.
Tech Tip - Heidi Yelk
Skills to identify scam websites
Safe Internet use is a must for both individuals and businesses. Online risks include scams, ransomware, and theft of financial and personal data. Here are a few basic tips to remember when surfing the web:
Carefully review the website URL. Fake websites can be amazingly deceptive in look and feel. One trick scammers use is to create a URL that appears to be a subdomain of a trusted website -- but it's not. See these examples of fake websites from Aura. Also, look for misspellings (netfllix) or URLs that employ visual tricks - the upper case I, (as in India) looks exactly like a lower case l (as in Lima). Displayed in lower case, waImart.com looks the same as WAIMART.COM
Use your instincts. If a website contains poor spelling/grammar, poor design, no contact information, or offers deals that seems too good to be true, be skeptical. For example, with the recent news of Joann (fabrics) closing, fake sites popped up quickly offering great deals but possibly stealing credit card information, or taking money and not delivering product.
Keep your cool. Text messages or emails asking for immediate action can be alarming and some are vary sophisticated. Resist the urge to quickly correct the situation (it's a scam). Don't click on links or provide information in response to these phishing attempts.
Do some research. Use a search engine to find more information about a suspicious email or suspicious website. Site checkers can be used to determine if a site has been deemed problematic. Test the URL at one (or all) of these sites:
- Google Transparency Report
- Trend Micro - a favorite, as it provides additional information, such as "newly observed domain" or "network bandwidth" warning.
- Safe Web from Norton
Spring classes at the library
Sign up for our upcoming webinars, and spring your legal research skills to a new level. Registration is free for all three of the following webinars. Please reach out to Michael Keane with questions about the class and Jaden Henneman with questions about registering.
Introduction to Wisconsin Legislative History
Wednesday, March 19, noon-1:00 p.m.
Location: Live webinar - Introduction to Wisconsin Legislative History
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.
Federal Legislative History - Some Methods in Researching Acts of Congress
Law Day -Thursday, May 1, noon-1:00 p.m.
Location: Live webinar - Federal Legislative History - Some Methods in Researching Acts of Congress
Sometimes an Act of Congress leaves some room for disagreement about how it should be applied or interpreted. This class discusses some of the documentary sources that can help give insight into what Congress was considering while passing legislation. This information, available through sources such as Congress.gov and HeinOnline as well as a variety of printed material, is the sort usually resorted to by courts and lawyers when they ask, "What did Congress really mean?"
Wisconsin Legislative History - Budget Bill Calamities
Wednesday, June 11, noon-1:00 p.m.
Location: Live webinar - Wisconsin Legislative History - Budget Bill Calamities
Statutory provisions created by a budget bill pose special problems in legislative history research. The budget bill process is complex and the drafting file created during the process is even more daunting. Learn how to identify statutes created by budget bills and how to navigate the drafting file. This advanced class covers additional techniques used in budget bill research.
Library News - Carol Hassler
Welcoming new staff
Please join us in welcoming Sarah Kober to our libraries as the new librarian at the Milwaukee County Law Library. Sarah joins the library with several years of experience as a law firm research specialist, and university librarian. Welcome, Sarah!
March Snapshot
The Eben Ice Caves in the Upper Peninsula, Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan.
On a map, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula seems like a natural extension of Wisconsin. Because of a boundary dispute with Ohio in the 1830s, in which Michigan claimed several miles beyond its southern boundary, including the city of Toledo, Michigan was compensated with extra territory in the far north, including the part now known as “the UP.” The final boundary between Michigan and Wisconsin was the subject of dispute as recently as the 1920s. See Michigan vs. Wisconsin, 270 U.S. 295 (1926)
