State ex rel. Kalal v. Circuit Court for Dane County, 2004 WI 58

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has accepted review on Kalal, the seminal statutory interpretation case in Wisconsin. What does it mean? The case holds that statutory interpretation should primarily focus on the language enacted by the Legislature. Courts have a duty to apply the law as written. While outside sources such as legislative history can sometimes…

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Child Support Garnishments

What is wage garnishment and how does it relate to child support? Wage garnishment is a process in which the court will allow a creditor (the person who is owed the debt) to collect a portion of a debtor’s (the person who owes the debt) earnings to satisfy a legal judgment. This can occur in…

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WHAT HAPPENS TO DEBTS AFTER A LOVED ONE DIES?

Debts After Passing Away When a loved one dies, either the personal representative or an heir is likely going to have to figure out the finances, including any financial obligations. All of their assets (i.e., bank accounts, businesses, cars, real estate, etc.) are all lumped together into what is called an estate. If the estate…

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