Economic Freedom

KEA V. WERC

After one judge ruled that the Kenosha Education Association was still subject to Act 10, KEA sought a ruling from another judge that it was not subject to Act 10. We informed that new judge of the ongoing case and binding ruling, criticizing KEA for its blatant forum shopping. That judge stayed the new case, eventually dismissing it.

BLASKA V. MMSD / SANNES V. MMSD

The Madison Metropolitan School District negotiated with its teachers unions in violation of Act 10. We sued to stop them, but the Dane County Circuit Court concluded that because one of the unions had won a temporary victory (which the Wisconsin Supreme Court overruled, declaring Act 10 constitutional), the collective bargaining agreement was lawful.

HIGHLAND MEMORIAL V. WISCONSIN

Wisconsin prohibits cemetery owners from owning or operating a funeral home and vice versa. They can’t even have a funeral home operated by somebody else on their cemetery grounds! We think the government has no legitimate interest in limiting people’s choices this way, and we filed a lawsuit challenging the law, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court disagreed.

HOEKSTRA V. CITY OF BAYFIELD

Seeking to protect the local bed & breakfast owners, Bayfield passed an ordinance requiring anybody who wanted to run a B&B during the summer months to live in the city at least six months each year. We filed a federal lawsuit because this discriminated against owners who lived (most of the time) in other states. To settle the lawsuit, Bayfield amended its ordinance.