943.47(3)(d) (d) Any person who violates sub. (2) for direct or indirect commercial advantage or private financial gain as a 2nd or subsequent offense is guilty of a Class D felony.
943.47(5) (5)Exception. This section does not affect the use by a person of satellite cable programming if the programming has been paid for and the use is exclusive to the person's dwelling unit.
943.47 History History: 1987 a. 345; 1993 a. 496.
943.48 943.48 Telecommunications; civil liability.
943.48(1) (1) Any person who incurs injury as a result of a violation of s. 943.45 (1), 943.455 (2), 943.46 (2) or 943.47 (2) may bring a civil action against the person who committed the violation.
943.48(1m) (1m) Except as provided in sub. (2), if the person who incurs the loss prevails, the court shall grant the prevailing party actual damages, costs and disbursements.
943.48(2) (2) If the person who incurs the loss prevails against a person who committed the violation wilfully and for the purpose of commercial advantage or prevails against a person who has committed more than one violation of s. 943.45 (1), 943.455 (2), 943.46 (2) or 943.47 (2), the court shall grant the prevailing party all of the following:
943.48(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in subs. (2g) and (2r), not more than $10,000.
943.48(2)(b) (b) Actual damages.
943.48(2)(c) (c) Any profits of the violator that are attributable to the violation and that are not taken into account in determining the amount of actual damages under par. (b).
943.48(2)(d) (d) Notwithstanding the limitations under s. 799.25 or 814.04, costs, disbursements and reasonable attorney fees.
943.48(2g) (2g) If the court finds that the violation was committed wilfully and for the purpose of commercial advantage, the court may increase the amount granted under sub. (2) (a) to an amount not to exceed $50,000.
943.48(2r) (2r) If the court finds that the violator had no reason to believe that the violator's action constituted a violation of this section, the court may reduce the amount granted under sub. (2) (a).
943.48(3) (3) If damages under sub. (2) (c) are requested, the party who incurred the injury shall have the burden of proving the violator's gross revenue and the violator shall have the burden of proving the violator's deductible expenses and the elements of profit attributable to factors other than the violation.
943.48(4) (4) In addition to other remedies available under this section, the court may grant the injured party a temporary or permanent injunction.
943.48 History History: 1993 a. 496.
943.49 943.49 Unlawful use of recording device in motion picture theater.
943.49(1)(1)Definitions. In this section:
943.49(1)(a) (a) "Motion picture theater" means a site used for the exhibition of a motion picture to the public.
943.49(1)(b) (b) "Recording" has the meaning given in s. 943.206 (5).
943.49(1)(c) (c) "Recording device" means a camera, an audio or video recorder or any other device that may be used to record or transfer sounds or images.
943.49(1)(d) (d) "Theater owner" means an owner or operator of a motion picture theater.
943.49(2) (2)Use of recording device in movie theater.
943.49(2)(a)(a) No person may operate a recording device in a motion picture theater without written consent from the theater owner or a person authorized by the theater owner to provide written consent.
943.49(2)(b)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a person who violates par. (a) is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
943.49(2)(b)2. 2. A person who violates par. (a) is guilty of a Class D felony if the violation occurs after the person has been convicted under this subsection.
943.49(4) (4)Detention of person committing violation. A theater owner, a theater owner's adult employee or a theater owner's security agent who has reasonable cause to believe that a person has violated this section in his or her presence may detain the person in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time to deliver the person to a peace officer or to his or her parent or guardian in the case of a minor. The detained person must be promptly informed of the purpose for the detention and be permitted to make phone calls, but he or she shall not be interrogated or searched against his or her will before the arrival of a peace officer who may conduct a lawful interrogation of the accused person. The theater owner, the theater owner's adult employee or the theater owner's security agent may release the detained person before the arrival of a peace officer or parent or guardian. Any theater owner, theater owner's adult employee or theater owner's security agent who acts in good faith in any act authorized under this section is immune from civil or criminal liability for those acts.
943.49 History History: 1999 a. 51.
943.50 943.50 Retail theft.
943.50(1)(1) In this section:
943.50(1)(a) (a) "Merchant" includes any "merchant" as defined in s. 402.104 (3) or any innkeeper, motelkeeper or hotelkeeper.
943.50(1)(ar) (ar) "Theft detection device" means any tag or other device that is used to prevent or detect theft and that is attached to merchandise held for resale by a merchant or to property of a merchant.
943.50(1)(as) (as) "Theft detection device remover" means any tool or device used, designed for use or primarily intended for use in removing a theft detection device from merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(1)(at) (at) "Theft detection shielding device" means any laminated or coated bag or device designed to shield merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant from being detected by an electronic or magnetic theft alarm sensor.
943.50(1)(b) (b) "Value of merchandise" means:
943.50(1)(b)1. 1. For property of the merchant, the value of the property; or
943.50(1)(b)2. 2. For merchandise held for resale, the merchant's stated price of the merchandise or, in the event of altering, transferring or removing a price marking or causing a cash register or other sales device to reflect less than the merchant's stated price, the difference between the merchant's stated price of the merchandise and the altered price.
943.50(1m) (1m) A person may be penalized as provided in sub. (4) if he or she does any of the following without the merchant's consent and with intent to deprive the merchant permanently of possession or the full purchase price of the merchandise or property:
943.50(1m)(a) (a) Intentionally alters indicia of price or value of merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(1m)(b) (b) Intentionally takes and carries away merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(1m)(c) (c) Intentionally transfers merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(1m)(d) (d) Intentionally conceals merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(1m)(e) (e) Intentionally retains possession of merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(1m)(f) (f) While anywhere in the merchant's store, intentionally removes a theft detection device from merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(1m)(g) (g) Uses, or possesses with intent to use, a theft detection shielding device to shield merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of merchant from being detected by an electronic or magnetic theft alarm sensor.
943.50(1m)(h) (h) Uses, or possesses with intent to use, a theft detection device remover to remove a theft detection device from merchandise held for resale by a merchant or property of a merchant.
943.50(3) (3) A merchant, a merchant's adult employee or a merchant's security agent who has reasonable cause for believing that a person has violated this section in his or her presence may detain the person in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time to deliver the person to a peace officer, or to his or her parent or guardian in the case of a minor. The detained person must be promptly informed of the purpose for the detention and be permitted to make phone calls, but he or she shall not be interrogated or searched against his or her will before the arrival of a peace officer who may conduct a lawful interrogation of the accused person. The merchant, merchant's adult employee or merchant's security agent may release the detained person before the arrival of a peace officer or parent or guardian. Any merchant, merchant's adult employee or merchant's security agent who acts in good faith in any act authorized under this section is immune from civil or criminal liability for those acts.
943.50(3m) (3m)
943.50(3m)(a)(a) In any action or proceeding for violation of this section, duly identified and authenticated photographs of merchandise which was the subject of the violation may be used as evidence in lieu of producing the merchandise.
943.50(3m)(b) (b) A merchant or merchant's adult employee is privileged to defend property as prescribed in s. 939.49.
943.50(4) (4) Whoever violates this section is guilty of:
943.50(4)(a) (a) A Class A misdemeanor, if the value of the merchandise does not exceed $1,000.
943.50(4)(b) (b) A Class E felony, if the value of the merchandise exceeds $1,000 but not $2,500.
943.50(4)(c) (c) A Class C felony, if the value of the merchandise exceeds $2,500.
943.50(5) (5)
943.50(5)(a)(a) In addition to the other penalties provided for violation of this section, a judge may order a violator to pay restitution under s. 973.20.
943.50(5)(b) (b) In actions concerning violations of ordinances in conformity with this section, a judge may order a violator to make restitution under s. 800.093.
943.50(5)(c) (c) If the court orders restitution under pars. (a) and (b), any amount of restitution paid to the victim under one of those paragraphs reduces the amount the violator must pay in restitution to that victim under the other paragraph.
943.50 Annotation A merchant acted reasonably in detaining an innocent shopper for 20 minutes and releasing her without summoning police. Johnson v. K-Mart Enterprises, Inc. 98 Wis. 2d 533, 297 N.W.2d 74 (Ct. App. 1980).
943.50 Annotation Sub. (3) requires only that the merchant's employee have probable cause to believe that the person violated this section in the employee's presence; actual theft need not be committed in the employee's presence. State v. Lee, 157 Wis. 2d 126, 458 N.W.2d 562 (Ct. App. 1990).
943.50 Annotation Reasonableness under sub. (3) requires: (1) reasonable cause to believe that the person violated this section, (2) the manner of the detention and the actions taken in an attempt to detain must be reasonable, and (3) the length of time of the detention and the actions taken in an attempt to detain must be reasonable. An attempt to detain may include pursuit, including reasonable pursuit off the merchant's premises. Peters v. Menard, Inc. 224 Wis. 2d 174, 589 N.W.2d 395 (1999).
943.50 Annotation Shoplifting: protection for merchants in Wisconsin. 57 MLR 141.
943.51 943.51 Retail theft; civil liability.
943.51(1) (1) Any person who incurs injury to his or her business or property as a result of a violation of s. 943.50 may bring a civil action against any individual who caused the loss for all of the following:
943.51(1)(a) (a) The retail value of the merchandise unless it is returned undamaged and unused. A person may recover under this paragraph only if he or she exercises due diligence in demanding the return of the merchandise immediately after he or she discovers the loss and the identity of the person who has the merchandise.
943.51(1)(b) (b) Any actual damages not covered under par. (a).
943.51(2) (2) In addition to sub. (1), if the person who incurs the loss prevails, the judgment in the action may grant any of the following:
943.51(2)(a)1.1. Except as provided in subd. 1m., exemplary damages of not more than 3 times the amount under sub. (1).
943.51(2)(a)1m. 1m. If the action is brought against a minor or against the parent who has custody of their minor child for the loss caused by the minor, the exemplary damages may not exceed 2 times the amount under sub. (1).
943.51(2)(a)2. 2. No additional proof is required for an award of exemplary damages under this paragraph.
943.51(2)(b) (b) Notwithstanding the limitations of s. 799.25 or 814.04, all actual costs of the action, including reasonable attorney fees.
943.51(3) (3) Notwithstanding sub. (2) and except as provided in sub. (3m), the total amount awarded for exemplary damages and reasonable attorney fees may not exceed $500.
943.51(3m) (3m) Notwithstanding sub. (2), the total amount awarded for exemplary damages and reasonable attorney fees may not exceed $300 if the action is brought against a minor or against the parent who has custody of their minor child for the loss caused by the minor.
943.51(3r) (3r) Any recovery under this section shall be reduced by the amount recovered as restitution for the same act under ss. 800.093 and 973.20.
943.51(4) (4) The plaintiff has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that a violation occurred under s. 943.50. A conviction under s. 943.50 is not a condition precedent to bringing an action, obtaining a judgment or collecting that judgment under this section.
943.51(5) (5) A person is not criminally liable under s. 943.30 for any civil action brought in good faith under this section.
943.51(6) (6) Nothing in this section precludes a plaintiff from bringing the action under ch. 799 if the amount claimed is within the jurisdictional limits of s. 799.01 (1) (d).
943.51 History History: 1985 a. 179; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 71; 1995 a. 77.
943.51 Annotation Employee salary for time spent processing retail theft is compensable as "actual damages" under sub. (1) (b). Shopko Stores, Inc. v. Kujak, 147 Wis. 2d 589, 433 N.W.2d 618 (Ct. App. 1988).
943.55 943.55 Removal of shopping cart. Whoever intentionally removes a shopping cart or stroller from either the shopping area or a parking area adjacent to the shopping area to another place without authorization of the owner or person in charge and with the intent to deprive the owner permanently of possession of such property shall forfeit an amount not to exceed $50.
943.55 History History: 1977 c. 99.
943.60 943.60 Criminal slander of title.
943.60(1) (1) Any person who submits for filing, entering or recording any lien, claim of lien, lis pendens, writ of attachment, financing statement or any other instrument relating to a security interest in or title to real or personal property, and who knows or should have known that the contents or any part of the contents of the instrument are false, a sham or frivolous, is guilty of a Class D felony.
943.60(2) (2) This section applies to any person who causes another person to act in the manner specified in sub. (1).
943.60(3) (3) This section does not apply to a register of deeds or other government employee who acts in the course of his or her official duties and files, enters or records any instrument relating to title on behalf of another person.
943.60 History History: 1979 c. 221; 1995 a. 224; 1997 a. 27.
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This is an archival version of the Wis. Stats. database for 1999. See Are the Statutes on this Website Official?