2001 Wisconsin Act 102

102,142 Section 142. 856.05 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

856.05 (3) Penalty. Any person who with intent to injure or defraud any person interested therein in a will suppresses or secretes any will of a person then deceased or any information as to the existence or location of any will or having custody of any will fails to file it in the court or to deliver it to the executor person named therein shall be punished by the court by imprisonment in the will to act as personal representative shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than one year or by fine not to exceed $500 or both.

Note: Conforms penalty provision to current style.

102,143 Section 143. 856.07 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

856.07 (1) Generally. Petition for administration of the estate of a decedent may be made by any executor person named in the will to act as personal representative or by any person interested.

102,144 Section 144. 856.09 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

856.09 (4) The name and post-office address of the person named as executor in the will to act as personal representative;

102,145 Section 145. 856.21 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

856.21 (1) The executor person named in the will to act as personal representative.

102,146 Section 146. 856.23 (1) (intro.) and (e) of the statutes are amended to read:

856.23 (1) (intro.) A person including the executor person named in the will to act as personal representative is not entitled to receive letters if the person is any of the following:

(e) A person whom the court deems considers unsuitable for good cause shown.

102,147 Section 147. 868.03 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

868.03 (1) (a) "Representative" means an executor, administrator a personal representative, testamentary trustee, guardian, or other fiduciary of the estate of a decedent or a ward duly appointed by a court and qualified. It includes any corporation so appointed, regardless of whether the corporation is eligible to act under the law of this state. This section does not change the powers or duties of a testamentary trustee under the nonstatutory law or under the terms of a trust.

102,148 Section 148. 879.35 of the statutes is amended to read:

879.35 Costs in will contests. Costs may be awarded out of the estate to an unsuccessful proponent of a will if the unsuccessful proponent is named in the will to act as an executor therein personal representative and propounded the document in good faith, and to the unsuccessful contestant of a will if the unsuccessful contestant is named to act as an executor personal representative in another document propounded by the unsuccessful contestant in good faith as the last will of the decedent.

102,149 Section 149. 879.37 of the statutes is amended to read:

879.37 Attorney fees in contests. Reasonable attorney fees may be awarded out of the estate to the prevailing party in all appealable contested matters, to an unsuccessful proponent of a will if the unsuccessful proponent is named in the will to act as an executor therein personal representative and propounded the document in good faith, and to the unsuccessful contestant of a will if the unsuccessful contestant is named to act as an executor personal representative in another document propounded by the unsuccessful contestant in good faith as the last will of the decedent.

102,150 Section 150. 879.59 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

879.59 (2) Between testate and intestate distributees; parties. The court also may authorize the person named to act as executor personal representative in one or more instruments purporting to be the last will and testament of a person deceased decedent, or the petitioners for administration with the will or wills annexed, to adjust by compromise any controversy that may arise between the persons claiming as devisees or legatees under the will or wills and the persons entitled to or claiming the estate of the deceased under the statutes regulating the descent and distribution of intestate estates, to which agreement or compromise the persons named as executors to act as personal representatives or the petitioners for administration with will annexed, those claiming as devisees or legatees and those claiming the estate as intestate shall be parties, provided that persons named to act as executors personal representatives in any instrument who have renounced or shall renounce such executorship the right to act as personal representative and any person whose interest in the estate is unaffected by the proposed compromise shall not be required to be parties to the compromise.

102,151 Section 151. 880.295 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 880.295 (1) (a) and amended to read:

880.295 (1) (a) When a patient in any state or county hospital or mental hospital or in any state institution for the mentally deficient, or a resident of the county home or infirmary, appears in need of a guardian, and does not have a guardian, the department of health and family services by its collection and deportation counsel, or the county corporation counsel, may apply to the circuit court of the county in which the patient resided at the time of commitment or to the circuit court of the county in which the facility in which the patient resides is located for the appointment of a guardian of the person and estate, or either, or for the appointment of a conservator of the estate, and the court, upon the application, may appoint the guardian or conservator in the manner provided for the appointment of guardians under ss. 880.08 (1) and 880.33 or for the appointment of conservators under s. 880.31.

(b) If application is made by a corporation counsel, a copy of the petition made to the court shall be filed with the department of health and family services.

(c) If application is made by a corporation counsel for appointment of a guardian of the estate of the patient or resident, or by the patient or resident for appointment of a conservator of the patient's or resident's estate, the court may designate the county as guardian or conservator if the court finds that no relative or friend is available to serve as guardian or conservator and the county is not required to make or file any oath or give any bond or security, except in the discretion of the court making the appointment, as similarly provided under s. 223.03 (8) (6) (a) in the case of the appointment of a trust company bank corporation.

(d) The court may place any limitations upon the guardianship or conservatorship as it deems considers to be in the best interest of the patient.

(e) Before any county employee administers the funds of a person's estate of for which the county has been appointed guardian or conservator, the employee must be designated as securities agent in the classified service of the county, and the employee's designation as securities agent shall appear on all court papers which that the security agent signs in the name of the county as guardian or conservator. The securities agent, before entering upon the duties, shall also furnish an official bond in such the amount and with such the sureties as that the county board determines, subject to the prior approval of the amount by the court assigned to exercise jurisdiction. The bond shall be filed in the office of the register in probate, and a duplicate original thereof of the bond filed in the office of the county clerk.

(f) A conservatorship under this section shall be terminated by the court upon discharge of the patient unless application for continued conservatorship is made. The superintendent or director of the facility shall notify the court of the discharge of a patient for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed under this subsection.

102,152 Section 152. 891.32 of the statutes is amended to read:

891.32 Allegation as to executor, guardian, etc representative capacity. Whenever a plaintiff shall sue sues as an executor, administrator a personal representative, guardian, or trustee and shall allege alleges in the complaint appointment as such, to that position and, if appointed the appointment was made in another state or a foreign country, the filing or recording of the authenticated copy of the appointment, as required by the laws of this state, such those allegations shall be taken as true unless specifically denied by the defendant by in the defendant's answer.

102,153 Section 153. 893.22 of the statutes is amended to read:

893.22 Limitation in case of death. If a person entitled to bring an action dies before the expiration of the time limited for the commencement of the action and the cause of action survives, an action may be commenced by the person's representatives after the expiration of that time and within one year from the person's death. If a person against whom an action may be brought dies before the expiration of the time limited for the commencement of the action and the cause of action survives, an action may be commenced after the expiration of that time and within one year after the issuing, within this state, of letters testamentary or of other letters authorizing the administration of the decedent's estate.

102,154 Section 154. 893.46 of the statutes is amended to read:

893.46 Acknowledgment, who not bound by. If there are 2 or more joint contractors or joint administrators personal representatives of any contractor , no such joint contractor, executor or administrator joint personal representative shall lose the benefit of this chapter so as to be chargeable by reason only of any acknowledgment or promise made by any other of them.

102,155 Section 155. 893.47 of the statutes is amended to read:

893.47 Actions against parties jointly liable. In actions commenced against 2 or more joint contractors or joint executors or administrators personal representatives of any contractors, if it shall appear, on the trial or otherwise, that the plaintiff is barred by this chapter as to one or more of the defendants, but is entitled to recover against any other or others of them, by virtue of a new acknowledgment or promise, or otherwise, judgment shall be given for the plaintiff as to any of the defendants against whom the plaintiff is entitled to recover and for the other defendant or defendants against the plaintiff.

102,156 Section 156. 893.49 of the statutes is amended to read:

893.49 Payment by one not to affect others. If there are 2 or more joint contractors or joint executors or administrators personal representatives of any contractor, no one of them shall lose the benefit of this chapter, so as to be chargeable, by reason only of any payment made by any other of them.

102,157 Section 157. 895.02 of the statutes is amended to read:

895.02 Measure of damages against executor personal representative. When any action mentioned described in s. 895.01 (1) shall be prosecuted to judgment against the executor or administrator personal representative, the plaintiff shall be entitled to recover only for the value of the goods taken, including any unjust enrichment of the defendant, or for the damages actually sustained, without any vindictive or exemplary damages or damages for alleged outrage to the feelings of the injured party.

102,158 Section 158. 895.031 of the statutes is amended to read:

895.031 Recovery from estate of wrongdoer. Whenever If the death of a person shall be is caused by a wrongful act, neglect or default and the act, neglect or default is such as would or omission committed in this state that, if death had not ensued, would have entitled the party injured party to maintain an action and recover damages in respect thereof, then in every such case, and the wrongdoer who would have been liable if death had not ensued, although such wrongdoer shall die dies prior to the time of the death of such the injured person, the wrongdoer shall be liable to an action for damages notwithstanding the wrongdoer's prior either death and notwithstanding the death of the person injured; provided that such action shall be brought for a death caused in this state. Any right of action which may accrue by such injury to the person of another although the death of the wrongdoer occurred prior thereto against a deceased wrongdoer under this section shall be enforced by bringing an action against the executor or administrator or deceased wrongdoer's personal representative of such deceased wrongdoer.

Note: This treatment attempts to reduce wordiness.

102,159 Section 159. 895.38 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

895.38 (5) The procedure for hearing, settling, and allowing such the principal's account shall be according to the practice prescribed by ch. 862 in the matter of account of executors and administrators for personal representatives. Upon the trust fund or estate being found or made good and paid over or properly secured, such the surety shall be discharged from all liability. Upon demand by the principal, the discharged surety shall return the unearned part of the premium paid for the canceled bond.

102,160 Section 160. 895.41 (3) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

895.41 (3) (a) (intro.) In case an employee who was required to give a cash bond dies before the cash bond is withdrawn in the manner provided in sub. (1), the accounting and withdrawal may be effected not less than 5 days after the employee's death and before the filing of a petition for letters testamentary or of other letters authorizing the administration in the matter of the decedent's estate, by the employer with any of the following, in the following order:

102,161 Section 161. 895.41 (3) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

895.41 (3) (d) If no relatives designated under par. (a) survive, the employer may apply the cash bond, or so much thereof of the cash bond as may be necessary, to paying creditors of the decedent in the order of preference prescribed in s. 859.25 for satisfaction of debts by executors and administrators personal representatives. The making of payment under this paragraph shall be a discharge and release of the employer to the amount of the payment.

102,162 Section 162 . 895.42 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 895.42 (1) (b) (intro.) and amended to read:

895.42 (1) (b) (intro.) In case If in any proceeding in any court of record it is determined that moneys or other personal property in the custody of or under the control of any administrator, executor personal representative, trustee, receiver, or other officer of the court, belongs to a natural person if the person is alive, or to an artificial person if it is in existence and entitled to receive, and otherwise to some other person, and the court or judge making such determination finds that there is not sufficient evidence showing that the natural person first entitled to take is alive, or that the artificial person is in existence and entitled to receive, or in case such money or other personal property, including any legacy or share of intestate property cannot be delivered to the legatee or heir or person entitled thereto because of the fact that such person is a member of the military or naval forces of the United States or any of its allies or is engaged in any of the armed forces abroad or with the American Red Cross society or other body or other similar business, then in either or any of such cases any of the following, the court or judge may direct that the officer having custody or control of such the money or other personal property, to deposit the same in the money or property with any trust company, or any state or national bank within the state of Wisconsin authorized to exercise trust powers, taking its:

(c) Any officer depositing money or property with a trust company under par. (b), shall take the trust company's receipt therefor, and the said for the deposit. The receipt shall, to the extent of the deposit so made, constitute a complete discharge of the said officer in any accounting made by the officer made in said the proceeding.

Note: This treatment attempts to reduce wordiness and redundancies and to make terminology throughout the section consistent with other statutes.

102,163 Section 163. 895.42 (1) (a) of the statutes is created to read:

895.42 (1) (a) In this subsection, "trust company" means any trust company or any state or national bank in this state that is authorized to exercise trust powers.

Note: This definition is created to simplify sentence structure.

102,164 Section 164. 895.42 (1) (b) 1. and 2. of the statutes are created to read:

895.42 (1) (b) 1. That there is not sufficient evidence showing that the natural person first entitled to take is alive, or that the artificial person is in existence and entitled to receive.

2. That the money or other personal property, including any legacy or share of intestate property, cannot be delivered to the person entitled to the money or property because the person is a member of the military or naval forces of the United States or any of its allies or is engaged in any of the armed forces abroad or with the American Red Cross society or other body or similar business.

Note: See Section 162 of this bill.

102,165 Section 165. 898.27 of the statutes is amended to read:

898.27 Assignment of bond. If any such bond shall be given under s. 898.17 is forfeited, the party at whose suit the person executing the same bond shall have been confined or, in case of his or her death, the executor or administrator of such party that party's personal representative, shall be entitled to an assignment thereof of the bond, which shall be made by the sheriff taking the same, or, in case of a vacancy in the sheriff's office, by the sheriff's undersheriff.

102,166 Section 166. 990.01 (7) of the statutes is repealed.

Note: The term "executor" is removed from the statutes by this bill.

102,167 Section 167. 990.01 (27m) of the statutes is created to read:

990.01 (27m) Personal representative. "Personal representative" means a person, however denominated, who is authorized to administer a decedent's estate.