CHAPTER 243
GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO FRAUDULENT CONVEYANCES AND CONTRACTS
243.01 Grants, etc., of trust to be in writing.
243.02 Conveyances void as to creditors void as to their heirs, etc.
243.04 "Conveyance" defined.
243.05 Instruments signed by agents.
243.06 Death of principal, effect on agency.
243.07 Uniform durable power of attorney act.
243.10 Uniform statutory form power of attorney act.
243.01
243.01
Grants, etc., of trust to be in writing. Every grant or assignment of any existing trust in lands, goods or things in action, unless the same shall be in writing subscribed by the party making the same or by the party's agent lawfully authorized, shall be void.
243.01 History
History: 1991 a. 316.
243.01 Annotation
Unenforceability of a contract under this section does not prevent the imposition of a constructive trust in a proper case. Gorski v. Gorski, 82 W (2d) 248, 262 NW (2d) 120.
243.02
243.02
Conveyances void as to creditors void as to their heirs, etc. Every conveyance, charge, instrument or proceeding declared to be void by
chs. 240 to
243 as against creditors or purchasers shall be equally void against the heirs, successors, personal representatives or assignees of such creditors or purchasers.
243.02 History
History: 1979 c. 89.
243.03
243.03
"Lands" defined. The term "lands", as used in
chs. 240 to
243, shall be construed as coextensive in meaning with "lands, tenements and hereditaments"; and the term "estate and interest in lands" shall be construed to embrace every estate and interest, freehold and chattel, legal and equitable, present and future, vested and contingent, in lands as above defined.
243.03 History
History: 1979 c. 89.
243.04
243.04
"Conveyance" defined. The term "conveyance," as used in
chs. 240,
241 and
243, shall be construed to embrace every instrument in writing except a last will and testament, whatever may be its form, and by whatever name it may be known in law, by which any estate or interest in lands is created, aliened, assigned or surrendered.
243.05
243.05
Instruments signed by agents. Every instrument required under
chs. 240 to
243 to be subscribed by any party may be subscribed by the agent of such party lawfully authorized thereto.
243.05 History
History: 1979 c. 89.
243.06
243.06
Death of principal, effect on agency. The death of the principal shall not operate as a revocation of an agency as to the attorney or agent until the attorney or agent shall have notice of the death, or as to one who, without notice of such death, in good faith deals with the attorney or agent; and this shall apply whether the agency was created by writing or not. This section does not apply to powers of attorney created on or after May 1, 1982.
243.06 History
History: 1981 c. 313;
1991 a. 316.
243.07
243.07
Uniform durable power of attorney act. 243.07(1)(a)
(a) "Durable power of attorney" means a power of attorney by which a principal designates another as his or her agent in writing and the writing contains the words "this power of attorney shall not be affected by subsequent disability, incapacity or incompetency of the principal", or "this power of attorney shall become effective upon the disability, incapacity or incompetency of the principal", or similar words showing the intent of the principal that the authority conferred shall be exercisable notwithstanding the principal's subsequent disability, incapacity or incompetency.
243.07(1)(b)
(b) "Incapacity" means the inability to receive and evaluate information effectively or to communicate decisions to such an extent that the individual lacks the capacity to manage his or her decisions.
243.07(2)
(2) Durable power of attorney not affected by disability. All acts done by agent pursuant to a durable power of attorney during any period of disability, incapacity or incompetency of the principal have the same effect and inure to the benefit of and bind the principal and his or her successors in interest as if the principal were competent and not disabled.
243.07(2m)
(2m) Durable power of attorney not affected by passage of time. The passage of time does not revoke a durable power of attorney unless the durable power of attorney states a time of revocation.
243.07(3)
(3) Relation of agent to court-appointed fiduciary. 243.07(3)(a)(a) If, following execution of a durable power of attorney, a court of the principal's domicile appoints a conservator, guardian of the estate, or other fiduciary charged with the management of all of the principal's property or all of his or her property except specified exclusions, the agent is accountable to the fiduciary as well as to the principal. The fiduciary has the same power to revoke or amend the power of attorney that the principal would have had if the principal were not disabled, incapacitated or incompetent.
243.07(3)(b)
(b) A principal may nominate, by a durable power of attorney, the conservator, guardian of his or her estate, or guardian of his or her person for consideration by the court if protective proceedings for the principal's person or estate are thereafter commenced. The court shall make its appointment in accordance with the principal's most recent nomination in a durable power of attorney except for good cause or disqualification.
243.07(4)
(4) Power of attorney not revoked until notice. 243.07(4)(a)(a) The death of a principal who has executed a written power of attorney, durable or otherwise, does not revoke or terminate the agency as to the agent or other person, who, without actual knowledge of the death of the principal, acts in good faith under the power. Any action so taken, unless otherwise invalid or unenforceable, binds successors in interest of the principal.
243.07(4)(b)
(b) The disability, incapacity or incompetency of a principal who has previously executed a written power of attorney that is not a durable power does not revoke or terminate the agency as to the agent or other person, who, without actual knowledge of the disability, incapacity or incompetency of the principal, acts in good faith under the power. Any action so taken, unless otherwise invalid or unenforceable, binds the principal and his or her successors in interest.
243.07(5)
(5) Proof of continuance of durable and other powers of attorney by affidavit. As to acts undertaken in good faith reliance thereon, an affidavit executed by the agent under a power of attorney, durable or otherwise, stating that he or she did not have at the time of exercise of the power actual knowledge of the termination of the power by revocation or of the principal's death, disability, incapacity or incompetency is conclusive proof of the nonrevocation or nontermination of the power at that time. If the exercise of the power of attorney requires execution and delivery of any instrument that is recordable, the affidavit when authenticated for record is likewise recordable. This subsection does not affect any provision in a power of attorney for its termination by expiration of time or occurrence of an event other than express revocation or a change in the principal's capacity.
243.07(6)
(6) Uniformity of application and construction. This section shall be applied and construed to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of this section among states enacting it.
243.07(6m)
(6m) Relationship to power of attorney for health care. If a portion of a durable power of attorney that is executed under this section after April 28, 1990, specifically authorizes the agent to make health care decisions on behalf of the principal, that portion of the durable power of attorney has no force or effect and that portion of the durable power of attorney instrument that is so executed and makes these authorizations is invalid, unless that portion of the durable power of attorney instrument conforms to the requirements of
ch. 155.
243.07(7)
(7) Application. This section applies to powers of attorney created on or after May 1, 1982.
243.07 Annotation
This section permits attorney-in-fact to make medical decisions but cannot be used to place someone in nursing home or to avoid other requirements of chs. 55 and 880.
77 Atty. Gen. 156.
243.10
243.10
Uniform statutory form power of attorney act. 243.10(1)(1)
Statutory form of power of attorney. 243.10(1)(a)(a)
Form. The following statutory form of power of attorney is legally sufficient:
STATUTORY POWER OF ATTORNEY
NOTICE: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT. BEFORE SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT, YOU SHOULD KNOW THESE IMPORTANT FACTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IS TO GIVE THE PERSON WHOM YOU DESIGNATE (YOUR "AGENT") BROAD POWERS TO HANDLE YOUR PROPERTY, WHICH MAY INCLUDE POWERS TO PLEDGE, SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF ANY REAL OR PERSONAL PROPERTY WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE TO YOU OR APPROVAL BY YOU. THE POWERS WILL EXIST AFTER YOU BECOME DISABLED, INCAPACITATED OR INCOMPETENT IF YOU CIRCLE THAT PROVISION. THE POWERS THAT YOU GIVE YOUR AGENT ARE EXPLAINED MORE FULLY IN SECTION 243.10 OF THE WISCONSIN STATUTES. THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT AUTHORIZE ANYONE TO MAKE MEDICAL OR OTHER HEALTH-CARE DECISIONS FOR YOU. IF THERE IS ANYTHING ABOUT THIS FORM THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, YOU SHOULD ASK A LAWYER TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU.
I.... (insert your name and address) appoint.... (insert the name and address of the person appointed, or of each person appointed, if you want to designate more than one) as my agent to act for me in any lawful way with respect to the powers initialed below. If the person or persons appointed are unable or unwilling to act as my agent, I appoint.... (insert name and address of alternate person appointed) to act for me in any lawful way with respect to the powers initialed below.
TO GRANT ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING POWERS, INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF EACH POWER YOU ARE GRANTING.
TO WITHHOLD A POWER, DO NOT INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF IT. YOU MAY, BUT NEED NOT, CROSS OUT EACH POWER WITHHELD.
Initials
1. Real property transactions.
2. Tangible personal property transactions.
3. Stock and bond transactions.
4. Commodity and option transactions.
5. Banking and other financial institution transactions.
6. Business operating transactions.
7. Insurance and annuity transactions.
8. Estate, trust, and other beneficiary transactions.
9. Claims and litigation.
