799.28(1)(1)
Motions for new trial. Motions for new trial in the trial court are governed by
s. 805.15. A motion for a new trial must be made and heard within 20 days after the verdict is rendered, unless the court extends the time as provided in
s. 801.15 (2) (b). If the motion is not decided within 10 days of the date of hearing, it shall be deemed denied. The entry of judgment by the court without deciding a pending motion for a new trial shall be deemed a denial of the motion.
799.28(2)
(2) Newly discovered evidence. A motion to set aside a verdict or to open up a judgment and for a new trial founded upon newly discovered evidence may be heard upon affidavits and the proceedings in the action. Such a motion may be made at any time within one year from the verdict or finding. The order granting or denying the motion shall be in writing and shall specify the grounds for granting the new trial, or state the court's reasons for denying it.
799.28 History
History: Sup. Ct. Order,
67 Wis. 2d 585, 765 (1975);
1979 c. 32 s.
66; Stats. 1979 s. 799.28.
799.29
799.29
Default judgments. 799.29(1)(a)(a) There shall be no appeal from default judgments, but the trial court may, by order, reopen default judgments upon notice and motion or petition duly made and good cause shown.
799.29(1)(b)
(b) In ordinance violation cases, the notice of motion must be made within 20 days after entry of judgment. In ordinance violation cases, default judgments for purposes of this section include pleas of guilty, no contest and forfeitures of deposit.
799.29(1)(c)
(c) In other actions under this chapter, the notice of motion must be made within 6 months after entry of judgment unless venue was improper under
s. 799.11. The court shall order the reopening of a default judgment in an action where venue was improper upon motion or petition duly made within one year after the entry of judgment.
799.29(2)
(2) Stipulations. The court, judge or municipal judge having trial jurisdiction to recover a forfeiture may, with or without notice, for good cause shown by affidavit and upon just terms, within 30 days after the stipulation has been entered into, relieve any person from the stipulation or any order, judgment or conviction entered or made thereon. Where the stipulation was made without appearance in or having been filed in court, the court, judge or municipal judge may order a written complaint to be filed and set the matter for trial. The stipulation or a copy shall, in such cases, be filed with the court, judge or municipal judge and costs and fees shall be taxed as provided by law.
799.29 History
History: 1979 c. 32 s.
66;
1979 c. 110 s.
60 (6); Stats. 1979 s. 799.29;
1983 a. 228;
1985 a. 332;
1987 a. 208.
799.29 Note
Judicial Council Note, 1983: Sub. (1) (c) liberalizes the time limit for reopening default judgments entered in improperly venued actions. This remedy supplements the court's authority under s. 799.11 (3) to correct venue on its own motion. [Bill 324-S]
799.29 Annotation
Sub. (1) provides the exclusive procedure for reopening a default judgment in small claims proceedings. King v. Moore,
95 Wis. 2d 686,
291 N.W.2d 304 (Ct. App. 1980).
799.30
799.30
Appeal. An appeal of a judgment or order under this chapter shall be to the court of appeals.
799.30 History
History: Sup. Ct. Order,
67 Wis. 2d 585, 776 (1975);
1975 c. 218;
1977 c. 187;
1979 c. 32 s.
66; Stats. 1979 s. 799.30.
799.40
799.40
Eviction actions. 799.40(1)(1)
When commenced. A civil action of eviction may be commenced by a person entitled to the possession of real property to remove therefrom any person who is not entitled to either the possession or occupancy of such real property.
799.40(2)
(2) Joinder of other claims. The plaintiff may join with the claim for restitution of the premises any other claim against the defendant arising out of the defendant's possession or occupancy of the premises.
799.40(4)
(4) Stay of proceeding. The court shall stay the proceedings in a civil action of eviction if the tenant applies for emergency assistance under
s. 49.138. The tenant shall inform the court of the outcome of the determination of eligibility for emergency assistance. The stay remains in effect until the tenant's eligibility for emergency assistance is determined and, if the tenant is determined to be eligible, until the tenant receives the emergency assistance.
799.40 History
History: 1979 c. 32 s.
66;
1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 799.40;
1991 a. 39;
1995 a. 289.
799.40 Annotation
Any act of the landlord that renders the premises unfit for occupancy relieves the tenant from the obligation of paying rent. Constructive eviction can only take place when the tenant abandons the premises within a reasonable time after a substantial breach of the lease. First Wisconsin Trust Co. v. L. Wiemann Co.
93 Wis. 2d 258,
286 N.W.2d 360 (1980).
799.40 Annotation
Eviction practice in Wisconsin. Boden, 54 MLR 298.
799.40 Annotation
Burden of proof required to establish defense of retaliatory eviction. 1971 WLR 939.
799.40 Annotation
Tenant eviction protection and takings clause. Manheim. 1989 WLR 925 (1989).
799.41
799.41
Complaint in eviction actions. The complaint shall be in writing and subscribed by the plaintiff or attorney in accordance with
s. 802.05. The complaint shall identify the parties and the real property which is the subject of the action and state the facts which authorize the removal of the defendant. The description of real property is sufficient, whether or not it is specific, if it reasonably identifies what is described. A description by street name and number is sufficient. If the complaint relates only to a portion of described real estate, that portion shall be identified. If a claim in addition to the claim for restitution is joined under
s. 799.40 (2), the claim shall be separately stated. The prayer shall be for the removal of the defendant or the property or both and, if an additional claim is joined, for the other relief sought by the plaintiff.
799.41 History
History: Sup. Ct. Order,
67 Wis. 2d 585, 766 (1975);
1975 c. 218;
1979 c. 32 ss.
66,
92 (16); Stats. 1979 s. 799.41;
1987 a. 403.
799.42
799.42
Service and filing in eviction actions. The complaint shall be served with the summons when personal or substituted service is had under
s. 799.12 (1).
799.42 History
History: 1979 c. 32 ss.
66,
92 (16); Stats. 1979 s. 799.42;
1987 a. 208.
799.43
799.43
Defendant's pleading in eviction actions. The defendant may plead to the complaint orally or in writing, except that if the plaintiff's title is put in issue by the defendant, the answer shall be in writing and subscribed in the same manner as the complaint. Within the limitation of
s. 799.02 the defendant may counterclaim provided that in construing
s. 799.02 as applied to eviction actions, any claim related to the rented property shall be considered as arising out of the transaction or occurrence which is the subject matter of the plaintiff's claim.
799.43 History
History: Sup. Ct. Order,
67 Wis. 2d 585, 766 (1975);
1975 c. 218;
1979 c. 32 ss.
66,
92 (16); Stats. 1979 s. 799.43.
799.43 Annotation
Counterclaims relating to oral agreements to pay increased rent, unfair trade practices, oral guarantees and interference with quiet enjoyment were properly dismissed as extrinsic to a lease. Scalzo v. Anderson,
87 Wis. 2d 834,
275 N.W.2d 894 (1979).
799.44
799.44
Order for judgment; writ of restitution. 799.44(1)(1)
Order for judgment. In an eviction action, if the court finds that the plaintiff is entitled to possession, the order for judgment shall be for the restitution of the premises to the plaintiff and, if an additional cause of action is joined under
s. 799.40 (2) and plaintiff prevails thereon, for such other relief as the court orders. Judgment shall be entered accordingly as provided in
s. 799.24.
799.44(2)
(2) Writ of restitution. At the time of ordering judgment for the restitution of premises, the court shall order that a writ of restitution be issued, and the writ may be delivered to the sheriff for execution in accordance with
s. 799.45. No writ shall be executed if received by the sheriff more than 30 days after its issuance.
799.44(3)
(3) Stay of writ of restitution. At the time of ordering judgment, upon application of the defendant with notice to the plaintiff, the court may, in cases where it determines hardship to exist, stay the issuance of the writ by a period not to exceed 30 days from the date of the order for judgment. Any such stay shall be conditioned upon the defendant paying all rent or other charges due and unpaid at the entry of judgment and upon the defendant paying the reasonable value of the occupancy of the premises, including reasonable charges, during the period of the stay upon such terms and at such times as the court directs. The court may further require the defendant, as a condition of such stay, to give a bond in such amount and with such sureties as the court directs, conditioned upon the defendant's faithful performance of the conditions of the stay. Upon the failure of the defendant to perform any of the conditions of the stay, the plaintiff may file an affidavit executed by the plaintiff or attorney, stating the facts of such default, and the writ of restitution may forthwith be issued.
799.44(4)
(4) Writ of restitution; form and contents. The writ of restitution shall be in the name of the court, sealed with its seal, signed by its clerk, directed to the sheriff of the county in which the real property is located, and in substantially the following form:
(Venue and caption)
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN To the Sheriff of .... County:
The plaintiff, ...., of .... recovered a judgment against the defendant, ...., of ...., in an eviction action in the Circuit Court of .... County, on the .... day of ...., .... (year), to have restitution of the following described premises:
.... (description as in complaint), located in .... County, Wisconsin.
YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED To immediately remove the defendant, ...., from the said premises and to restore the plaintiff, ...., to the possession thereof. You are further commanded to remove from said premises all personal property not the property of the plaintiff, and to store and dispose of the same according to law, and to make due return of this writ within ten days.
Witness the Honorable ...., Judge of the said Circuit Court, this .... day of ...., .... (year)
.... Clerk
799.44 History
History: 1977 c. 449 s.
497;
1979 c. 32 ss.
66,
92 (16);
1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 799.44;
1997 a. 250.
799.445
799.445
Appeal. An appeal in an eviction action shall be initiated within 15 days of the entry of judgment or order as specified in
s. 808.04 (2). An order for judgment for restitution of the premises under
s. 799.44 (1) or for denial of restitution is appealable as a matter of right under
s. 808.03 (1) within 15 days after the entry of the order for judgment for restitution or for denial of restitution. An order for judgment for additional causes of action is appealable as a matter of right under
s. 808.03 (1) within 15 days after the entry of the order for judgment for the additional causes of action. No appeal by a defendant of an order for judgment for restitution of the premises may stay proceedings on the judgment unless the appellant serves and files with the notice of appeal an undertaking to the plaintiff, in an amount and with surety approved by the judge who ordered the entry of judgment. The undertaking shall provide that the appellant will pay all costs and disbursements of the appeal which may be taxed against the appellant, obey the order of the appellate court upon the appeal and pay all rent and other damages accruing to the plaintiff during the pendency of the appeal. Upon service and filing of this undertaking, all further proceedings in enforcement of the judgment appealed from are stayed pending the determination of the appeal. Upon service by the appellant of a copy of the notice and appeal and approved undertaking upon the sheriff holding an issued but unexecuted writ of restitution or of execution, the sheriff shall promptly cease all further proceedings pending the determination of the appeal. If the tenant fails to pay rent when due, or otherwise defaults in the terms of the undertaking, the payment guaranteed by the undertaking with surety shall be payable immediately to the plaintiff and shall not be held in escrow by the court. Upon the failure of the tenant to pay rent when due, or upon other default by the tenant in the terms of the undertaking, the stay of proceedings shall be dismissed and the sheriff shall immediately execute the writ of restitution.
799.445 History
History: 1983 a. 219 s.
39;
1993 a. 466.
799.445 Note
Judicial Council Note, 1983: This section is renumbered from s. 808.07 (7), and amended to replace the appeal deadline of 10 days after mailing notice of entry of judgment by the time period specified in s. 808.04 (2), for greater uniformity. The appeal deadline established by that statute applies regardless of whether the action has been tried to a 12-person jury. [Bill 151-S]
799.45
799.45
Execution of writ of restitution. 799.45(1)
(1)
When executed. Upon delivery of a writ of restitution to the sheriff, and after payment to the sheriff of the fee required by
s. 814.70 (8), the sheriff shall execute the writ. If the plaintiff, or the plaintiff's attorney or agent, does not notify the sheriff under
sub. (3) (am) that the plaintiff or his or her agent will remove and store or dispose of the property, the sheriff may require that prior to the execution of any writ of restitution the plaintiff deposit a reasonable sum representing the probable cost of removing the defendant's property chargeable to the plaintiff under
s. 814.70 (8) and
(10) and of the services of deputies under
s. 814.70 (8). In case of dispute as to the amount of the required deposit, the amount of that deposit shall be determined by the court under
s. 814.70 (10).
799.45(2)
(2) How executed; duties of sheriff. In executing the writ of restitution the sheriff shall:
799.45(2)(a)
(a) Remove from the premises described in the writ the person of the defendant and all other persons found upon the premises claiming under the defendant, using such reasonable force as is necessary.
799.45(2)(b)
(b) Remove or supervise removal from the premises described in the writ, using such reasonable force as may be necessary, all personal property found in the premises not the property of the plaintiff.
799.45(2)(bg)
(bg) Assist the plaintiff or his or her agent in the removal, under
sub. (3) (am), of all personal property found in the premises described in the writ, not the property of the plaintiff, using such reasonable force as may be necessary.
799.45(2)(c)
(c) Exercise ordinary care in the removal or supervision of removal of all persons and property from the premises and in the handling and storage of all property removed from the premises.
799.45(3)
(3) Manner of removal and disposition of removed goods. 799.45(3)(a)(a) In accomplishing the removal of property from the premises described in the writ, the sheriff is authorized to engage the services of a mover or trucker unless the plaintiff notifies the sheriff under
par. (am) that the plaintiff will remove and store or dispose of the property.
799.45(3)(am)
(am) When delivering a writ of restitution to the sheriff in counties other than counties with a population of 500,000 or more, the plaintiff or his or her attorney or agent may notify the sheriff that the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent will be responsible for the removal and storage or disposal of the property that is found in the premises described in the writ and that does not belong to the plaintiff. When notifying the sheriff that the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent will remove the property, the plaintiff or his or her attorney or agent shall file the bond or insurance policy required under
subd. 5. with the clerk of court that issued the writ of restitution. If the sheriff is notified that the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent will be responsible for the removal and storage or disposal of the property under this paragraph, the sheriff shall, in executing the writ of restitution, supervise the removal and handling of the property by the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent. The sheriff may prevent the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent from removing property under this paragraph if the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent fails to comply with
subd. 1.,
2.,
5. or
6. or if the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent fails to exercise ordinary care in the removal and handling of the property as required under
subd. 3. If the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent remove and store the property under this paragraph, the plaintiff or the plaintiff's agent shall do all of the following:
799.45(3)(am)1.
1. Notify the sheriff not later than the date on which the sheriff executes the writ of restitution of the address of the premises where the defendant's property will be stored.
799.45(3)(am)2.
2. Notify the sheriff not later than the date on which the sheriff executes the writ of restitution of the name, address and telephone number of the person the defendant may contact to obtain possession of the property.
799.45(3)(am)3.
3. Exercise ordinary care in removing the property from the premises and in the handling and storage of all property removed from the premises.
799.45(3)(am)4.
4. Have warehouse or other receipts issued with respect to the property stored under this paragraph issued in the name of the defendant.
799.45(3)(am)5.
5. Obtain a bond or insurance policy to pay the defendant and indemnify the sheriff for any damages to the property removed from the premises that is handled or stored with less than ordinary care.
799.45(3)(am)6.
6. Impose charges for the removal and storage of the property removed from the premises that do not exceed the rate determined by the sheriff to be the average rate for such services available in the county.
799.45(3)(am)7.
7. Within 3 days of the removal of the property, notify the defendant under
sub. (4) of the charges imposed under
subd. 6. and of any receipt or other document required to obtain possession of the property.
799.45(3)(b)
(b) Except as provided in
pars. (am) and
(c), the property removed from such premises shall be taken to some place of safekeeping within the county selected by the sheriff. Within 3 days of the removal of the goods, the sheriff shall mail a notice to the defendant as specified in
sub. (4) stating the place where the goods are kept and, if the plaintiff had not removed the property under
par. (am), shall deliver to the defendant any receipt or other document required to obtain possession of the goods. Warehouse or other similar receipts issued with respect to goods stored by the sheriff under this subsection shall be taken in the name of the defendant. All expenses incurred for storage and other like charges after delivery by the sheriff or by the plaintiff to a place of safekeeping shall be the responsibility of the defendant. Any person accepting goods from the sheriff or the plaintiff for storage under this subsection, or the plaintiff, if he or she stores the property in his or her premises, shall have all of the rights and remedies accorded by law against the defendant personally and against the property stored for the collection of such charges, including the lien of a warehouse keeper under
s. 407.209. Risk of damages to or loss of such property shall be borne by the defendant after delivery by the sheriff to the place of safekeeping.
799.45(3)(c)
(c) When, in the exercise of ordinary care, the sheriff determines that property to be removed from premises described in the writ is without monetary value, the sheriff or the plaintiff, if he or she has agreed to remove the property under
par. (am), may deliver or cause the same to be delivered to some appropriate place established for the collection, storage and disposal of refuse. In such case the sheriff shall notify the defendant as specified in
sub. (4) of the place to which the goods have been delivered within 3 days of the removal of the goods. The exercise of ordinary care by the sheriff under this subsection does not include searching apparently valueless property for hidden or secreted articles of value.
799.45(3)(d)
(d) All of the rights and duties of the sheriff under this section may be exercised by or delegated to any of the deputies.
799.45(4)
(4) Manner of giving notice to defendant. All notices required by
sub. (3) to be given to the defendant by the sheriff or by the plaintiff shall be in writing and shall be personally served upon the defendant or mailed to the defendant at the last-known address, even if such address be the premises which are the subject of the eviction action.
799.45(5)
(5) Return of writ; taxation of additional costs. 799.45(5)(a)(a) Within 10 days of the receipt of the writ, the sheriff shall execute the writ and perform all of the duties required by this section and return the same to the court with the sheriff's statement of the expenses and charges incurred in the execution of the writ and paid by the plaintiff.
799.45(5)(b)
(b) Upon receipt of the returned writ and statement from the sheriff, the clerk shall tax and insert in the judgment as prescribed by
s. 799.25 the additional costs incurred by the plaintiff.
799.45 Annotation
A sheriff was liable in his official capacity for actions of a deputy executing an untimely writ of restitution. Wolf-Lillie v. Sonquist,
699 F.2d 864 (1983).
799.45 Annotation
Warehousemen's liens may constitutionally be enforced against tenants dispossessed under s. 299.45, 1977 stats. [now s. 799.45]. Wegwart v. Eagle Movers, Inc.
441 F. Supp. 872.
