893.89 Annotation
This section provides that persons involved in improvements to real property may not be sued more than ten years after substantial completion of a project. The statute does not extend the time for bringing lawsuits that are otherwise time-barred by statutes of limitations. This section is a catch-all provision that imposes a time limit on many lawsuits relating to property improvements that are not otherwise time-barred within ten years after substantial completion. If a cause of action is time-barred by a statute of limitations before it would be barred under this section, that statute of limitations applies. Kalahari Development, LLC v. Iconica, Inc.
2012 WI App 34,
340 Wis. 2d 454,
811 N.W.2d 825,
11-0643.
893.90
893.90
Bond; campaign financing; lobbying. 893.90(1)
(1) An action by the state or any of its departments or agencies or by any county, town, village, city, school district, technical college district or other municipal unit to recover any sum of money by reason of the breach of an official bond or the breach of a bond of any nature, whether required by law or not, given by a public officer or any agent or employee of a governmental unit shall be commenced within 3 years after the governmental unit receives knowledge of the fact that a default has occurred in some of the conditions of the bond and that it was damaged because of the default or be barred.
893.90(2)
(2) Any civil action arising under
ch. 11,
subch. III of ch. 13 or
subch. II of ch. 19 shall be commenced within 3 years after the cause of action accrues or be barred.
893.90 Note
Judicial Council Committee's Note, 1979: This section is previous ss. 893.20 and 893.205 (3) renumbered for more logical placement in restructured ch. 893. [Bill 326-A]
893.91
893.91
Action for expenses related to a forest fire. An action by a state or town under
s. 26.14 (9) (b) to recover expenses incurred in the suppression of a forest fire shall be commenced within 2 years of the setting of the fire or be barred.
893.91 History
History: 1979 c. 323.
893.91 Note
Judicial Council Committee's Note, 1979: This section has been created to place into ch. 893 the statute of limitation for an action to recover expenses related to fighting a forest fire. See the note following s. 26.14 (9) (b). [Bill 326-A]
893.92
893.92
Action for contribution. An action for contribution based on tort, if the right of contribution does not arise out of a prior judgment allocating the comparative negligence between the parties, shall be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrues or be barred.
893.92 History
History: 1979 c. 323.
893.92 Note
Judicial Council Committee's Note, 1979: This section is previous s. 893.22 (4) renumbered for more logical placement in restructured ch. 893. [Bill 326-A]
893.925
893.925
Action for certain damages related to mining. 893.925(1)(1) A claim against the mining damage appropriation under
s. 107.31 to recover damages for mining-related injuries shall be brought within 3 years of the date on which the death occurs or the injury was or should have been known.
893.925(2)(a)(a) An action to recover damages for mining-related injuries under
s. 107.32 shall be brought within 3 years of the date on which the death or injury occurs unless the department of safety and professional services gives written notice within the time specified in this subsection that a claim has been filed with it under
sub. (1), in which case an action based on the claim may be brought against the person to whom the notice is given within one year after the final resolution, including any appeal, of the claim or within the time specified in this subsection, whichever is longer.
893.925(2)(b)
(b) In this subsection "date of injury" means the date on which the evidence of injury, resulting from the act upon which the action is based, is sufficient to alert the injured party to the possibility of the injury. The injury need not be of such magnitude as to identify the causal factor.
893.925 History
History: 1979 c. 353 s.
7; Stats. 1979 s. 893.207;
1979 c. 355 s.
227; Stats. 1979 s. 893.925;
1995 a. 27 ss.
7214,
9116 (5);
2011 a. 32.
893.93
893.93
Miscellaneous actions. 893.93(1)
(1) The following actions shall be commenced within 6 years after the cause of action accrues or be barred:
893.93(1)(a)
(a) An action upon a liability created by statute when a different limitation is not prescribed by law.
893.93(1)(b)
(b) An action for relief on the ground of fraud. The cause of action in such case is not deemed to have accrued until the discovery, by the aggrieved party, of the facts constituting the fraud.
893.93(1)(c)
(c) An action upon a claim, whether arising on contract or otherwise, against a decedent or against a decedent's estate, unless probate of the estate in this state is commenced within 6 years after the decedent's death.
893.93(2)
(2) The following actions shall be commenced within 2 years after the cause of action accrues or be barred:
893.93(2)(a)
(a) An action by a private party upon a statute penalty, or forfeiture when the action is given to the party prosecuting therefor and the state, except when the statute imposing it provides a different limitation.
893.93(2)(b)
(b) An action to recover a forfeiture or penalty imposed by any bylaw, ordinance or regulation of any town, county, city or village or of any corporation or limited liability company organized under the laws of this state, when no other limitation is prescribed by law.
893.93(3)
(3) The following actions shall be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrues or be barred:
893.93(3)(a)
(a) An action against a sheriff or other officer for the escape of a prisoner arrested or imprisoned on civil process.
893.93(4)
(4) An action by a drainage board for damages under
s. 88.92 (2) shall be commenced within 3 years after the drainage board discovers the fact, or with the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered the fact of the damage, whichever comes first, or be barred.
893.93 Note
Judicial Council Committee's Note, 1979: This section has been created to place in one location within restructured ch. 893 various miscellaneous statutes of limitation for easier reference and use. Sub. (1) (a) is previous s. 893.19 (4). Sub. (1) (b) is previous s. 893.19 (7). Sub. (1) (c) is previous s. 893.19 (9). Sub. (1) (d) is previous s. 893.19 (10). Sub. (2) (a) is previous s. 893.21 (1) with a comma placed after the word "penalty" in order to have the section accurately reflect the decision in Grengs v. 20th Century Fox Film Corporation,
232 F.2d 325 (1956). Sub. (2) (b) is previous s. 893.21 (4). Sub. (3) (a) is previous s. 893.22 (1). Sub. (3) (b) is previous s. 893.22 (3). [Bill 326-A]
893.93 Annotation
If the complaint does not allege the requisite elements for a cause of action based on fraud, s. 893.19 (7) [now s. 893.93 (1) (b)] does not apply. Estate of Demos,
50 Wis. 2d 262,
184 N.W.2d 117.
893.93 Annotation
A complaint alleging employment discrimination on the basis of sex and seeking back-pay damages is an action upon a liability created by statute, and in the absence of any other applicable limitation, the 6-year limitation of s. 893.19 (4) [now s. 893.93 (1) (a)] applies. Yanta v. Montgomery Ward & Co., Inc.
66 Wis. 2d 53,
224 N.W.2d 389 (1974).
893.93 Annotation
When unreasonable delay in bringing suit prejudices the defendant because of the death of a key witness, laches will bar suit even if the s. 893.19 (7) [now s. 893.93 (1) (b)] statute of limitations does not. Schafer v. Wegner,
78 Wis. 2d 127,
254 N.W.2d 193.
893.93 Annotation
Complaints under the open meetings law are not brought in the individual capacity of the plaintiff but on behalf of the state, subject to the 2-year statue of limitations under sub. (2). Leung v. City of Lake Geneva,
2003 WI App 129,
265 Wis. 2d 674,
666 N.W.2d 104,
02-2747.
893.93 Annotation
Sub. (1) (a) does not apply to a professional disciplinary proceeding, the focus of which is to monitor and supervise the performance of a person who has been granted the privilege of a license in this state. Krahenbuhl v. Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board,
2004 WI App 147,
275 Wis. 2d 626,
685 N.W.2d 591,
03-2864.
893.93 Annotation
Claims for injury caused by an Archdiocese's alleged fraudulent misrepresentation that the Archdiocese did not know that priests it assigned had histories of sexually abusing children and did not know the priests were dangerous to children were independent claims based on the Archdiocese's alleged knowledge of the priests' prior sexual molestation of children and the Archdiocese's intent to deceive children and their families and not derivative of the underlying sexual molestations by the priests. The date of the accrual of the fraud claims was when the plaintiffs discovered or, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have discovered that the Archdiocese's alleged fraud was a cause of their injuries. John Doe v. Archdiocese of Milwaukee,
2007 WI 95,
303 Wis. 2d 34,
734 N.W.2d 827,
05-1945.
893.93 Annotation
The 6-year limitations period found in sub. (1) (a) applies to actions under the Uniform Fiduciaries Act, s. 112.01. Willowglen Academy-Wisconsin, Inc. v. Connelly Interiors, Inc.
2008 WI App 35,
307 Wis. 2d 776,
746 N.W.2d 570,
07-1178.
893.93 Annotation
The limitation period under sub. (1) (b) was tolled when the victim had "sufficient knowledge to make a reasonable person aware of the need for diligent investigation." Stockman v. La Croix,
790 F.2d 584 (1986).
893.93 Annotation
A cause of action under sub. (1) (b) accrues on the discovery of the fraud. Discovery occurs when the party has knowledge that would cause a reasonable person to make sufficient inquiry to discover the fraud. Owen v. Wangerin,
985 F.2d 312 (1993).
893.93 Annotation
Section 551.59 (5) applies to actions arising out of sales of securities under SEC rules, rather than s. 893.19 (7) [now 893.93 (1) (b)]. Kramer v. Loewi & Co., Inc.
357 F. Supp. 83 (1973).
893.93 Annotation
Section s. 893.21 (1) [now s. 893.93 (2) (a)] did not control an action by the EEOC charging discrimination in employment when the statute limited only acts brought by a "private party" and the EEOC is a federal agency enforcing public policy. Equal Employment Opportunity Comm. v. Laacke & Joys Co.
375 F. Supp. 852 (1974).
893.93 Annotation
Section 893.19 (4), 1977 stats. [now s. 893.93 (1) (a)] governs civil rights actions. Minor v. Lakeview Hospital,
421 F. Supp. 485 (1976).
893.93 Annotation
Section 893.19 (4) [now s. 893.93 (1) (a)] governed an action under federal law against an oil refiner for compensatory damages for alleged overcharges. Section 893.21 (1) [now s. 893.93 (2) (a)] governed an action for treble damages. U. S. Oil Co., Inc. v. Koch Refining Co.
497 F. Supp. 1125 (1980).
893.93 Annotation
The defendant in a civil rights action was estopped from pleading the statute of limitations when its own fraudulent conduct prevented the plaintiff from timely filing suit. Bell v. City of Milwaukee,
498 F. Supp. 1339 (1980).
893.94
893.94
Organized crime control; civil remedies. Any civil action arising under
ss. 946.80 to
946.88 is subject to the limitations under
s. 946.88 (1).
893.94 History
History: 1981 c. 280;
1989 a. 121.
893.95
893.95
Unclaimed property; civil remedies. Any civil action to enforce
ch. 177 is subject to the limitations under
s. 177.29 (2).
893.95 History
History: 1983 a. 408.
893.96 History
History: 1987 a. 287.
893.97 History
History: 1989 a. 44.
893.98 History
History: 1997 a. 237.
893.981
893.981
False claims. An action or claim under
s. 20.931 shall be commenced within 10 years after the cause of the action or claim accrues or be barred.
893.981 History
History: 2007 a. 20.
893.99 History
History: 2005 a. 197.
893.99 Note
NOTE: Statutes not contained in this chapter that relate to or impose time restrictions on asserting a claim or a cause of action include, but are not limited to, the following:
Bank deposits and collections s.
404.111
Bridge, lien for damages related to s.
31.26
Business closing notification, claims and actions s.
109.07 (4)
Child, rehearing on status s.
48.46
Construction lien, bond, notice s.
779.036
Construction lien, notice s.
779.02
Construction lien, notice and claim s.
779.06
Consumer transactions, customer remedies s.
425.307
Contract for sale, breach s.
402.725
Cooperatives, articles of amendment, contesting validity s.
185.53 (4)
Cooperatives, dissolution, effect on remedy s.
185.76
Cooperatives, dissolution, unlawful distributions s.
185.71 (6)
Corporations, directors' liability, proceedings against s.
180.0833 (3)
Corporations, dissolution, nonstock, remedies s.
181.1407
Corporations, take-over, recovery of security s.
552.21 (3)
Dam, lien for damages related to s.
31.26
Death, effect on cause of action s.
859.15
Decedent's estate:
