Block grant monies
The Department of Health and Social Services cannot reobligate refunds of federal block grant monies received after the federally mandated time for closing the grant year. 76-19
Comprehensive Employment and Training Act
The Governor can designate counties as agencies of the State to contract with nonprofit private agencies to utilize funds to provide public service jobs under Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. 66-15
1971 Assembly Bill 1577 would violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and sec. 18 of art. I of the Wisconsin Constitution. Guidelines to possibly avoid constitutional objection to CESA service contracts with private schools discussed. 62-75
County
County which has received payments from the federal government in lieu of taxes under sec. 1 of P. L. 94-565, 90 Stat. 2662, cannot distribute such payments to the towns in which the national forest lands are located. 68-23
Distribution of
Section 59.20(13), Stats., does not control the distribution of monies received from the federal government under 31 U.S.C. sec. 1601. OAG 45 (unpub.) issued June 9, 1978, is withdrawn. 67-277
Withdrawn (unpub.) 45-1978
Entitlement lands
Previous opinions on the distribution of payments in lieu of taxes discussed. (Unpub.). 16-1982
Indians
Federally recognized Indian tribal councils are eligible under the state program for the distribution of federal surplus property to public agencies under P. L. 94-519. (Unpub.). 61-1979
Justice Assistance Act of 1984 funds
The Fox Valley Technical Institute is not a "unit of local government" for the purpose of receiving federal Justice Assistance Act (JAA) funds. Also, JAA funds which are specified for use by local units of government for local projects cannot be used to support statewide crime prevention activities. 75-265
Medicaid payments may not be supplemented
A county may not, in a manner consistent with federal and state statutes and regulations prohibiting supplementation, contractually obligate itself to pay a visiting nurse association funds in addition to those received by such a home health care provider through the Medicaid program. Except in extraordinary circumstances, the attorney general will not issue opinions concerning the applicability of federal statutes and regulations administered exclusively by federal authorities. 77-287
Surplus property
Federally recognized Indian tribal councils are eligible under the state program for the distribution of federal surplus property to public agencies under P. L. 94-519. (Unpub.). 61-1979
Unemployment Compensation Fund
Borrowing money from the federal government to replenish Wisconsin's Unemployment Compensation Fund, under the arrangements prescribed by federal law, does not contravene either Wis. Const. art. VIII, sec. 3 or 4. 71-95
FEE SPLITTING
See PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS
FEES
Annual fee for maintenance or support payments
If the court fails to order the annual fee paid under section 814.61(12)(b), Stats., for receiving and disbursing money deposited as payment for maintenance payments, child support or family support, the clerk of court can bill the payor and then collect the fee with the same remedies available as in any other case of a debt created by law. Although the clerk cannot seek a remedial sanction under chapter 785 in these situations, the clerk does have the authority to increase the fee after providing the payor with written notice of this obligation and a reasonable opportunity to pay. 76-265
In the appropriate case, a court may enforce the collection of the receiving and disbursing fee under section 814.61(12)(b), Stats., for maintenance payments, child support or family support payments by entering an income withholding order as one of the remedial sanctions available under section 785.04(1). The power of the clerk of court is limited to moving the court for a remedial sanction under chapter 785 after which the specific remedy is to be imposed by the court under section 785.04(1). 76-100
County clerk
Changes made to section 29.09(7m), Stats., by 1987 Wisconsin Act 27 did not alter the county board's authority to permit the county clerk to keep the issuing fees prescribed by sections 29.09(10) and 29.092(15) as part of his or her compensation. 77-267
Court reporters
A county must permit its own employes who perform court reporting functions indistinguishable from those performed by court reporters employed by the state to retain all statutory fees which can be retained by state-employed court reporters, including those fees which are the statutory obligation of the county. The salaries of such employes could be structured to account for the payment of those fees. A county may prohibit its employes who perform court reporting functions from typing transcripts during normal county working hours if they receive fees in addition to their normal county salary for furnishing such transcripts, but such a prohibition may not interfere with the ability of those employes to comply with the requirements of statutory provisions or supreme court rules for the preparation of transcripts within specified time periods or with the orderly operation of the judicial system. 81-7
Courts
Neither the clerk of court nor the county board has the authority to adopt a non-refundable processing fee for persons desiring to pay a fine or forfeiture imposed by the court through installment payments in the absence of a statute specifically providing for such processing fee. 80-223
The only fee authorized to be paid any clerk of courts under section 102.26(1), Stats., in worker's compensation matters is a $3 fee imposed under section 814.61(5) when applicable. 76-148
If a domestic abuse petition is filed under section 813.12(2), Stats., in conjunction with an action affecting the family commenced under chapter 767, no separate filing fee is applicable because a filing fee already would have been collected by the clerk under section 814.61(1) when one of the family actions enumerated under section 767.02(1) was commenced. In the absence of a pending family action, a domestic abuse action under section 813.12 is commenced with service of the petition upon the respondent if a copy of the petition is filed before service or promptly after service, and the clerk of court is authorized to collect a fee under section 814.61(1) when a domestic abuse action is commenced in this manner. Under section 813.127, however, there is only one fee applicable where a petitioner combines in one action two or more petitions for domestic abuse, child abuse or harassment if the respondent is
Domestic abuse petition
If a domestic abuse petition is filed under section 813.12(2), Stats., in conjunction with an action affecting the family commenced under chapter 767, no separate filing fee is applicable because a filing fee already would have been collected by the clerk under section 814.61(1) when one of the family actions enumerated under section 767.02(1) was commenced. In the absence of a pending family action, a domestic abuse action under section 813.12 is commenced with service of the petition upon the respondent if a copy of the petition is filed before service or promptly after service, and the clerk of court is authorized to collect a fee under section 814.61(1) when a domestic abuse action is commenced in this manner. Under section 813.127, however, there is only one fee applicable where a petitioner combines in one action two or more petitions for domestic abuse, child abuse or harassment if the respondent is
Garnishment actions
In garnishment actions, a clerk of circuit court is not authorized to collect the deposit and disbursement fees set forth in section 814.61(12)(a), Stats., unless the garnishee has paid money into Court and obtained a court order directing the Clerk of Courts to deposit the money in a safe depository. State agencies are not required to pay the fees outlined in section 814.61 (except for the filing fee in section 814.61(1)), nor are they required to pay the fee for filing a garnishment action under section 814.62(1). 73-3
Milwaukee County Sheriff
Section 71.13(3)(g), Stats., requires that the Sheriff of Milwaukee County perform duties of service and filing in connection with collection of state income and franchise taxes pursuant to sec. 71.13, Stats., without advancement of fees by the Department of Revenue. 69-37
Mining permit application
All staff work necessary to determine whether an applicant meets the requirements of the Metallic Mining Reclamation Act must be included in the cost of evaluating the permit, including any evaluation of compliance with other environmental requirements. The withdrawal of a mining permit application by the applicant prior to a final decision on the application does not relieve the applicant from the obligation to pay the cost of evaluation. 76-150
Municipalities
A municipality must pay the five dollar fee imposed under section 814.63(2), Stats., upon disposition of a forfeiture action in circuit court for a municipal ordinance violation. The fee may not be passed on to the defendant. 80-151
Municipality must pay $5.00 nonrefundable fee provided for in sec. 814.63(2), Stats., where a forfeiture action has been disposed of in circuit court after transfer from municipal court upon demand for jury. 72-129
Natural Resources, Department of
Fees collected by the Department of Natural Resources for admissions to state parks and forests are subject to sales taxation under sec. 77.52(2)(a)2., Stats. 66-205
Processing fees
Neither the clerk of court nor the county board has the authority to adopt a non-refundable processing fee for persons desiring to pay a fine or forfeiture imposed by the court through installment payments in the absence of a statute specifically providing for such processing fee. 80-223
Public administration
Abolition of the Office of Public Administrator, effective January 1, 1974, by ch. 90, Laws of 1973, requires that such officers submit their final reports and claims for fees as soon after 1973 as possible in order to obtain reimbursement without undue delay and complications. 62-245
Public records
The alphabetical index which the Register in Probate must maintain pursuant to section 851.72(5) is not a court record and thus is open to public access under sections 59.14(1) and 19.31. The index may not, however, contain results of proceedings under chapters 55 and 880. The $4.00 search fee of section 814.66(1)(j) applies only when a person fails to furnish the docket or file number or when a search is conducted to ascertain the existence or non-existence of a record. The charge for a one page certified copy from the Register in Probate or Clerk of Court is comprised of an initial $3.00 certifying fee and a $1.00 per page fee and is thus $4.00. 73-16
Under the Public Records Law, the fee for copying public records may include a component for labor expenses actually, necessarily and directly incurred in connection with reproduction of public records; search fees cannot be charged as reproduction fees; local units of government cannot by ordinance establish public record copy fees that deviate from actual, necessary and direct costs of reproduction; and the municipal law provision authorizing the same fee for the same service has little if any practical impact vis-a-vis the requirement that fees for public records be limited to actual, necessary and direct costs. 72-150
Register in Probate
Filing fees provided in sec. 253.34(1)(a), Stats., should be charged in informal probate proceedings authorized by ch. 865, Stats., created by ch. 39, Laws of 1973. 62-308
Section 253.34(1)(a), Stats., dealing with filing fees was not amended by ch. 310, Laws of 1971, which amended inheritance tax rules on survivorship interests. 62-32
The time of the filing of the inventory of the estate, not the time of filing the petition for probate, determines the applicable filing fee. (Unpub.). 62-1987