Chapter 806

.... (Signature)
Circuit Judge

806.19(4)(bm) (bm) The copy of the order of discharge that is attached to the application shall be either a certified copy or a photocopy of the order in the form in which it was served on parties in interest by the bankruptcy court.

806.19(4)(c) (c) Any person submitting an application and attached proposed order shall serve a copy of the completed application and attached proposed order on each judgment creditor for each of the judgments described in the application within 5 business days after the date of submission.

806.19(4)(d) (d) Upon receipt of a completed application, the clerk shall submit the attached proposed order for signature by a judge after which the clerk shall satisfy of record each judgment described in the application. Upon satisfaction, a judgment shall cease to be a lien on any real property that the person discharged in bankruptcy owns or later acquires.

806.19 History History: 1973 c. 211; Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 735 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1981 c. 317; 1985 a. 137; 1987 a. 202; 1995 a. 224, 393; 1997 a. 250.

806.19 Annotation Nothing in sub. (4) requires that the order of satisfaction cover all debts discharged in bankruptcy. EPF Corp. v. Pfost, 210 Wis. 2d 79, 563 N.W.2d 905 (Ct. App. 1997), 96-0006.

806.19 Annotation When a proper application is received by the clerk and submitted to the judge for signature, the only thing required for satisfaction of a judgment debt and cessation of an associated judgment lien under sub. (4) is that the underlying judgment has been discharged in bankruptcy. Failure to avoid the judgment lien in bankruptcy does not affect the operation of sub. (4). Sub. (4) is not in conflict with, and therefore not preempted by, federal bankruptcy law. Megal Development Corp. v. Shadof, 2005 WI 151, 286 Wis. 2d 105, 705 N.W.2d 645, 04-1594.

806.19 Annotation In bankruptcy proceedings, the lien of a judgment obtained before discharge was not extinguished by discharge and could be applied to the proceeds of the bankruptcy sale of the real estate to which the lien attached. Wisconsin statutes do not provide that the lien is automatically extinguished by the discharge in bankruptcy; rather, they require an application by the discharged bankrupt to the court in which the judgment was entered, and the entry by that court of an order of satisfaction. In re Tillman Produce Co., 396 F. Supp. 500 (1975).

806.20 806.20 Court may direct satisfaction; refusal to satisfy.

806.20(1) (1) When a judgment has been fully paid but not satisfied or the satisfaction has been lost, the trial court may authorize the attorney of the judgment creditor to satisfy the judgment or may by order declare the judgment satisfied and direct satisfaction to be entered upon the judgment and lien docket.

806.20(2) (2) If any owner of any judgment, after full payment thereof, fails for 7 days after request and tender of reasonable charges therefor, to satisfy the judgment, the owner shall be liable to the party paying the same, the party’s heirs or representatives in the sum of $50 damages and also for actual damages occasioned by such failure.

806.20 History History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 737 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1995 a. 224.

806.21 806.21 Judgment satisfied not a lien; partial satisfaction. If a judgment is satisfied in whole or in part or as to any judgment debtor and the satisfaction is entered in the judgment and lien docket, the judgment shall, to the extent of the satisfaction, cease to be a lien. Any execution issued after the satisfaction is entered in the judgment and lien docket shall contain a direction to collect only the residue of the judgment, or to collect only from the judgment debtors remaining liable.

806.21 History History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 737 (1975); 1995 a. 224.

806.22 806.22 Filing copy of satisfaction. If a satisfaction of a judgment has been entered on the judgment and lien docket in the county where it was first entered, a certified copy of the satisfaction or a certificate by the clerk of circuit court, under official seal, showing the satisfaction, may be filed with the clerk of circuit court of any county where the judgment has been entered, and that clerk of circuit court shall make a similar entry on the judgment and lien docket of that county.

806.22 History History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 738 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1995 a. 224.

806.23 806.23 Action on judgment, when brought. No action shall be brought upon a judgment rendered in any court of this state between the same parties, without leave of the court, for good cause shown, on notice to the adverse party.

806.23 History History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 738 (1975).

806.23 Annotation The trial court’s denial of a petition to sue on a 12-year-old judgment was an abuse of discretion. Andersen v. Kojo, 110 Wis. 2d 22, 327 N.W.2d 195 (Ct. App. 1982).

806.23 Annotation Nothing in this section, or case law interpreting it, prevents a party who has been unable to enforce a judgment for specific performance by a court-imposed deadline from moving the court for a new order with a new deadline. Chase Lumber & Fuel Co. v. Chase, 228 Wis. 2d 179, 596 N.W.2d 840 (Ct. App. 1999), 98-0532.

806.24 806.24 Uniform enforcement of foreign judgments act.

806.24(1) (1) Definition. In this section “foreign judgment” means any judgment, decree or order of a court of the United States or of any other court which is entitled to full faith and credit in this state.

806.24(2) (2) Filing and status of foreign judgments. A copy of any foreign judgment authenticated in accordance with the act of congress or the statutes of this state may be filed in the office of the clerk of circuit court of any county of this state. The clerk shall treat any foreign judgment in the same manner as a judgment of the circuit court of this state. A judgment so filed has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses, and proceedings for reopening, vacating or staying as a judgment of a circuit court of this state and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner.

806.24(3) (3) Notice of filing.

806.24(3)(a) (a) At the time of the filing of the foreign judgment, the judgment creditor or lawyer shall make and file with the clerk of court an affidavit setting forth the name and last-known post-office address of the judgment debtor and the judgment creditor.

806.24(3)(b) (b) Promptly upon the filing of the foreign judgment and affidavit, the clerk of circuit court shall mail notice of the filing of the foreign judgment to the judgment debtor at the address given and shall make a note of the mailing on the court record. The notice shall include the name and post-office address of the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor’s lawyer, if any, in this state. In addition, the judgment creditor may mail a notice of the filing of the judgment to the judgment debtor and may file proof of mailing with the clerk of circuit court. Lack of mailing notice of filing by the clerk of circuit court shall not affect the enforcement proceedings if proof of mailing by the judgment creditor has been filed.

806.24(3)(c) (c) No execution or other process for enforcement of a foreign judgment filed hereunder shall issue until 15 days after the date the judgment is filed.

806.24(4) (4) Stay.

806.24(4)(a) (a) If the judgment debtor shows the court that an appeal from the foreign judgment is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires, or the stay of execution expires or is vacated, upon proof that the judgment debtor has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the judgment required by the state in which it was rendered.

806.24(4)(b) (b) If the judgment debtor shows the court any ground upon which enforcement of a judgment of any court of this state would be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment for an appropriate period, upon requiring the same security for satisfaction of the judgment which is required in this state.

806.24(5) (5) Optional procedure. The right of a judgment creditor to bring an action to enforce the judgment instead of proceeding under this section remains unimpaired.

806.24(6) (6) Uniformity of interpretation. This section shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it.

806.24(7) (7) Short title. This act may be cited as the “Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act”.

806.24 History History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 738 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1995 a. 224.

806.24 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See s. 618.61 for provision for reciprocal enforcement of foreign insurance decrees or orders.

806.24 Annotation The established constitutional principles that: 1) without proper service of process, no full faith and credit need be accorded a foreign judgment; 2) want of jurisdiction is a matter of legitimate inquiry when enforcement of such a judgment is sought; and 3) mere recital of jurisdiction or jurisdictional facts is not sufficient to bar such inquiry, apply to both actions in rem and quasi in rem as well as to personal judgments. Hansen v. McAndrews, 49 Wis. 2d 625, 183 N.W.2d 1 (1971).

806.24 Annotation The rate of interest provided by a foreign judgment docketed in Wisconsin controls rather than the s. 815.05 (8) rate. Professional Office Buildings, Inc. v. Royal Indemnity Co., 145 Wis. 2d 573, 427 N.W.2d 427 (Ct. App. 1988).

806.245 806.245 Indian tribal documents: full faith and credit.

806.245(1) (1) The judicial records, orders and judgments of an Indian tribal court in Wisconsin and acts of an Indian tribal legislative body shall have the same full faith and credit in the courts of this state as do the acts, records, orders and judgments of any other governmental entity, if all of the following conditions are met:

806.245(1)(a) (a) The tribe which creates the tribal court and tribal legislative body is organized under 25 USC 461 to 479.

806.245(1)(b) (b) The tribal documents are authenticated under sub. (2).

806.245(1)(c) (c) The tribal court is a court of record.

806.245(1)(d) (d) The tribal court judgment offered in evidence is a valid judgment.

806.245(1)(e) (e) The tribal court certifies that it grants full faith and credit to the judicial records, orders and judgments of the courts of this state and to the acts of other governmental entities in this state.

806.245(1m) (1m) The public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of any Indian tribe that are applicable to an Indian child custody proceeding, as defined in s. 48.028 (2) (d), or an Indian juvenile child custody proceeding, as defined in s. 938.028 (2) (b), shall be given full faith and credit by the state as provided in s. 48.028 (3) (f) or 938.028 (3) (f).

806.245(2) (2) To qualify for admission as evidence in the courts of this state:

806.245(2)(a) (a) Copies of acts of a tribal legislative body shall be authenticated by the certificate of the tribal chairperson and tribal secretary.

806.245(2)(b) (b) Copies of records, orders and judgments of a tribal court shall be authenticated by the attestation of the clerk of the court. The seal, if any, of the court shall be affixed to the attestation.

806.245(3) (3) In determining whether a tribal court is a court of record, the circuit court shall determine that:

806.245(3)(a) (a) The court keeps a permanent record of its proceedings.

806.245(3)(b) (b) Either a transcript or an electronic recording of the proceeding at issue in the tribal court is available.

806.245(3)(c) (c) Final judgments of the court are reviewable by a superior court.

806.245(3)(d) (d) The court has authority to enforce its own orders through contempt proceedings.

806.245(4) (4) In determining whether a tribal court judgment is a valid judgment, the circuit court on its own motion, or on the motion of a party, may examine the tribal court record to assure that:

806.245(4)(a) (a) The tribal court had jurisdiction of the subject matter and over the person named in the judgment.

806.245(4)(b) (b) The judgment is final under the laws of the rendering court.

806.245(4)(c) (c) The judgment is on the merits.

806.245(4)(d) (d) The judgment was procured without fraud, duress or coercion.

806.245(4)(e) (e) The judgment was procured in compliance with procedures required by the rendering court.

806.245(4)(f) (f) The proceedings of the tribal court comply with the Indian civil rights act of 1968 under 25 USC 1301 to 1341.

806.245(5) (5) No lien or attachment based on a tribal court judgment may be filed, entered in the judgment and lien docket or recorded in this state against the real or personal property of any person unless the judgment has been given full faith and credit by a circuit court under this section.

806.245(6) (6) A foreign protection order, as defined in s. 813.128 (1g) (c), issued by an Indian tribal court in this state shall be accorded full faith and credit under s. 813.128.

806.245 History History: 1981 c. 369; 1991 a. 43; 1995 a. 224, 306; 2009 a. 94; 2015 a. 352.

806.245 Annotation The prior action rule, which provides that, when one court assumes jurisdiction, it is reversible error for another court to do so, does not apply to the court of an independent sovereign. In this case, principles of comity required state and tribal courts to confer and allocate jurisdiction among themselves. Teague v. Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, 2000 WI 79, 236 Wis. 2d 384, 612 N.W.2d 709, 98-3150. See also Teague v. Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians, 2003 WI 118, 265 Wis. 2d 64, 665 N.W.2d 899, 01-1256.

806.245 Annotation Full faith and credit does not require automatically admitting to the state bar any attorney who was admitted to a tribal court in Wisconsin. Helgemo v. Board of Bar Examiners, 2002 WI 57, 253 Wis. 2d 82, 644 N.W.2d 912, 01-2611.

806.25 806.25 No judgment without action. Any authorization in a note executed after June 18, 1972, for the creditor, or other person acting on the creditor’s behalf, to confess judgment for the debtor shall be void and unenforceable.

806.25 History History: 1973 c. 261; Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 740 (1975); 1975 c. 218.

806.30 806.30 Definitions. In ss. 806.30 to 806.44:

806.30(1) (1) “Action” means a judicial proceeding or arbitration in which a money payment may be awarded or enforced with respect to a foreign-money claim.

806.30(1m) (1m) “Bank-offered spot rate” means the rate of exchange at which a bank will issue its draft in a foreign money or will cause credit to become available in a foreign money on a next-day basis.

806.30(2) (2) “Conversion date” means the banking day before the date that money is used, under ss. 806.30 to 806.44, for one of the following:

806.30(2)(a) (a) To pay a judgment creditor.

806.30(2)(b) (b) To pay the designated official enforcing a judgment on behalf of the judgment creditor.

806.30(2)(c) (c) To effect a recoupment or setoff of claims in different moneys in an action.

806.30(3) (3) “Distribution proceeding” means a judicial or nonjudicial proceeding for an accounting, an assignment for the benefit of creditors, a foreclosure, a liquidation or rehabilitation of a corporation or other entity or a distribution of an estate, trust or other fund in which or against which a foreign-money claim is asserted.

806.30(4) (4) “Foreign money” means money other than money authorized or adopted by the United States of America.

806.30(5) (5) “Foreign-money claim” means a claim upon an obligation to pay or a claim for recovery of a loss, expressed in or measured by a foreign money.

806.30(6) (6) “Money” means a medium of exchange for the payment of obligations or a store of value authorized or adopted by a government or by intergovernmental agreement.

806.30(8) (8) “Party” means an individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, partnership, or association of 2 or more persons having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity asserting or defending against a foreign-money claim.

806.30(9) (9) “Rate of exchange” means the rate at which the money of one country may be converted into money of another country in a free financial market convenient to or reasonably usable by the party obliged to pay or to state a rate of conversion. If separate rates of exchange apply to different kinds of transactions or events, the term means the rate applicable to the particular transaction or event giving rise to the foreign-money claim.

806.30(10) (10) “Spot rate” means the rate of exchange at which foreign money is sold by a bank or other dealer in foreign exchange for settlement by immediate payment, by charge to an account, or by an agreed delayed settlement not exceeding 2 days.

806.30(11) (11) “State” means a state, territory or possession of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the United States Virgin Islands.

806.30 History History: 1991 a. 236.

806.31 806.31 Scope.

806.31(1) (1) Sections 806.30 to 806.44 apply only to a foreign-money claim in an action or distribution proceeding.

806.31(2) (2) Sections 806.30 to 806.44 apply to foreign-money issues notwithstanding the law applicable under the conflict of laws rules of this state to other issues in the action or distribution proceeding.

806.31 History History: 1991 a. 236.

806.32 806.32 Variation by agreement.