by Nicole Masnica, Jason Luczak and Adam Schleis

As the world has become digitized, computer fraud and internet fraud are becoming increasingly common. Many people and companies engage in actions that are deceptive and are intentionally fraudulent, which cause users significant harm, such as by stealing confidential, personal and other important information, convincing people to turn over money or property, or gaining access to financial accounts. As knowledge of these types of activities increases, law enforcement agencies are taking steps to combat computer crimes. If you have been accused of one of these crimes, it is important to understand the severity of the charge and what penalties you may face if convicted.

Common Types of Computer Fraud

Fraud committed using computer systems or over the internet may take many forms, including:

By: Attorney Kristen Nelson and Sarah Reckling

Licensed professionals in Wisconsin are held to professional standards of conduct. Businesses that provide chiropractic services must maintain the necessary licenses, and those who are accused of acting unprofessionally or in violation of their licensure may face potential disciplinary measures.. In these situations, the Wisconsin Chiropractic Examining Board (WCEB) may take one or more types of disciplinary actions, which could include issuing a reprimand, suspension, revocation, or renewal refusal. Chiropractors who may potentially be subject to licensure discipline will need to understand the possible reasons for disciplinary action and take the appropriate steps to defend against the loss or renewal of their license.

Common Reasons for Chiropractor License Discipline

There are numerous reasons why chiropractors or others who are involved in chiropractic care, such as chiropractic technicians and chiropractic radiological technicians, may face discipline. These include:

By: Attorney Megan Drury and Paralegal Ali Jaeger

After going through a divorce, the lives of parents and children are likely to change. As new opportunities arise, new relationships are formed, and adjustments are made based on a person's goals, the time may come for a parent to consider moving to a new home. In some cases, these types of moves may be relatively minor, and they may involve a simple relocation to a different neighborhood or a nearby city. However, when a move is major, and a parent plans to move a significant distance away or outside the state of Wisconsin, the state's parental relocation laws may come into play. In these situations, the parent who is moving and the other parent will both need to understand the procedures that will be followed and the legal requirements they will need to meet when requesting or objecting to a move.

Parental Relocation Out of the State of Wisconsin

The relevant Wisconsin statute on parental relocation is Wis. Stat. 767.481, which provides that in situations where a child spends any periods of physical placement with divorced or separated parents, a parent may not move with their child more than 100 miles from the location where the other parent lives without requesting permission from the court. However, if parents already live more than 100 miles apart from each other, a parent will generally be allowed to move, as long as they provide the other parent with written notice 60 days before the move is expected to take place.

While injuries can occur in a variety of different ways, some of the most common situations that give rise to personal injury claims or lawsuits involve slip and fall accidents. These accidents can occur in multiple locations, including people's homes, workplaces, or public places. While they may seem minor, slip and fall accidents often result in serious injuries. Because property owners have a responsibility to ensure that their premises are safe and free of hazards, a victim who was injured in an accident that took place because of unsafe conditions may be able to pursue compensation from the person who was responsible. To determine the best ways to handle these situations, victims will want to speak to an experienced attorney.

Common Injuries in Fall Accidents

There are many different types of injuries that can occur in a slip and fall accident. Some of the most common include:

• Broken bones - The impact that occurs when a person falls to the ground or to a solid surface such as a tile floor or a concrete sidewalk can cause multiple types of fractures. These fractures may affect multiple parts of the body, including the elbows, wrists, hips, or knees. Broken bones can be extremely painful, and depending on the severity of the fracture, they may require surgery to heal properly. In some cases, serious fractures may even result in long-term disability.

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By: Attorney Adam Schleis 

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides Americans with the right to bear arms. While many have interpreted this law in different ways, it has been generally agreed that people in the United States are allowed to own and carry firearms. However, the specific laws regarding gun possession vary from state to state. Wisconsin's gun laws are less restrictive than some states, and most people are allowed to possess firearms, while concealed weapons can be carried by those who have a concealed carry weapons (CCW) license. Violations of these laws may result in criminal charges for illegal weapons possession. Wisconsin residents and visitors to the state will want to be sure to understand the specific laws that apply to gun possession and the penalties for violations.

Criminal Charges Related to Firearm Possession

While ownership and possession of firearms is generally allowed in Wisconsin, there are some situations where a person may face criminal charges for possessing a gun. Firearm possession is prohibited for people who have been convicted of felonies, people who have been found not guilty of felonies due to mental disease or defect, people subject to involuntary commitment orders, and people who are subject to restraining orders in situations involving accusations of domestic violence. Possession of a firearm by a person who is not permitted to do so is a Class G felony.

By: Attorney Adam Schleis

For a parent, few things are worse than the prospect of losing custody of their children. Unfortunately, there are some situations where a parent may be accused of child abuse or where school officials or other parties may be concerned that a child is at risk of harm. In these cases, Wisconsin Child Protective Services (CPS) may initiate a child in need of protective services (CHIPS) action. Children may be temporarily removed from their parents’ home, and parents will be notified that they will be required to appear in court to address the allegations. 

These situations can be incredibly disturbing, and parents may worry that they could permanently lose custody of their children. To ensure that their rights will be protected, parents will need to understand the procedures that will be followed in these cases, and with the help of a children’s court attorney, they can take steps to resolve these matters with minimal disruptions to their lives.

By:  Attorney Max StephensonA prenuptial or postnuptial agreement can be a great way to protect your assets in the event of a divorce. These types of agreements serve as contracts between couples, and they will usually address how financial issues and other concerns related to a couple's property will be handled if their marriage ends. A prenup or postnup can specify that certain assets are community property or separate property, and a couple can make decisions about how their property will be divided. Other issues can also be addressed in these agreements, such as whether one spouse will pay spousal support to the other. 

While marital agreements can be very beneficial, ensuring that a couple can protect their financial interests and minimize conflict if they do choose to get divorced, a prenup or postnup may lead to additional complications during the divorce process if a couple disagrees about the terms of an agreement or if one spouse claims that an agreement is invalid. To avoid these issues, it is important to make sure a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement is valid and enforceable when it is created.

Issues Affecting Enforceability of Marital Agreements

Wisconsin law details several reasons why a prenup or postnup may be found to be unenforceable:

All drivers are aware of the risks of car accidents. When vehicles share the roads and travel at high speeds, what may seem like minor errors by drivers can have deadly results. Because of this, drivers usually take care to drive safely and protect themselves against harm. However, accidents can still occur, and people can be seriously injured through no fault of their own. What many people may not realize is that the risks of being involved in a car crash have increased in recent years. Since 2015, the rate of fatal car accidents in the United States has risen significantly, and some people have been affected by these trends more than others.

Increases in Serious and Fatal Car Crashes

Since the 1970s, the number of car accident deaths in the United States has steadily declined due to the implementation of vehicle safety features, campaigns against dangerous behaviors such as drunk driving, and other factors. However, this trend began to reverse itself starting in 2015. While experts have speculated about the reasons for this change, one factor seems to be the increased use of smartphones. In that year, around two-thirds of adults in the United States owned a smartphone, and this has led to an increase in distracted driving due to texting or making phone calls while behind the wheel.

The rate of fatal accidents has increased even more significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The number of deaths in car accidents has risen by around 20 percent over the past two years. While people initially speculated that this increase was caused by fewer vehicles on the roads, which encouraged speeding, the rate of fatal accidents has stayed the same even after the country opened back up and traffic returned to its normal levels. Multiple factors may be contributing to this issue, including increased levels of drug and alcohol use, as well as higher levels of stress that may lead people to engage in dangerous or impulsive behavior while behind the wheel.

By: Attorney Max Stephenson and Paralegal Ali Jaeger

Parents who choose to divorce or separate will need to address a wide variety of issues related to child custody. These include what is commonly known as legal custody, which covers major decision-making for the child, and physical custody or physical placement, which determines where the child will live. Along with major decisions detailing how parents will work together to raise their children and when they spend time with their children on a day-to-day basis, they may need to address exceptions to these rules and variances from these plans. One issue that may be raised in these situations is the right of first refusal.

What Is the Right of First Refusal?

As parents provide care for their children, situations may arise in which one parent will not be available during the time they are scheduled to have physical placement or visitation. In these cases, the other parent may feel that it would be better for children to be in the care of a parent rather than another caretaker, such as a babysitter, a grandparent, or a step-parent. This is where the right of first refusal comes in. This right will ensure that if a parent is ever going to be unavailable during a time when they are scheduled to have the children stay with them, they must contact the other parent and offer them the chance to take the children. Other childcare arrangements may only be made if the other parent refuses to provide care.

By: Attorney Adam Schleis

There are a variety of situations where family members may seek protection against domestic violence or abuse. A domestic abuse restraining order is a court order designed to protect domestic violence victims from suffering harm. These orders may be issued as part of a family law proceeding such as a divorce or child custody case, or they may be sought in other situations where a person has experienced abuse and needs protection. In situations where a person has been served with a domestic abuse restraining order, it is important to understand the penalties for violating the order.

Restraining Orders and Injunctions in Wisconsin

A person who has allegedly been the victim of domestic abuse may file a petition seeking a restraining order against their alleged abuser. Domestic abuse may include any actions taken by a person against a member of their family, including their spouse or ex-spouse, their unmarried partner, a person they previously had a dating relationship with, a co-parent, a disabled adult who is in their care, or another person in their household. Abuse may constitute any intentional infliction of pain or physical injury, sexual assault, stalking, or property damage. If a person allegedly committed abuse against a child, the child's parent, stepparent, or legal guardian may file a petition on the child's behalf.