(The Center Square) – Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a bill that would have created specialty treatment and business courts in the state.
Evers said that supports problem-solving courts but believes the decision on creating those courts rests with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and not the Legislature.
“The Wisconsin Supreme Court and Wisconsin’s court system are uniquely suited to determine whether and when specialized dockets and courts are appropriate and necessary,” Evers wrote in the veto. “For example, after creating a pilot project in 2017 for business and commercial case dockets, the Wisconsin Supreme Court last year voted to terminate the pilot, declining to extend it for another two years—an effort the Legislature is now nevertheless attempting to resurrect and permanently codify over the Court’s apparent objections.”
State Sen. André Jacque, R-New Franken, said the courts have been proven effective and would help free the criminal justice system to keep violent offenders off the streets.
“The Governor’s veto of this bill – and the leftwing takeover of the Court – leaves the future of these problem-solving courts uncertain,” Jacque said in a statement. “Wisconsin still lacks a more permanent system proven to reduce recidivism, aid the efficient resolution of commercial disputes, and reserve capacity in criminal courts to speed justice to victims of violent crime.”
Jacque pointed to the two times the court reauthorized and expanded the pilot program for large-claim commercial cases in 2020 and 2022.
“Wisconsin’s commercial courts have improved the quality and predictability of justice in connection with business disputes and freed up criminal courts to do the vital work of locking up violent felons,” Jacque said. “These specialized courts have achieved their objectives and performed beyond expectations, and I’m very disappointed that the Governor denied them a greater legal stability than can be granted by Supreme Court rule.”
