VINCENT v. VOIGHT

No. 97-3174.

236 Wis.2d 588 (2000)

2000 WI 93

614 N.W.2d 388

William J. VINCENT and Judy S. Vincent, individually and as parents of Tonya M. Vincent, Carol Bartlein, individually and as parent of Kurt Bartlein, Sara Bartlein and Kimberly Bartlein, Pam Britten, individually and as parent of Travis Britten, Cortney Britten and Taylor Britten, Karen Drazkowski, individually and as parent of Steve Drazkowski and Ann Drazkowski, Michael Endress and Susan Endress, individually and as parents of Jill Endress and Megan Endress, Michael J. Fairchild and Juliana Schmidt, individually and as parents of Kara B. Fairchild and Alexander R. Fairchild, Charles Hetfield, individually and as parent of Angela Hetfield, Rebecca Hetfield and Brock Hetfield, John Keller and Kathleen Keller, individually and as parents of Courtney K. Keller, Lynn Klatt, individually and as parent of Leslie Klatt and Ross Klatt and as foster parent of Blade Corrente, William Loasching, individually and as parent of Kelly Loasching, Kari Loasching, Kirt Loasching and Katie Loasching, Margaret McGinnity and Thomas McGinnity, individually and as parents of Ann McGinnity, Kate McGinnity, Megan McGinnity, and Betsy McGinnity, Joyce A. Olson, individually and as parent of Casey Brouhard and Robert Brouhard, Denise Callaway Reistad and Gary Reistad, individually and as parents of George Reistad, Kelsey Reistad and Sonja Reistad, Mary Rochon-Jewert, individually and as parent of Keith Jewert and Candyl Jewert, Pao Vang, individually and as parent of Phong Vang, Lee Vang, Mary Vang, See Vang, Toua Vang, Sheng Vang, Lue Vang, Xay Vang and Jenny Vang, Gloria Wahl, individually and as parent of Jordan Woods-Wahl, Ronald J. Walsh, individually and as parent of Ryan J. Walsh and Laura M. Walsh; and, Jacqueline Ward, individually and as parent of Jessica Justiniano and Tatiana Justiniano, Tonya M. Vincent, Kurt Bartlein, Sara Bartlein, Kimberly Bartlein, Travis Britten, Cortney Britten, Taylor Britten, Steve Drazkowski, Ann Drazkowski, Jill Endress, Megan Endress, Kara B. Fairchild, Alexander R. Fairchild, Angela Hetfield, Rebecca Hetfield, Brock Hetfield, Courtney K. Keller, Leslie Klatt, Ross Klatt, Blade Corrente, Kelly Loasching, Kari Loasching, Kirt Loasching, Katie Loasching, Ann McGinnity, Kate McGinnity, Megan McGinnity, Betsy McGinnity, Casey Brouhard, Robert Brouhard, George Reistad, Kelsey Reistad, Sonja Reistad, Keith Jewert, Candyl Jewert, Phong Vang, Lee Vang, Mary Vang, See Vang, Toua Vang, Sheng Vang, Lue Vang, Xay Vang, Jenny Vang, Jordan Woods-Wahl, Ryan J. Walsh, Laura M. Walsh, Jessica Justiniano and Tatiana Justiniano, minors, on behalf of themselves and all other public school students and prospective students in the State of Wisconsin similarly situated; and, Mary Bills, Douglas Haselow, Ray Heinzen, Mary Lohmeier, David Smette and Jerome A. Sommer, on behalf of themselves and all other property taxpayers in the State of Wisconsin similarly situated; and Ray Heinzen, Mary Lohmeier and Roland Rockwell, on behalf of themselves and all other citizens of the State of Wisconsin similarly situated; and, School District of Abbotsford and its School Board, School District of Algoma and its School Board, School District of Alma and its School Board, School District of Alma Center-Humbird Merrillan and its School Board, School District of Ashland and its School Board, School District of Augusta and its School Board, Baldwin-Woodville Area School District and its School Board, Barron Area School District and its School Board, School District of Bayfield and its School Board, School District of Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine and its School Board, School District of Beloit and its School Board, School District of Benton and its School Board, Berlin Area School District and its School Board, School District of Black Hawk and its School Board, School District of Black River Falls and its School Board, School District of Bloomer and its School Board, Boyceville Community School District and its School Board, School District of Cadott Community and its School Board, School District of Cameron and its School Board, School District of Cashton and its School Board, School District of Chetek and its School Board, Clayton School District and its School Board, School District of Clear Lake and its School Board, Clintonville Public School District and its School Board, Cochrane-Fountain City Community School District and its School Board, School District of Colfax and its School Board, School District of Cornell and its School Board, School District of Cuba City and its School Board, School District of Denmark and its School Board, Desoto Area School District and its School Board, Dodgeland School District and its School Board, Dodgeville School District and its School Board, School District of Durand and its School Board, Elk Mound Area School District and its School Board, School District of Elmwood and its School Board, School District of Fall Creek and its School Board, Frederic School District and its School Board, School District of the City of Galesville, Villages of Ettrick and Trempealeau, Towns of Caledonia, Dodge, Ettrick, Gale and Trempealeau in Trempealeau County and the Town of North Bend in Jackson County and its School Board, School District of Gilmanton and its School Board, School District of Grantsburg and its School Board, School District of Greenwood and its School Board, School District of Holmen and its School Board, School District of Horicon and its School Board, School District of Howard-Suamico and its School Board, Kewaunee School District and its School Board, Kickapoo Area School District and its School Board, School District of La Crosse and its School Board, School District of Lake Holcombe and its School Board, School District of Laona and its School Board, Lena Public School District and its School Board, School District of Luck and its School Board, Manitowoc Public School District and its School Board, School District of Marion and its School Board, School District of Mayville and its School Board, Medford Area Public School District and its School Board, School District of the Menomonie Area and its School Board, Milwaukee Public Schools and the Board of School Directors of the City of Milwaukee, Mineral Point Unified School District and its School Board, School District of Mondovi and its School Board, School District of Mosinee and its School Board, Necedah Area School District and its School Board, School District of New Richmond and its School Board, North Crawford School District and its School Board, Oconto Falls School District and its School Board, Oconto Unified School District and its School Board, Osseo-Fairchild School District and its School Board, School District of Owen-Withee and its School Board, Pepin Area School District and its School Board, School District of Phillips and its School Board, School District of Poynette and its School Board, Prairie Farm Public School District and its School Board, Pulaski Community School District and its School Board, Racine Unified School District and its School Board, Reedsville School District and its School Board, School District of Rib Lake and its School Board, Rice Lake Area School District and its School Board, Riverdale School District and its School Board, River Ridge School District and its School Board, Saint Croix Central School District and its School Board, School District of Seneca and its School Board, Seymour Community School District and its School Board, School District of Shell Lake and its School Board, School District of Siren and its School Board, School District of Somerset and its School Board, Southwestern Wisconsin Community School District and its School Board, School District of Spring Valley and its School Board, School District of Stratford and its School Board, School District of Superior and its School Board, School District of Thorp and its School Board, School District of Tigerton and its School Board, Tomah Area School District and its School Board, Valders Area School District and its School Board, Viroqua Area School District and its School Board, School District of Wabeno Area and its School Board, School District of Washburn and its School Board, School District of Waupun and its School Board, Joint School District, Villages of Wauzeka and Steuben, Towns of Wauzeka, Bridgeport, Eastman, Haney, Marietta and Prairie du Chien and its School Board, School District of West Salem and its School Board, School District of Weston and its School Board, Weyerhauser Area School District and its School Board, School District of Winter and its School Board, School District of Wonewoc and Union Center and its School Board, and Mary Bills, Pam Britten, and Lynn Klatt, on behalf of themselves and all other school board members in the State of Wisconsin similarly situated, Plaintiffs-Co-Appellants-Petitioners, Terrance CRANEY, Guy Costello, Regina Washinawatok, Jeffrey Erhardt, Kathleen Hildebrandt, Randy Kuivinen, William Nelson, Douglass Thomas, and Wisconsin Education Association Council, Intervening Plaintiffs-Appellants-Petitioners, v. Jack C. VOIGHT, in his official capacity as State of Wisconsin Treasurer, John T. Benson, in his official capacity as State of Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Cate Zeuske, in her official capacity as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, and Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Defendants-Respondents.

Supreme Court of Wisconsin.

Decided July 11, 2000.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

For the intervening plaintiffs-appellants-petitioners there were briefs by Bruce Meredith, Chris Galinat and Wisconsin Education Association Council, Madison, and Robert H. Friebert and Friebert, Finerty & St. John, SC, Milwaukee, and oral argument by Bruce Meredith.

For the plaintiffs-co-appellants-petitioners there were briefs by David J. Hase, Heidi L. Vogt and Cook & Franke, S.C., Milwaukee, and oral argument by David J. Hase.

For the defendants-respondents the cause was argued by Peter C. Anderson, assistant attorney general, with whom on the brief was James E. Doyle, attorney general, and Bruce A. Olsen, assistant attorney general.

Amicus Curiae brief by Patricia A. Brannan, Alethia Nancoo and Hogan & Hartson, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., on behalf of The Council of the Great City Schools.

Amicus Curiae brief by Gary E. Sherman on behalf of State Representatives Gary E. Sherman, Dan Schooff, John H. Ainsworth, Tom Sykora, Shirley I. Krug, Marlin D. Schneider, Peter E. Bock, Robert L. Turner, Julie M. Lassa, Mary Hubler, G. Spencer Coggs, Pedro A. Colon, Barbara Gronemus, Donald W. Hasenohrl, John W. Lehman, Mark Miller, Joe Plouff, Jon Richards, Marty Reynolds, Christine Sinicki and State Senators Brian D. Rude, Brian B. Burke, Gwendolynne S. Moore, Kimberly M. Plache.

Amicus Curiae brief by Raymond P. Taffora, Jordan J. Hemaidan, Karla M. Davis and Michael, Best & Friedrich LLP, Madison, on behalf of Fair Aid Coalition.

Amicus Curiae brief by Lawrence A. Wiley on behalf of Governor Tommy G. Thompson.

Amicus Curiae brief by James D. Peterson, Brady C. Williamson and LaFollette Sinykin, LLP, Madison, on behalf of Institute for Wisconsin's Future, Inc., Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy, Inc., and Wisconsin Parent Teachers Association.

Amicus Curiae brief by Peter M. Koneazny on behalf of American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, Inc.

Amicus Curiae brief by James D. Peterson, Brady C. Williamson and LaFollette Sinykin, LLP, Madison, on behalf of City of Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist.


¶ 1. N. PATRICK CROOKS, J.

The Petitioners in this case are various Wisconsin students, parents, teachers, school districts, school board members, citizens, and the president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC).1 The Petitioners collectively challenge the constitutionality of the state school finance system under Wis. Stat. ch. 121 and Wis. Stat. §§ 79.10 and...

Let's get started

Leagle.com

Welcome to the leading source of independent legal reporting
Sign on now to see your case.
Or view more than 10 million decisions and orders.

  • Updated daily.
  • Uncompromising quality.
  • Complete, Accurate, Current.

Listed below are the cases that are cited in this Featured Case. Click the citation to see the full text of the cited case. Citations are also linked in the body of the Featured Case.

Cited Cases

  • No Cases Found

Listed below are those cases in which this Featured Case is cited. Click on the case name to see the full text of the citing case.

Citing Cases