Wisconsin judge grills attorney general over duplicative lawsuits

Dane County Circuit Judge Stephen Ehlke pressed Attorney General Josh Kaul's office Thursday over whether its latest lawsuit against the Legislature is barred by claim preclusion, since it revisits ground from a case Kaul already won at the state Supreme Court in June 2025. That earlier ruling stripped the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee of final approval power over civil settlements, though the committee retained veto power, which is the piece Kaul's new suit now targets.

Assistant Attorney General Hannah Jurss argued the separation-of-powers stakes and differing interests mean preclusion shouldn't apply, a position Ehlke didn't appear to buy, at one point suggesting her logic would gut the doctrine entirely. He ordered limited discovery on part of the case rather than ruling outright, reasoning that whatever he decides is headed to appeal anyway.

The dispute traces back to 2018 lame-duck laws stripping powers from Kaul before he took office, a fight he has now won twice at the state's top court while the Legislature keeps finding new procedural footing to defend the leftover veto power.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.