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Fall Wisconsin jury instruction updates

New updates are available for the Wisconsin Jury Instructions. The Wisconsin Jury Instructions are created and edited by the Wisconsin Jury Instructions Committees of the Wisconsin Judicial Conference.

All three titles were updated. Download the update releases for each title: 

• Wisconsin Children's Jury Instructions - Release 6
• Wisconsin Civil Jury Instructions - Release 61
• Wisconsin Criminal Jury Instructions - Release 71

For information on the status of the Committees' work, please contact 

Bryce Pierson
Legal Advisor - Jury Instructions, Office of Judicial Education
E-mail: Bryce.Pierson@WIcourts.gov

The printable releases can be downloaded at any time from the “Update releases” pages under each jury instruction title.

Blank pages have been inserted in the printable releases to make double sided printing easier. File updated instructions, along with the updated table and index in your print set. Complete printable files of each instruction set and finding aids are also available for those who need to print a complete set. Download them at https://wilawlibrary.gov/jury/ Contact Carol Hassler for filing instructions help.

Indigenous peoples law book display

By Noelle Brasch

Check out this month’s display related to the law of indigenous peoples and tribal law. Books in this display touch on treaties, Federal Indian law, NAGPRA, gaming, tribal courts, and more. There are 11 federally recognized American Indian Nations that call Wisconsin their home. Use resources here and on our website to learn more about the legal history of these and other tribes in the United States.

Display available through November at the Lavinia Goodell State Law Library

In this display

The relentless business of treaties: how indigenous land became US property
E 98 .T75 C37 2018

Indian gaming: tribal sovereignty and American politics
KF 8210 .G35 M25 2000

Tribal justice: twenty-five years as a tribal appellate justice
KF 8204.5 .P66 2016

Landmark Indian law cases
KF 8204.5 .L36 2022

American Indian law in a nutshell
KF 8205 .C36 2025

Historic preservation law in a nutshell
KF 4310 .B76 2026

Cohen’s handbook of federal Indian law
KF 8205 .C6 2024

Charters, constitutions and by-laws of the Indian tribes of Wisconsin
KF 8220 .F31

Unsettling territory: the resurgence of the Oneida Nation in the face of settler backlash
E 99 .O45 K54 2026

Captured justice: Native nations and Public Law 280
KF 8550 .C48 2020

New books

by Noelle Brasch

New Book! Paralegal ethics handbook, by Ellen Lockwood Call number: KF 320 .L4 P39 2026 This concise handbook is a resource for paralegals to help address ethical considerations in many different areas of law and employment situations. Rules and regulations from all states are included as are concerns related to technology and e-filing. Use this as a helpful manual to navigate paralegals’ ethical obligations. Topics include: Billing Ethics while working from home AI and paralegal ethics

New Book! Every landlord’s legal guide, by Ann O’Connell Call number: KF 590 .Z9 O26 2026 A new edition of Every landlord’s legal guide has updated state and local laws on security deposits, rent, termination, late notices, and more. This detailed guide contains key forms and step-by-step information for those renting residential properties. It’s a great place to start for questions related to landlord-tenant law. Topics include: Liability for tenant injuries Duty to repair and maintain the premises Sublets Discrimination

Scan our October new book list for additions in your practice area!

Tech tip

by Heidi Yelk

Firefox Container Tabs

If you need to be logged in to multiple accounts at the same time, such as email accounts from the same service, auction profiles, social media accounts, etc., then Firefox Container Tabs may be useful.  

Container tabs go beyond simply opening a new browser window. New browser windows can still hold your identity. In contrast, each container tab starts fresh without cookies. This means that you can successfully log in to multiple accounts while using the same browser and simply click around the tabs to monitor or use both/all accounts simultaneously. This can also be useful to detect whether you are being affected by surveillance pricing.

In Firefox, users start a new container tab by selecting "New Container Tab" under the FILE menu. Alternatively, click the V symbol at the very far right of the tabs. 

Library news

By Carol Hassler

Welcome new staff

Please join us in welcoming Deiva Motley to the Milwaukee County Law Library. Deiva is the new Library Assistant, and joins the library while continuing to work at Milwaukee’s historic Oriental & Downer Theaters. Welcome, Deiva!

In remembrance

Fall library webinars

Our fall classes return to the legislative learning front!  Contact Jaden Henneman for questions about the classes, and how to sign up.

Concept to Codification Wednesday, October 21, Noon-1:00 PM Live Webcast – Register for Concept to Codification

Follow a bill through all the stages of the legislative process. This class starts with a proposal for a law, then follows that proposal through conception, drafting, introduction, hearings, debates, amendments, passage, approval, and finally codification into the statutes.

Intro to Legislative History Wednesday, November 18, Noon-1:00 PM Live Webcast – Register for Intro to Legislative History

I need the legislative history of a Wisconsin statute. Where do I start? What do I do? Participants will look at the primary resources used to research Wisconsin legislative history, learn about the online Wisconsin legislative drafting files, and learn some helpful tips and tricks along the way. This introductory class covers basic research strategies and sources.

OLR’s October Lunch & Learn

The Office of Lawyer Regulation’s next free online event is this month. Register for a lunch and learn on Tuesday, October 27 on the topic of lawyer wellness and mentorship. Presented by attorney JB Burtch, this session discusses his new book, "Raising the Bar: The Mentor Guidebook for New Lawyers" and discuss why mentoring matters, the benefits of mentoring for both mentor and mentee, and practical tips for effective mentoring.

Learn at the Wisconsin Library Association conference

Are you headed to the Wisconsin Library Association annual conference? Join Librarian Sarah Furger as she presents two dynamic sessions at the WLA conference, taking place later this month. Don’t miss the Cataloging code of ethics on Thursday, October 22, and Preparing for RDA (Resource Description and Access): The Intellectual Shift on Friday, October 23.

Legal research webinar

Join Wisconsin law librarians for a comprehensive tour of legal research issues and techniques in a 6 credit CLE webinar presented by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Legal research tools and strategies will be presented on November 4, from 8:30-2:45 p.m. and available on-demand afterwards. This webinar covers corporate research tips, state and local legal research, case preparation, and more.

November snapshot

"Spring City," Bethesda Park, the Dunbar Oak, and the story of Waukesha Water

Before Les Paul, the Waukesha area was famous the world over for "life saving" water which flowed from dozens of mineral water springs. The "Waukesha Springs Era" ran from roughly 1868-1914. It began when a visitor, Col. Richard Dunbar, drank from the springs and later found his diabetic condition greatly improved. Dunbar and others soon built a robust tourist and retail business promoting the medicinal powers of the water that flowed from Waukesha springs. The small oak in the photo above was grafted from the original oak where Dunbar sat to drink. The structure in the background encloses the spring.

This part of Waukesha history is well documented by local historians, including John Schoenknecht in his book The Great Waukesha Springs Era 1868-1918. A current exhibit at the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum tells the story of Taking the Waters. This era is also recorded in a trademark dispute which was heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Dunbar v. Glenn, 42 Wis. 118 (1877). As Schoenknecht notes in this 2020 conversation with Milwaukee Public Media, the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906 regulated advertising claims, contributing to the decline of the Waukesha Springs Era. Nonetheless, Waukesha's spring water continued to be bottled, sold and consumed for many decades,  see From Sparkling Springs to Lustrous Lake Water: A Look Back at Waukesha’s Water History, by Isabella Kostoini.

We are accepting snapshots! Do you have a photo highlighting libraries, attractions or points of historical interest? Send your photo to the editor at carol.hassler@wicourts.gov to be included in a future issue.

Wisconsin State Law Library  

Questions? Email the library or call (608) 267-9696
Send comments to the editor, Carol Hassler