Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen Declines to Seek Supreme Court Review of Recent Court of Appeals Order in Madison Teachers, Inc., et al. v. Walker, et al.

MADISON — Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that his office would not seek Supreme Court review of the March 12, 2013, Court of Appeals order in Madison Teachers, Inc., et al. v. Walker, et al., Appeal No. 2012 AP 2067.  In that order, the Court of Appeals refused to stay a Dane County Circuit Court’s order declaring certain portions of 2011 Wis. Act 10 to be unconstitutional.  Regarding this decision, Attorney General Van Hollen stated:

“We asked for a stay because of our concern that municipal employers and others would misconstrue Judge Colas’s order as something that would prevent them from following Act 10.  While the Court of Appeals denied our motion for a stay, it also was very clear that Judge Colas’s order does not have statewide application and does not apply to any non-parties.  Under the circumstances, we’re content to focus on the merits and we look forward to a decision upholding Act 10 in its entirety, consistent with the prior ruling of United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Judicial Circuit.”