No. 24-1243

Tri-Corp Housing, Inc. v. Robert Bauman

Lower Court: Wisconsin
Docketed: 2025-06-05
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: actual-malice defamation jury-trial legal-standard public-figure wisconsin-supreme-court
Key Terms:
SocialSecurity FirstAmendment DueProcess Privacy
Latest Conference: 2025-09-29
Question Presented (AI Summary)

When is a claimant an 'involuntary public figure' within the meaning of Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., and must the question of whether a party claiming defamation is a 'limited purpose public figure' be raised by the defense and decided by the court before the case is sent to the jury?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

(1) When is a claimant an “invol untary public figure” within the meaning set forth in Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323, 94 S. Ct. 2997, 41 L. Ed. 2d 789 (1974), thereby requiring proof of actual malice in an action for defamation? (2) In a jury trial, must the question of whether a party claiming defamation is a “limited purpose public figure” be raised by the defense and decided by the court before the case is sent to the jury?

Docket Entries

2025-10-06
Petition DENIED.
2025-07-23
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
2025-07-07
Waiver of right of respondent Robert Bauman to respond filed.
2025-04-16
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 7, 2025)

Attorneys

Robert Bauman
Matthew R. McCleanAmundsen Davis, S.C., Respondent
Tri-Corp Housing, Inc.
John Edward MachulakMachulak, Robertson & Sodos, S.C., Petitioner