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Explainer: Can States Prohibit Federal Law Enforcement from Masking on the Job?

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · 2d

As states start to pass laws banning law enforcement from wearing masks, @bridgetlavender.bsky.social has an explainer on the constitutionality of such laws as applied to ICE and other federal law enforcement officers: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/202.... The short answer: it's complicated.

Bridget Lavender PDF Available Here Published: October 3, 2025 Introduction As the federal government ramps up immigration enforcement under President Trump’s second administration, federal agents som...

Conservative Wisconsin appeals court judge Maria Lazar is running for state Supreme Court

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · 7d

After a few months of uncertainty and Justice Rebecca Bradley bowing out, the WI Supreme Court race now has two candidates. Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar announced her campaign today. She'll be running against another member of the appeals court, Judge Chris Taylor.

apnews.com/article/wisc...

A conservative Wisconsin appeals court judge is running for an open seat on the battleground state’s Supreme Court. It is currently controlled 4-3 by liberals.

apnews.com

Reposted by Bryna Godar

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · 28d

Tomorrow at 12:15 pm CT, the AZ Supreme Court hears Center for Arizona Policy v. Secretary of State—a rare test of state‑constitutional limits on campaign finance disclosure.
Watch: www.azcourts.gov/AZ-Supreme-C...
Amicus from SDRI’s @miriamseifter.bsky.social
& @robyablon.bsky.social (& others):

Explainer: Can States Prosecute Federal Officials?

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Aug 8

States have a long history of charging federal actors under state criminal laws, particularly during periods of heightened tensions over issues like prohibition, slavery, and integration. My latest piece covers this history and explains when state prosecutions can proceed.

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Aug 8

Perhaps surprisingly, there is a long tradition of state and local prosecutors pursuing charges against federal actors. The U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause puts some important limits on such prosecutions, but it doesn’t foreclose them entirely. 2/ go.wisc.edu/k0s17n

Bryna Godar, Staff Attorney PDF Available Here Published: July 17, 2025 As state and local officials increasingly clash with federal officials over immigration enforcement,[1] policing of protests,[2]...

go.wisc.edu

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Aug 6

For years, Wisconsin has been an outlier in how much power its legislative committees wield. The Evers v. Marklein decision struck down several of those powers, bringing Wisconsin more in line with other states on the question of legislative vetoes.

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Aug 6

Staff Attorney @bgodar.bsky.social recaps the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s landmark separation-of-powers decision in Evers v. Marklein for @brennancenter.org's @statecourtreport.org, explaining how it strikes down legislative vetoes over administrative rulemaking: statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down Legislative Vetoes

The case marks a major shift in how Wisconsin’s government functions.

statecourtreport.org

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 31

Thanks to the enormous efforts of @ewlau.bsky.social and others on the SDRI team, there are now fourteen states with full constitutional histories, letting you track changes over time. More are in progress. Check it out at 50constitutions.org.

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jul 31

🚨50 Constitutions Update🚨

Our latest update to 50constitutions.org adds tracking constitutional change features to 4 additional states!

These tools allow users to explore a state's full amendment history.

50constitutions.org

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 18

Relatedly, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has a story on the legislature's rising legal bills, including for some of these cases: www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...

Wisconsin Legislature spent $26.2 million in taxpayer money on private attorneys since 2017

The state Legislature has paid $26.2 million to outside law firms on high-profile cases related to redistricting and the Gableman investigation.

www.jsonline.com

Wisconsin Supreme Court 2024-25 Term Review and 2025-26 Preview

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 18

In addition to the abortion case, this explainer covers several election cases and four major separation-of-powers cases involving the partial veto, administrative rulemaking, and the AG's power to settle civil lawsuits.

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jul 18

The WI Supreme Court wrapped up its 2024-25 term with high-profile decisions on abortion, legislative committee vetoes, and more. Check out @bgodar.bsky.social’s explainer for a review of the term’s key cases and a preview of what’s to come: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/202...

Bryna Godar, Staff Attorney PDF Available Here Published: July 16, 2025 The 2024–25 Wisconsin Supreme Court term wrapped up this summer with a series of high-profile decisions, including on abortion, ...

Program Coordinator, State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI) - Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Reposted by Bryna Godar

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jul 16

📣 UW Law School's State Democracy Research Initiative is hiring! We’re searching for a program coordinator to support SDRI in all aspects of its work, from events to communications and research support. Apply here: go.wisc.edu/6p0b3n

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.Job Category:University StaffEmployment Type:RegularJob Profile:Administrative Assistant IIJob Duties:-Serves as the Initiative's administrative point person, handles all matters related to logistics, planning, scheduling, and record-keeping;-Monitors and analyzes current events and briefs colleagues on ongoing developments;-Manages the Initiative's communications, including its newsletter, social media, and website;-Interfaces with student researchers to manage onboarding;-Assists staff with the creation of designs for social media content, research data charts, and other research and informational needs;-Plans and serves as the main point of...

go.wisc.edu

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 9

After the Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to directly hear several cases challenging Wisconsin's congressional maps, one group is now starting the case in trial court. The lawsuit argues that the maps are an anti-competitive gerrymander and therefore unconstitutional. apnews.com/article/wisc...

New lawsuit seeks to redraw Wisconsin's congressional maps before 2026 midterms

A new lawsuit challenges Wisconsin's congressional district maps, claiming they are unconstitutional due to anti-competitive gerrymandering.

apnews.com

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 8

A federal magistrate judge recommended the case proceed against WI Judge Hannah Dugan, who is facing criminal charges for allegedly escorting a man out of her courtroom through a back door in April after learning ICE agents were there to arrest him. pbswisconsin.org/news-item/fe...

Federal magistrate judge recommends that case against Dugan can proceed

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal magistrate judge recommended July 7 that the case proceed against a Wisconsin judge who was indicted on allegations that she helped a man who ...

pbswisconsin.org

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 8

For more background on legislative vetoes in the states, check out @derekclinger.bsky.social and @miriamseifter.bsky.social's white paper here: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/featured/202.... Wisconsin has been an outlier among the states, with unusually strong legislative committee veto powers.

White Paper: Unpacking State Legislative Vetoes

Derek Clinger, Senior Staff Attorney Professor Miriam Seifter, Faculty Co-Director Published: October 13, 2023 Last Updated: December 20, 2024 PDF Available Here Table of Contents Introduction I. Mode...

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 8

The committee had used its powers to block a ban on conversion therapy and changes to the state’s commercial building standards for years. This ruling removes major hurdles for those rules and marks a significant change in the state's rulemaking process going forward.

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jul 8

Breaking: The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that a Wisconsin legislative committee’s powers to pause, object to, or suspend administrative rules violate the state constitution's bicameralism and presentment requirements.
Opinion: www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/D...

Year in Review: Democracy Litigation in SCOTUS and the States

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Reposted by Bryna Godar

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jul 3

There is still time to register!

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jun 12

Join us for “Year in Review: Democracy Litigation in SCOTUS and the States” Thursday, July 10 at 3pm CT, at the Madison Public Library or online. The panel will highlight the past year’s significant democracy-related decisions at both the state and federal levels.
Register here: go.wisc.edu/bl85id

Join us for “Year in Review: Democracy Litigation in SCOTUS and the States” on Thursday, July 10 from 3:00-4:15pm Central Time!

go.wisc.edu

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Reposted by Bryna Godar

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jul 2

In light of its ruling, the court also dismissed a related case that claimed a near-total-ban on abortion would have violated the Wisconsin Constitution. The decisions leave open the question of whether there is a constitutional right to abortion in the state. www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/D...

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jul 2

The ruling resolves the post-Dobbs question of whether there is a near-total ban on abortion in Wisconsin. The court held that there is not, affirming a lower court decision that had reached a similar conclusion two years ago.

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jul 2

New: The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that an 1849 law on abortion was impliedly repealed by later abortion legislation, so it no longer operates as a ban on abortion.

Read the opinion here: www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/D...

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jun 25

This case is an important one amid the ongoing budget process. Republican legislators are currently trying to avoid the partial veto by passing laws without funding so that they don't count as appropriations bills: wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/06/19/b...

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jun 24

The 5-2 decision holds that DNR does not need to promulgate rules in order to apply the Spills Law to PFAS or other substances: www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/D...

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jun 17

Since 2018, WI DOJ has been required to submit most civil settlements for pre-approval from the powerful Joint Committee on Finance. The court upheld that general arrangement in 2020 but ruled here that it is unconstitutional for certain subsets of cases.

State Democracy Research Initiative @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social · Jun 17

A unanimous Wisconsin Supreme Court held Tuesday that a legislative committee cannot dictate WI DOJ’s ability to settle certain types of civil lawsuits, concluding that these cases fall within core executive branch powers.

Opinion: www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/D...

There were 22 threats against judges in just the first three months of this year.

Reposted by Bryna Godar

Urban Milwaukee @urbanmilwaukee.com · Jun 11

Republicans Reject Funding for Wisconsin Supreme Court Security

urbanmilwaukee.com

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Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · Jun 11

After Musk paid voters in Wisconsin's April supreme court election, groups are suing to stop him from repeating the tactic in future elections.

The complaint is available here: www.lawforward.org/wp-content/u...

Wisconsin lawsuit seeks to ban Elon Musk from offering $1 million checks to voters

A government watchdog group in Wisconsin has filed a lawsuit seeking to prohibit billionaire Elon Musk from ever again offering cash payments to voters in the battleground state like he did in this sp...

apnews.com

Public Law in the States: The Work of State Supreme Courts

Bryna Godar @bgodar.bsky.social · May 29

Want to learn more about state supreme courts? Check out our virtual + live panel from 9-10:30 CT tomorrow (5/30) with five state supreme court justices from around the country. Approved for WI and MN CLE credit. More info and registration here: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/event/public...

The State Democracy Research Initiative invites you to join us for “Public Law in the States: The Work of State Supreme Courts” on Friday, May 30, from 9:00-10:30am Central Time. A light breakfast wil...