Wisconsin Statutes 218.0163 – Civil damages
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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 218.0163
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Following: when used by way of reference to any statute section, means the section next following that in which the reference is made. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
- Grantor: includes every person from or by whom any freehold estate or interest passes in or by any deed; and "grantee" includes every person to whom any such estate or interest passes in like manner. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
(1) Without exhausting any administrative remedy available under an agreement or ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163, except as provided in ss. 218.0116 (7) and (8) and 218.0134, a licensee may recover damages in a court of competent jurisdiction for pecuniary loss, together with actual costs including reasonable attorney fees, if the pecuniary loss is caused by any of the following:
(a) A violation by any other licensee of s. 218.0116 (1) (bm), (f), (h), (hm), (i), (km), (L), (Lm), (mm), (pm), (q), (qm), (r), (rm), (s), (sm), (t), (u), (um), (v), (vm), (w), (wm), (x), (xm), (y), (ym), (ys), or (z).
(b) Any unfair practice found by a licensor or the division of hearings and appeals under s. 218.0152 (1).
(c) An affected grantor‘s disapproval of a proposed action under s. 218.0134 (2) (b), if the division of hearings and appeals has determined that there is not good cause for not permitting the proposed action to be undertaken following a hearing under s. 218.0134 (2) (c). A dealer may recover under this paragraph even if the affected grantor complies with the order of the division of hearings and appeals under s. 218.0134 (3) (b). If a dealer recovers damages for pecuniary loss, actual costs under this paragraph also include actual costs, including reasonable attorney fees, incurred by the dealer in obtaining the division of hearings and appeals’ determination of good cause.
(1m) If a court finds that a violation or practice described in sub. (1) (a) or (b) is willful, a licensee shall recover damages in an amount equal to 3 times the pecuniary loss, together with actual costs including reasonable attorney fees.
(1q) In any action brought under this subsection, the burden of proof as to liability shall be the same as set forth in ss. 218.0114 (7) (d), 218.0116 (7) (b), and 218.0116 (8) (b) regarding complaints brought before the division of hearings and appeals, but the burden of proof as to damages shall be on the licensee seeking damages.
(1r) For purposes of subs. (1) and (1m), “licensee” means a person or entity holding a license at the time the cause of action arose regardless of whether the person or entity holds a license at the time an action under this section is commenced.
(2) Any retail buyer, lessee or prospective lessee suffering pecuniary loss because of a violation by a licensee of s. 218.0116 (1) (bm), (c), (cm), (dm), (e), (em), (f), (im), (m) or (p) may recover damages for the loss in any court of competent jurisdiction together with costs, including reasonable attorney fees.
(3) A complainant or petitioner who prevails against a manufacturer, importer, or distributor as a result of a complaint or petition filed with the division of hearings and appeals based on an alleged violation of ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163 or under s. 218.0116 (7) or (8) or 218.0134 shall have a cause of action against the manufacturer, importer, or distributor for reasonable expenses and attorney fees incurred by the complainant or petitioner in connection with all proceedings resulting from the complaint or petition. This subsection does not apply:
(a) If the division of hearings and appeals finds that the manufacturer, importer, or distributor was substantially justified or that special circumstances make an award of expenses and attorney fees unjust.
(b) To an action or proceeding under ss. 218.0114 (7) (d), 218.0131 (3) (c), and 218.0163 (1) and (1m).