Wisconsin State Law Library

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in partnership with the Director of State Courts Office and the Wisconsin State Law Library, invites the public to a special ceremony on Monday, September 30, at noon, to officially name the Wisconsin State Law Library in honor of Lavinia Goodell, Wisconsin's first woman lawyer.

The renaming commemorates Goodell's remarkable legacy and her groundbreaking contributions to the legal profession. On June 17, 1874, Goodell became the first woman to practice law in Wisconsin, overcoming significant barriers and advocating for legislative changes that opened doors for generations of women to follow in her footsteps.

"Naming the State Law Library in Lavinia Goodell's honor is an opportunity to recognize her legacy and inspire the next generation of women in Wisconsin," said Justice Ann Walsh Bradley.

The event will take place at the Wisconsin State Law Library, located at 120 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Madison, WI 53703. The ceremony will feature remarks reflecting on Goodell's legacy and the impact of women in law today. The event is open to the public, and all are encouraged to attend and take part in celebrating this historic occasion.

More information on the life and work of Lavinia Goodell is available at LaviniaGoodell.com.

The September 2024 release of the Criminal jury instructions are now available at: https://wilawlibrary.gov/jury/criminal/ The Wisconsin Jury Instructions are created and edited by the Wisconsin Jury Instructions Committees of the Wisconsin Judicial Conference.

Instructions may be released more frequently throughout the year, and will continue to follow the same release numbering and month/year date patterns for easy version tracking. The Criminal instructions feature new and updated instructions for September 2024. This set was last updated in July 2024. Updates include:

• JI-700 Law Note: Theory of Defense Instructions Instructing the Jury on Defensive Matters
• JI-775 Alibi
• JI-1319 Interference with Fire Fighting Equipment 941.12(2)
• JI-1398B Publishing a Depiction That Is Known to Be a Private Representation of Nudity Without Consent - 942.09(3m)(a)2
• JI-2125 Causing a Child to View or Listen to Sexual Activity - 948.055
• NEW JI-2139B Sexual Misconduct Against a Pupil by a School Staff Member or Volunteer - 948.098
• JI-2682B Failing to Install an Ignition Interlock Device or Violating a Court Order Restricting Operating Privilege - 347.413
• JI-6030 Possession of a Controlled Substance - 961.41(3g)

The printable release for this set can be downloaded at any time from the “Update releases” page. Blank pages have been inserted to make double sided printing easier. File new, updated, and revised instructions, along with the updated tables 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/

For information on the status of the Committee's work, please contact Bryce Pierson at bryce.pierson@wicourts.gov.

The Wisconsin State Law Library is seeking candidates for the position of Reference & Electronic Services Librarian. This position provides research and reference assistance to judges, court staff, attorneys, paralegals and pro-se litigants via in-person, phone and email.


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The library has employment opportunities at our Madison and Milwaukee library locations! Please see the job summaries below, and follow the links for more details and information about how to apply.

Cataloging and Metadata Librarian (Madison, Wisconsin)

This position is responsible for providing bibliographic access to library materials, electronic journals, online resources and digital collections for the Wisconsin State Law Library, the Milwaukee County Law Library (MCLL), the Dane County Law Library (DCLL), and the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

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LTE Library Associate (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

If you have exceptional customer service skills and a desire for continued learning, we encourage you to apply for the Limited Term Employment (LTE) Library Associate position at the Wisconsin Court System.

Learn more and apply