Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 618 - Nondomestic insurers.
618.61 - Reciprocal enforcement of foreign decrees.

618.61 Reciprocal enforcement of foreign decrees.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(a) “Foreign decree" means any decree or order of a court located in a reciprocal state, including a court of the United States located therein, against any insurer authorized to do business in this state.
(b) “Reciprocal state" means any state the laws of which contain procedures substantially similar to those specified in this section for the enforcement of decrees or orders issued by courts located in other states against any insurer authorized to do business in the reciprocal state, and which in turn recognizes this state as a reciprocal state under its law.
(2) List of reciprocal states. The commissioner shall determine which states qualify as reciprocal states and shall maintain a list of them.
(3) Enforcement of Wisconsin decrees or orders. The attorney general upon request of the commissioner may proceed in the courts of this state or any other state to enforce an order or decision issued in this state in any court proceeding or in any administrative proceeding before the insurance commissioner.
(4) Enforcement of foreign decrees or orders.
(a) Filing. A copy of any foreign decree authenticated in accordance with the statutes of this state may be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court for Dane County. The clerk, upon verifying with the commissioner that the decree or order qualifies as a “foreign decree", shall treat it in the same manner and it shall have the same effect as a decree of a circuit court of this state. It is subject to the same procedures, defenses and proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying as a decree of a circuit court of this state and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner.
(b) Notice of filing.
1. At the time of the filing of the foreign decree, the filer shall deposit with the clerk of the court an affidavit setting forth the name and last-known post-office address of the defendant in this state.
2. Promptly upon the filing of the foreign decree and the affidavit, the clerk of circuit court shall mail notice of the filing of the foreign decree to the defendant at the address given and to the commissioner and shall note the mailing in the court record. In addition, the attorney general may mail a notice of the filing of the foreign decree to the defendant and to the commissioner or the commissioner may mail such a notice to the defendant, and either may file proof of mailing with the clerk of circuit court. Failure of the clerk of circuit court to mail notice of filing shall not affect the enforcement proceedings if the attorney general or commissioner has filed proof of mailing.
3. No execution or other process for enforcement of a foreign decree shall issue until 30 days after the decree is filed.
(c) Stay.
1. If the defendant shows the court that an appeal from the foreign decree is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign decree until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires, or the stay of execution expires or is vacated, upon proof that the defendant has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the decree required by the state in which it was rendered.
2. If the defendant shows the court any ground upon which enforcement of a decree of any county or circuit court of this state would be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign decree for an appropriate period, upon requiring the same security for satisfaction of the decree as is required in this state.
(d) Fees. Any person filing a foreign decree shall pay to the clerk of court the same fees for any enforcement proceeding as are provided for decrees of the circuit courts.
History: 1971 c. 260; 1977 c. 449; 1983 a. 189; 1995 a. 224.