70.20 Owner's liability when personalty assessed to another; action to collect.
(1) When personal property shall be assessed to some person in charge or possession thereof, other than the owner, such owner as well as the person so in charge or possession shall be liable for the taxes levied pursuant to such assessment; and the liability of such owner may be enforced in a personal action as for a debt. Such action may be brought in the name of the town, city or village in which such assessment was made, if commenced before the time fixed by law for the return of delinquent taxes, by direction of the treasurer or tax collector of such town, city or village. If commenced after such a return, it shall be brought in the name of the county or other municipality to the treasurer or other officer of which such return shall be made, by direction of such treasurer or other officer. Such action may be brought in any court of this state having jurisdiction of the amount involved and in which jurisdiction may be obtained of the person of such owner or by attachment of the property of such owner.
(2) The remedy of attachment may be allowed in such action upon filing an affidavit of the officer by whose direction such action shall be brought, showing the assessment of such property in the assessment district, the amount of tax levied pursuant thereto, that the defendant was the owner of such property at the time as of which the assessment thereof was made, and that such tax remains unpaid in whole or in part, and the amount remaining unpaid. The proceedings in such actions and for enforcement of the judgment obtained therein shall be the same as in ordinary actions for debt as near as may be, but no property shall be exempt from attachment or execution issued upon a judgment against the defendant in such action.
(3) The assessment and tax rolls in which such assessment and tax shall be entered shall be prima facie evidence of such assessment and tax and of the justice and regularity thereof; and the same, with proof of the ownership of such property by the defendant at the time as of which the assessment was made and of the nonpayment of such tax, shall be sufficient to establish the liability of the defendant. Such liability shall not be affected and such action shall not be defeated by any omission or irregularity in the assessment or tax proceedings not affecting the substantial justice and equity of the tax. The provisions of this section shall not impair or affect the remedies given by other provisions of law for the collection or enforcement of such tax against the person to whom the property was assessed.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 70 - General property taxes.
70.01 - General property taxes; upon whom levied.
70.02 - Definition of general property.
70.03 - Definition of real property.
70.04 - Definition of personal property.
70.043 - Mobile homes and manufactured homes.
70.045 - Taxation district defined.
70.05 - Valuation of property; assessors in cities, towns and villages.
70.055 - Expert assessment help.
70.06 - Assessments, where made; first class city districts; assessors; appointment, removal.
70.07 - Functions of board of assessors in first class cities.
70.075 - Functions of board of assessors in cities of the 2nd class.
70.09 - Official real property lister; forms for officers.
70.095 - Assessment roll; time-share property.
70.10 - Assessment, when made, exemption.
70.109 - Presumption of taxability.
70.11 - Property exempted from taxation.
70.111 - Personal property exempted from taxation.
70.112 - Property exempted from taxation because of special tax.
70.113 - State aid to municipalities; aids in lieu of taxes.
70.114 - Aids on certain state lands equivalent to property taxes.
70.115 - Taxation of real estate held by investment board.
70.119 - Payments for municipal services.
70.12 - Real property, where assessed.
70.13 - Where personal property assessed.
70.14 - Incorporated companies.
70.15 - Assessment of vessels.
70.17 - Lands, to whom assessed; buildings on exempt lands.
70.174 - Improvements on government-owned land.
70.18 - Personal property, to whom assessed.
70.19 - Assessment, how made; liability and rights of representative.
70.20 - Owner's liability when personalty assessed to another; action to collect.
70.21 - Partnership; estates in hands of personal representative; personal property, how assessed.
70.22 - Personal property being administered, how assessed.
70.23 - Duties of assessors; entry of parcels on assessment roll.
70.24 - Public lands and land mortgaged to state.
70.25 - Lands, described on rolls.
70.28 - Assessment as one parcel.
70.29 - Personalty, how entered.
70.32 - Real estate, how valued.
70.323 - Assessment of divided parcel.
70.327 - Valuation and assessment of property with contaminated wells.
70.337 - Tax exemption reports.
70.339 - Reporting requirements.
70.345 - Legislative intent; department of revenue to supply information.
70.35 - Taxpayer examined under oath or to submit return.
70.36 - False statement; duty of district attorney.
70.365 - Notice of changed assessment.
70.37 - Net proceeds occupation tax on persons extracting metalliferous minerals in this state.
70.375 - Net proceeds occupation tax on mining of metallic minerals; computation.
70.38 - Reports, appeals, estimated liability.
70.385 - Collection of the tax.
70.39 - Collection of delinquent tax.
70.395 - Distribution and apportionment of tax.
70.396 - Use of metalliferous mining tax payments by counties.
70.3965 - Fund administrative fee.
70.397 - Oil and gas severance tax.
70.40 - Occupational tax on iron ore concentrates.
70.42 - Occupation tax on coal.
70.421 - Occupational tax on petroleum and petroleum products refined in this state.
70.43 - Correction of errors by assessors.
70.44 - Assessment; property omitted.
70.45 - Return and examination of rolls.
70.46 - Boards of review; members; organization.
70.47 - Board of review proceedings.
70.48 - Assessor to attend board of review.
70.49 - Affidavit of assessor.
70.501 - Fraudulent valuations by assessor.
70.502 - Fraud by member of board of review.
70.503 - Civil liability of assessor or member of board of review.
70.51 - Assessment review and tax roll in first class cities.
70.511 - Delayed action of reviewing authority.
70.52 - Clerks to examine and correct rolls.
70.53 - Statement of assessment and exemptions.
70.555 - Provisions directory.
70.57 - Assessment of counties and taxation districts by department.
70.575 - State assessment, time.
70.58 - Forestation state tax.
70.60 - Apportionment of state tax to counties.
70.63 - Apportionment of county and state taxes to municipalities.
70.64 - Review of equalized values.
70.67 - Municipal treasurer's bond; substitute for.
70.71 - Proceedings if roll not made.
70.72 - Clerical help on reassessment.
70.73 - Correction of tax roll.
70.74 - Lien of reassessed tax.
70.77 - Proceedings; inspection.
70.79 - Power of supervisor of equalization.
70.81 - Statement of expenses.
70.82 - Review of claims; payment.
70.83 - Deputies; neglect; reassessment.
70.84 - Inequalities may be corrected in subsequent year.
70.85 - Review of assessment by department of revenue.
70.855 - State assessment of commercial property.