Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 783 - Mandamus and prohibition.
783.08 - Writs of prohibition, how issued.

783.08 Writs of prohibition, how issued. Writs of prohibition issued out of the supreme court shall be applied for upon relation or affidavits filed in the same manner as for writs of mandamus; and if the cause shown shall appear to the court to be sufficient a writ shall be thereupon issued, which shall command the court and party to whom it shall be directed to desist and refrain from any further proceedings in the action or matter specified therein until a day therein named to be fixed by the court and the further order of such court thereon; and then to show cause why they should not be absolutely restrained from any further proceedings in such action or matter.
History: 1979 c. 32 s. 60; Stats. 1979 s. 783.08.
In an action for a writ of prohibition to prevent a state agency from conducting a hearing on grounds that the agency had no jurisdiction, the trial court abused its discretion in denying the writ after concluding the agency did not have jurisdiction. Judicial review after allowing the agency to proceed on the merits, although allowed, would have been grossly inadequate, the required extraordinary harm being “inherent in the situation." State ex rel. DPI v. DILHR, 68 Wis. 2d 677, 229 N.W.2d 591 (1975).
In seeking a writ of prohibition to restrain a county court from proceeding to trial in a traffic violation case, the petitioner failed to meet her burden of alleging facts sufficient to show the inadequacy of an appeal, extraordinary hardship, and a clear absence of jurisdiction when: 1) the speeding violation was a routine matter of minor significance both in terms of possible sanction and time involved; 2) there was nothing to indicate that appeal would not be an adequate method of correcting any errors in the proceeding; and 3) the asserted grounds for dismissal required basic changes in Wisconsin law, which the court had no clear duty to overturn. State ex rel. Prentice v. County Court, 70 Wis. 2d 230, 234 N.W.2d 283 (1975).
A writ of prohibition is an extraordinary remedy available to courts as part of their supervisory jurisdiction over inferior tribunals. A circuit court may exercise its supervisory authority over a state agency to prevent the agency from exceeding its statutory authority. A writ of prohibition will issue only when the duty of the court below is plain and there is a clear refusal to meet that duty or a clear intent to disregard it. The petitioner must also show that ordinary remedies are inadequate and that extraordinary hardship will result if the writ does not issue. City of Madison v. DWD, 2002 WI App 199, 257 Wis. 2d 348, 651 N.W.2d 292, 01-1910. Reversed on other grounds. 2003 WI 76, 262 Wis. 2d 652, 664 N.W.2d 584, 01-1910.
A writ of prohibition is the appropriate remedy to restrain the exercise of judicial functions outside or beyond the jurisdiction of a court, or to restrain an official acting in a judicial capacity, when great hardship would otherwise result. Individual Subpoenaed to Appear at Waukesha County John Doe Case No. 2003 JD 001 v. Davis, 2005 WI 70, 281 Wis. 2d 431, 697 N.W.2d 803, 04-1804.

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