The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that guardianship records are not public, rejecting an attempt by conservative activist Ron Heuer and the Wisconsin Voter Alliance (WVA) to obtain them for voter eligibility verification. The case has been winding through the courts since 2022 and stems from efforts to overturn President Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in the battleground state during the 2020 election.
Key Takeaways
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that guardianship records are not public, rejecting an attempt by conservative activist Ron Heuer to obtain them for voter eligibility verification. The case stemmed from efforts to overturn Biden's 2020 win in Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Supreme Court rules guardianship records private
- Conservative group sought records to verify voter eligibility
- Case part of broader effort to challenge 2020 election results
- Ruling upheld privacy rights over public access claims
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▼Source Claims Check
1 Difference FoundAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 2 key claims. 1 point of difference noted.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record Access | 1 Difference | Majority says records private; dissenting justices say they are public | ▼ |
| Court Ruling | Broad Agreement | Wisconsin Supreme Court rules guardianship records private | |
| Case Background | Broad Agreement | Case stems from 2020 election challenges, filed in 13 counties |
Record Access
▼Majority says records private; dissenting justices say they are public
Court Ruling
Broad AgreementWisconsin Supreme Court rules guardianship records private
Case Background
Broad AgreementCase stems from 2020 election challenges, filed in 13 counties
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Heuer, a former travel executive leading WVA, argued that guardianship records should be released so they could compare them with voter registration lists. He claimed there was a mismatch between ineligible voters and those on the registration list. The case tested the balance between protecting personal privacy rights and ensuring only eligible people vote.
The court's ruling came after two lower state appeals courts issued divergent rulings, with one denying access to the records and another ordering their release with redactions. In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court overturned the latter ruling, stating that state law clearly defines these records as private. Justice Janet Protasiewicz wrote for the majority that 'the Alliance has no right to the records.' Conservative justices Annette Ziegler and Rebecca Bradley dissented.
The case is part of a broader effort by conservatives to challenge the 2020 election results in Wisconsin, including two unsuccessful lawsuits filed by WVA. The court's decision was praised for protecting privacy rights while criticized for curtailing public access to information. There are currently no pending lawsuits challenging the results of the 2024 election or calls to investigate its outcome.
How this summary was created
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