Wis. Stat. § 905.03 — WI Code / Chapter 905 / Section 905.03
Lawyer-client privilege.
Status: in_force

(1) Definitions. As used in this section:

(a) A “client” is a person, public officer, or corporation, association, or other organization or entity, either public or private, who is rendered professional legal services by a lawyer, or who consults a lawyer with a view to obtaining professional legal services from the lawyer.

(b) A “lawyer” is a person authorized, or reasonably believed by the client to be authorized, to practice law in any state or nation.

(c) A “representative of the lawyer” is one employed to assist the lawyer in the rendition of professional legal services.

(d) A communication is “confidential” if not intended to be disclosed to 3rd persons other than those to whom disclosure is in furtherance of the rendition of professional legal services to the client or those reasonably necessary for the transmission of the communication.

(2) General rule of privilege. A client has a privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person from disclosing confidential communications made for the purpose of facilitating the rendition of professional legal services to the client: between the client or the client’s representative and the client’s lawyer or the lawyer’s representative; or between the client’s lawyer and the lawyer’s representative; or by the client or the client’s lawyer to a lawyer representing another in a matter of common interest; or between representatives of the client or between the client and a representative of the client; or between lawyers representing the client.

(2m) Privilege when client is a fiduciary. When a lawyer represents a client who is serving as a personal representative, trustee, trust protector, directing party, guardian, conservator, guardian ad litem, attorney in fact for financial matters, health care agent, or other fiduciary, the lawyer’s client is the person who is acting as a fiduciary, and not anyone to whom the client owes fiduciary or other duties, and communication between the lawyer and such a client is protected from disclosure to the same extent as if the client was not acting as a fiduciary. The privilege may be claimed by the client, or otherwise as provided in sub. (3) , even against anyone to whom the client owes fiduciary or other duties.

(3) Who may claim the privilege. The privilege may be claimed by the client, the client’s guardian or conservator, the personal representative of a deceased client, or the successor, trustee, or similar representative of a corporation, association, or other organization, whether or not in existence. The person who was the lawyer at the time of the communication may claim the privilege but only on behalf of the client. The lawyer’s authority to do so is presumed in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

(4) Exceptions. There is no privilege under this rule:

(a) Furtherance of crime or fraud. If the services of the lawyer were sought or obtained to enable or aid anyone to commit or plan to commit what the client knew or reasonably should have known to be a crime or fraud; or

(b) Claimants through same deceased client. As to a communication relevant to an issue between parties who claim through the same deceased client, regardless of whether the claims are by testate or intestate succession or by inter vivos transaction; or

(c) Breach of duty by lawyer or client. As to a communication relevant to an issue of breach of duty by the lawyer to the lawyer’s client or by the client to the client’s lawyer; or

(d) Document attested by lawyer. As to a communication relevant to an issue concerning an attested document to which the lawyer is an attesting witness; or

(e) Joint clients. As to a communication relevant to a matter of common interest between 2 or more clients if the communication was made by any of them to a lawyer retained or consulted in common, when offered in an action between any of the clients.

(5) Forfeiture of privilege.

(a) Effect of inadvertent disclosure. A disclosure of a communication covered by the privilege, regardless of where the disclosure occurs, does not operate as a forfeiture if all of the following apply:

1. The disclosure is inadvertent.

2. The holder of the privilege or protection took reasonable steps to prevent disclosure.

3. The holder promptly took reasonable steps to rectify the error, including, if applicable, following the procedures in s. 804.01 (7) .

(b) Scope of forfeiture. A disclosure that constitutes a forfeiture under par. (a) extends to an undisclosed communication only if all of the following apply:

1. The disclosure is not inadvertent.

2. The disclosed and undisclosed communications concern the same subject matter.

3. The disclosed and undisclosed communications ought in fairness to be considered together.

History: Sup. Ct. Order, 59 Wis. 2d R1, R111 (1973); 1991 a. 32 ; Sup. Ct. Order No. 12-03 , 2012 WI 114, 344 Wis. 2d xxi; 2013 a. 151 s. 28 ; 2023 a. 127 .