Case Name: New Richmond News and Steven Dzubay, Plaintiffs-Respondents, v. City of New Richmond, Defendant-Appellant
Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Wisconsin
Decision Date: 2015-12-18
Citations: 365 Wis. 2d 610
Docket Number: No. 2014AP1938
Parties: New Richmond News and Steven Dzubay, Plaintiffs-Respondents, v. City of New Richmond, Defendant-Appellant.
Judges: ¶ 4. REBECCA G. BRADLEY, J., did not participate.
Reporter: Wisconsin Reports Second
Volume: 365
Pages: 610–627

Head Matter:
New Richmond News and Steven Dzubay, Plaintiffs-Respondents, v. City of New Richmond, Defendant-Appellant.
Supreme Court
No. 2014AP1938.
Oral argument September 18, 2015.
Decided December 18, 2015.
2015 WI 106
(Also reported in 875 N.W.2d 107.)
For the defendant-appellant, there were briefs by Remzy D. Bitar, Timothy M. Johnson, Samantha R. Schmid, and Crivello Carlson, S.C., Milwaukee, and oral argument by Remzy D. Bitar.
For the plaintiff-respondents, there was a brief by Dustin B. Brown, Robert J. Dreps and Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., Madison, and oral argument by Robert J. Dreps.
There was an amicus curiae brief by Christa Westerberg and McGillivray Westerberg & Bender LLC, on behalf of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
There was an amicus curiae brief by Andrew C. Cook, assistant attorney general, Delanie Breuer, assistant attorney general, with whom on the brief was Brad D. Schimel, attorney general, on behalf of the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
There was an amicus curiae brief by Claire Sliverman and League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Madison, and Andrew T. Phillips and von Briesen & Roper, S.C., Milwaukee, on behalf of League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Wisconsin Counties Association.
There was an amicus curiae brief by Timothy M. Barber, Michael J. Modi, Gesina M. Seiler and Axley Brynelson, LLP, Madison, on behalf of Wisconsin County Mutual Insurance Corporation and Community Insurance Corporation.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
¶ 1. The court is equally divided on whether to affirm or reverse the judgment of the circuit court for St. Croix County. This case was argued before the full court; however, Justice N. Patrick Crooks passed away prior to the court's decision. Justice Rebecca G. Bradley was appointed to the court after the court's decision, and therefore did not participate. Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson, Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, and Justice David T. Prosser would affirm. Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack, Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler, and Justice Michael J. Gableman would reverse.
¶ 2. This court accepted jurisdiction over this appeal on a petition to bypass. Wis. Stat. § (Rule) 809.60 (2013-14). We have previously stated that when a tie vote occurs in this court on a bypass or certification, "justice is better served in such an instance by remanding to the court of appeals for their consideration." State v. Richard Knutson, Inc., 191 Wis. 2d 395, 396-97, 528 N.W.2d 430 (1995) (remanding to court of appeals on a tie vote on certification); see also State v. Elam, 195 Wis. 2d 683, 684-85, 538 N.W.2d 249 (1995) (restating rule but declining to remand to court of appeals on a tie vote on bypass because court of appeals had previously decided issue).
¶ 3. Accordingly, we vacate our order granting the petition to bypass and remand to the court of appeals.
By the Court. — Decision to grant the petition to bypass vacated and cause remanded.
¶ 4. REBECCA G. BRADLEY, J., did not participate.