Opinion ID: 1301652
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Does a Statute of Limitations or Repose Bar this Claim?

Text: ¶ 55 LaBudde also asserts that, even if the judgment was enforceable at the time it was entered, it was subject to the 20-year statute of repose for actions to enforce a judgment. [23] As such, he claims that after December 5, 1994, the divorce judgment no longer had any force or effect and Robert had broad authority to revise or replace his will at any time prior to his death. He concludes that there is no basis for the Tensfeldt children to argue that Robert's estate plan was unlawful in 2000, at the time of his death. ¶ 56 Again, LaBudde's argument misses the mark. The issue is not whether the judgment survives an asserted statute of repose for enforcement of judgments. Rather, the focus is on when the tortious conduct occurred. ¶ 57 Because the alleged tortious conduct at issue in this casethe drafting of the noncompliant estate plansoccurred between 1980 and 1992, we find no occasion to determine whether the court order to make a will continued to be enforceable in 2000, when Robert died. To resolve this dispute, it is sufficient to conclude that it was unlawful for Robert to violate the court order between 1980 and 1992. [24] ¶ 58 The parties acknowledge that the discovery rule, Wis. Stat. § 893.04, applies to this action. See Hansen v. A.H. Robins, Inc., 113 Wis.2d 550, 335 N.W.2d 578 (1983). However, we do not decide here whether any other statute of limitations bars this tort claim or when the causes of action accrued. Those issues were not briefed to this court and it is properly within the province of the circuit court upon remand to address such issues if argued by the parties.