Court Opinion

ID: 9712453
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 04:54:16.374607+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:12.322493
License: Public Domain

FINE, J.
¶ 59. (concurring). I join in the Majority opinion, subject to the following caveats.
¶ 60. First, insurance companies are not generally known for their disinterested largess. If, as the circuit court and the Majority assume, Jana Kainz's claim against the defendants was worth, as estimated by Kainz's guardian ad litem, between $35,000 and $50,000, why was General Casualty Company of Wisconsin willing, nay eager, to pay $125,000? This raises a red flag that is not satisfactorily answered by the Record.
¶ 61. Second, in my view, Wis. Stat. Rule 803.01(3) (2003-04) gives to the circuit court the ability to appoint a guardian ad litem for a party "the court has reason to believe ... is mentally incompetent to have charge of the party's affairs." Rule 803.01(3)(a) (2003-04).1 Certainly, as I read it, what the circuit court did here would be authorized under the amendment to Rule 803.01(3) (2005-06) ("if a party is ... alleged to be incompetent"). I see no substantive difference between *711the old and the new language, and therefore agree that Wis. Stat. Rule 807.10 (2003-04) permits what the circuit court did here. I express no opinion, however, because that issue is not before us, whether the amendment to Rule 807.10, also effective December 1, 2006, which changed the words "mentally incompetent" to "individual adjudicated incompetent," now requires a formal adjudication under Wis. Stat. §§ 54.01(2)-54.50 (2005-06) before a circuit court may approve a settlement under the new Rule 807.10 (2005-06).
¶ 62. I agree that the criteria set out in the Majority opinion, adopting those used by the circuit court, are appropriate considerations when a circuit court believes it necessary to trump a party's desires in connection with the settlement of a civil lawsuit. Depending on the particular facts presented by future cases, the criteria may not be exhaustive, and should not be read as such.

 WISCONSIN Stat. Rule 803.01(3)(a) was amended effective December 1, 2006, to read, as material here:
[I]f tho court ha3 roagon-to -believe that a party is mentally adjudicated incompetent or alleged to be incompetent to have ehargo of-the party's affairs, the party shall appear by an attorney, by the general guardian of the party'3 property estate of the party who may appear by attorney, or by a guardian ad litem who may appear by an attorney.
2005 Wis. Act 387, § 224 (additions indicated by underlining; deletions indicated by strikeouts).