Wis. Stat. § 32.28

(1) In this section:

(a) “Consumer price index” means the average of the consumer price index over each 12-month period, all items, U.S. city average, as determined by the bureau of labor statistics of the U.S. department of labor.

(b) “Litigation expenses” means the sum of the costs, disbursements and expenses, including reasonable attorney, appraisal and engineering fees necessary to prepare for or participate in actual or anticipated proceedings before the condemnation commissioners, board of assessment or any court under this chapter.

(2) Except as provided in sub. (3) , costs shall be allowed under ch. 814 in any action brought under this chapter. If the amount of just compensation found by the court or commissioners of condemnation exceeds the jurisdictional offer or the highest written offer prior to the jurisdictional offer, the condemnee shall be deemed the successful party under s. 814.02 (2) .

(3) In lieu of costs under ch. 814 , litigation expenses shall be awarded to the condemnee if:

(a) The proceeding is abandoned by the condemnor;

(b) The court determines that the condemnor does not have the right to condemn part or all of the property described in the jurisdictional offer or there is no necessity for its taking;

(c) The judgment is for the plaintiff in an action under s. 32.10 ;

(d) The award of the condemnation commission under s. 32.05 (9) or 32.06 (8) exceeds the jurisdictional offer or the highest written offer prior to the jurisdictional offer by at least the amount specified in sub. (4) and at least 15 percent and neither party appeals the award to the circuit court;

(e) The jury verdict as approved by the court under s. 32.05 (11) exceeds the jurisdictional offer or the highest written offer prior to the jurisdictional offer by at least the amount specified in sub. (4) and at least 15 percent;

(f) The condemnee appeals an award of the condemnation commission which exceeds the jurisdictional offer or the highest written offer prior to the jurisdictional offer by at least the amount specified in sub. (4) and at least 15 percent, if the jury verdict as approved by the court under s. 32.05 (10) or 32.06 (10) exceeds the award of the condemnation commission by at least the amount specified in sub. (4) and at least 15 percent;

(g) The condemnor appeals the award of the condemnation commission, if the jury verdict as approved by the court under s. 32.05 (10) or 32.06 (10) exceeds the jurisdictional offer or the highest written offer prior to the jurisdictional offer by at least the amount specified in sub. (4) and at least 15 percent;

(h) The condemnee appeals an award of the condemnation commission which does not exceed the jurisdictional offer or the highest written offer prior to the jurisdictional offer by 15 percent, if the jury verdict as approved by the court under s. 32.05 (10) or 32.06 (10) exceeds the jurisdictional offer or the highest written offer prior to the jurisdictional offer by at least the amount specified in sub. (4) and at least 15 percent; or

(i) The condemnee appeals an assessment of damages and benefits under s. 32.61 (3) , if the judgment is at least the amount specified in sub. (4) and at least 15 percent greater than the award made by the city.

(4)

(a) The amount for the purposes of sub. (3) (d) to (i) shall be $2,700, adjusted as specified in par. (b) .

(b) Beginning on January 1, 2018, and annually on January 1 thereafter, the department of administration shall adjust the dollar amount specified in par. (a) by an amount equal to that dollar amount multiplied by the percentage change in the consumer price index for the prior year, rounded to the nearest dollar. The department shall publish the dollar amounts on its Internet site. Notwithstanding s. 227.10 , the adjusted dollar amounts need not be promulgated as rules under ch. 227 .

History: 1977 c. 440 ; 1983 a. 236 ; 1995 a. 140 ; 2017 a. 59 ; 2021 a. 238 .