WisconsinWisconsin law lets sexual-extortion victims seek civil damages
People harmed by conduct prohibited under Wisconsin's sexual-extortion law may seek damages in civil court, even if no criminal case was filed or it ended differently.
What it does
People harmed by conduct prohibited under Wisconsin's sexual-extortion law may seek money in civil court for physical injury, emotional distress, or lost property. Those who win may recover damages and reasonable case costs.
If prohibited sexual-extortion conduct was a substantial cause of a person's suicide, an eligible representative may bring a wrongful-death case. The usual limits on damages in wrongful-death cases do not apply.
Plaintiffs may use initials on court papers, and courts must protect identifying details from public disclosure. Courts may also order protections against burdensome examinations or release of legally confidential information.
Argument forPeople who win a civil case could recover damages and reasonable legal costs, even when no criminal case was filed or the criminal case ended differently.
Argument againstA court must protect identifying details from the public but share them with other parties, which could concern plaintiffs who want to keep their identity private.
More detail
A person who suffers harm from conduct prohibited under Wisconsin's sexual-extortion law may bring a civil case against the person who caused it. The harm must be physical injury, emotional distress, or loss of property caused by conduct prohibited under section 942.095. A parent or legal guardian may bring the case for a child; an estate representative may bring it for someone who has died. A person who wins may recover damages, including for emotional distress, and reasonable legal and investigation costs.
An eligible person may bring a wrongful-death case if prohibited conduct was a substantial cause of a person's suicide. The person must have died by suicide, and conduct prohibited under section 942.095 must have been a substantial cause of the suicide. The case may be brought by the deceased person's estate representative or the person entitled to receive the recovery. The usual damage limits for wrongful-death cases do not apply to this case.
A plaintiff may use initials instead of a name and address on court papers; the court must protect the plaintiff's identifying details from public disclosure. These protections apply to civil cases under this section. A court may protect a plaintiff from public identification, burdensome examinations, or disclosure of information that is legally confidential. The plaintiff's lawyer must give the identifying information to the court, which must share it with other parties in a way that reasonably protects it from the public. A court may also order protections on its own or, for good cause, after the plaintiff asks.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 9Published 4-9-2026Latest
- Apr 9Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-8-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 215Became Law
- Apr 2Presented to the Governor on 4-2-2026To Governor
- Mar 23Report correctly enrolled on 3-23-2026Minor
- Mar 18Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Mar 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 17Read a third time and concurred inPassed Senate
- Mar 17Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Mar 17Read a second timeMinor
- Mar 17Senators Ratcliff and Smith added as cosponsors
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Vote recorded Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 16Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 3Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, Ayes 8, Noes 0Minor
- Mar 3Executive action taken
- Feb 27Read first time and referred to committee on Judiciary and Public SafetyMinor
- Feb 26Representative Subeck added as a coauthor
- Feb 23Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 19Ordered immediately messaged
- Vote recorded PASSAGE. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 19Read a third time and passed, Ayes 95, Noes 1Passed Assembly
- Feb 19Rules suspended
- Feb 19Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 19Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 19Representatives Clancy, Hong and Miresse added as coauthors
- Feb 18Made a special order of business at 11:48 AM on 2-19-2026 pursuant to Assembly Resolution 14
- Feb 13Representative Madison added as a coauthor
- Feb 10Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 5, Noes 1. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10Report passage recommended by Committee on Judiciary, Ayes 5, Noes 1Minor
- Feb 10Executive action taken
- Feb 6Representative Phelps added as a coauthor
- Feb 5Representative Hysell added as a coauthor
- Feb 4Representative Steffen added as a coauthor
- Feb 4Public hearing held
- Jan 28Read first time and referred to Committee on JudiciaryMinor
- Jan 28Introduced by Representatives B. Jacobson, Snyder, Mursau, Behnke, Brill, Dittrich, Gundrum, Knodl, Kreibich, Maxey, Moses, Murphy, O'Connor, Piwowarczyk, Spiros and Tittl; cosponsored by Senators James, Quinn and WanggaardIntroduced
Criminal Justice