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Tri-Corp Housing, Inc. v. Robert Bauman

Paid petition · Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, District I, No. 2022AP993 · judgment August 27, 2024


Certiorari denied · October 6, 2025
Pre-decision estimate: 1% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Question presented

  1. When is a claimant an “involuntary public figure” within the meaning set forth in Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc., 418 U.S. 323, 94 S. Ct. 2997, 41 L. Ed. 2d 789 (1974), thereby requiring proof of actual malice in an action for defamation?

  2. In a jury trial, must the question of whether a party claiming defamation is a “limited purpose public figure” be raised by the defense and decided by the court before the case is sent to the jury?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
John Edward Machulak
Machulak, Robertson & Sodos, S.C.

For respondent
Matthew R. McClean
Amundsen Davis, S.C.

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Oct 06 2025
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Jul 23 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
  3. Jul 07 2025
    Waiver of right of respondent Robert Bauman to respond filed.
  4. Apr 16 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 7, 2025)