Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 811.03

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Municipality: includes cities and villages; it may be construed to include towns. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Property: includes real and personal property. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • State: when applied to states of the United States, includes the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the several territories organized by Congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
   (1)    On contract or judgment. Before any writ of attachment shall be executed the plaintiff or someone in the plaintiff’s behalf shall make and annex thereto an affidavit setting forth specific factual allegations to show that the defendant is indebted, or that property of the defendant is available, to the plaintiff in a sum exceeding $50 specifying the amount above all setoffs, and that the same is due upon contract or upon a judgment and that the affiant knows or has good reason to believe either:
      (a)    That the defendant is absent from this state, or is concealed therein so that summons cannot be served on the defendant; or
      (b)    That the defendant has disposed of or concealed or is about to dispose of or conceal the defendant’s property or some part thereof with intent to defraud the defendant’s creditors; or
      (c)    That the defendant has removed or is about to remove property out of this state with intent to defraud the defendant’s creditors; or
      (d)    That the defendant fraudulently incurred the obligation respecting which the action is brought; or
      (e)    That the defendant is not a resident of this state; or
      (f)    That the defendant is a foreign corporation; or if domestic that no officer or agent thereof on whom to serve the summons exists or resides in this state or can be found; or
      (g)    That the action is against a defendant as principal on an official bond to recover money due the state or to some county or other municipality therein, or that the action is against the defendant as principal upon a bond or other instrument given as evidence of debt for or to secure the payment of money embezzled or misappropriated by such defendant as an officer of the state or of a county or municipality therein.
   (2)   Tort action. Except as provided in ss. 806.30 to 806.44, in tort actions the affidavit shall state that a cause of action in tort exists in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant, that the damages sustained exceed $50, specifying the amount claimed and either:
      (a)    That the defendant is not a resident of this state; or that the defendant’s residence is unknown and cannot with due diligence be ascertained; or
      (b)    That the defendant is a foreign corporation.
   (3)   On demands not yet due. An action may be maintained and a writ of attachment issued on a demand not yet due in any case mentioned in this section, except the cases mentioned in sub. (1) (e), (f) and (g) and the same proceedings in the action shall be had and the same affidavit shall be required as in actions upon matured demands except that the affidavit shall state that the debt is to become due; but the bond specified in s. 811.06 shall be conditioned in 3 times the amount claimed in the affidavit. In case an attachment is issued before the maturity of the debt and a traverse to such attachment is sustained the court shall render a judgment for damages and costs against the plaintiff.

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