MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court was back at work on Thursday and issued more rulings that will impact state law now and in the future.
In one of their rulings, the court sided against a transgender sex offender who was trying to change her name.
The court also sided with a former member of the state Public Service Commission who did not want to turn over his cellphone in a lawsuit that alleged bias after the member voted to approve a $492 million power line project in 2019.
On Friday, the state's high court is expected to release several more opinions involving cases ranging from voting rights to the power of local health departments.
Here are three cases to watch for:
Among the decisions that could impact the most people, Teigen v. Wisconsin Elections Commission will resolve a dispute over the use of absentee ballot drop boxes and so-called ballot harvesting.
The conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Waukesha County voters in 2021 after the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) told elections officials absentee ballot drop boxes could be used and voters were allowed to have someone else return their ballot for them.
Currently, state law is silent on drop boxes. As for who can return an absentee ballot, according to state statute, “The envelope shall be mailed by the elector, or delivered in person, to the municipal clerk issuing the ballot or ballots.”
In January, a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge ruled that state law prohibits the use of drop boxes outside of a clerk's office. An appeals court reinstated drop boxes for the February primary, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court banned them for the April spring election.
Friday's opinion will determine whether the use of such boxes is permitted going forward.
Another decision expected from the state Supreme Court Friday stems from a 2018 lawsuit and challenges the Madison Metropolitan School District's policy that allows students to change their name and gender identity at school without permission from a parent or guardian.
Parental permission, however, is still required for a student to make any changes on official school records.
So far, the case hasn't made much progress because the parents who brought the lawsuit want to remain anonymous out of fear of harassment.
The Supreme Court may allow those parents to use pseudonymous in order to keep their identities concealed. Friday's anticipated ruling will determine how the case will proceed.
The power of health departments could change as a result of a lawsuit filed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The case, which dates back to 2020, challenges the authority of the Dane County Health Department to issue emergency orders without approval from the Dane County Board of Supervisors.
A ruling from the court will determine if the health department can act without such approval. Additionally, there is a separation of powers question at play, which will resolve whether the actions of a local entity overreached and violated the state constitution.