Court won't re-open union law case

Associated Press

Updated: Jul 6, 2012 12:45 PM

MADISON (AP) — The state Supreme Court won't reconsider a lawsuit challenging Gov. Scott Walker's collective bargaining law.

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne argued Republicans violated the open meetings law during debate on the measure. The Supreme Court ruled in June 2011 the law stands.

Ozanne in December asked the court to reconsider the case. He argued the Michael, Best & Friedrich law firm both defended the law and gave Justice Michael Gableman free legal help in the past, raising questions of impropriety.

Gableman refused to recuse himself from the matter, though, and the court deadlocked 3-3 Friday on Ozanne's request to re-open the case without Gableman. It would have taken four votes to proceed.

The tie means the court has essentially denied Ozanne's request to revisit the case.

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