Wis. Stat. § 805.09

Current through Acts 2023-2024, ch. 272

Section 805.09 - Juries of fewer than 12; five-sixths verdict

(1) JURY. The jury shall consist of a number of persons determined under s. 756.06(2) (b) .

(2) VERDICT. A verdict agreed to by five-sixths of the jurors shall be the verdict of the jury. If more than one question must be answered to arrive at a verdict on the same claim, the same five-sixths of the jurors must agree on all the questions.

Wis. Stat. § 805.09

Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 700 (1975); 1977 c. 318; 1977 c. 447 s. 210; Sup. Ct. Order No. 96-08, 207 Wis. 2d xv (1997).

Five-sixths jury agreement is not required on all questions on the verdict, but on all questions necessary to support a judgment on a particular claim. A verdict must be reviewed on a claim-by-claim basis rather than as a whole. Giese v. Montgomery Ward, Inc. 111 Wis. 2d 392, 331 N.W.2d 585 (1983). The trial court's order to bifurcate the issues of liability and damages and to try the separate issues before separate juries contravened s. 805.05(2) and cannot be reconciled with the requirement of sub. (2) that the same five-sixths of the jury must agree on all questions necessary to sustain a verdict. Waters v. Pertzborn, 2001 WI 62, 243 Wis. 2d 703, 627 N.W.2d 497, 99-1702.