75.521(3)(am)5.5. The names of all municipalities, other than the foreclosing county, having any right, title or interest in the land or in the tax liens or in the proceeds thereof. 75.521(3)(b)(b) Such list of tax liens shall be verified by the affidavit of the county treasurer and shall be posted in the treasurer’s office. The filing of such list of tax liens in the office of the clerk of the circuit court shall constitute and have the same effect as the filing and recording in the office of the register of deeds of such county of a separate and individual notice of the pendency of such proceeding as to each parcel described in such list, and likewise, not withstanding any other provision of law, shall constitute the commencement of a special proceeding by the county against each parcel of real estate therein described and have the same effect as the filing or recording of an individual and separate petition or complaint by the county against each parcel of real estate therein described to enforce the payment of the tax liens against such property. 75.521(3)(c)(c) A copy of the petition and so much of the list of tax liens as shall include the description of a particular parcel shall be mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, by the county treasurer to the last-known post-office address of each owner and mortgagee of record, the state of Wisconsin in the instances specified in par. (am) 2., and to each municipality, other than the foreclosing county, having any right, title or interest in the land or in the tax liens or the proceeds thereof. An affidavit of the treasurer setting forth the names of the owners, mortgagees, the state of Wisconsin in the proper case and municipalities for whom a post-office address has been ascertained, giving the addresses and stating that notice was mailed, giving the date of mailing, and stating that no present post-office address was ascertainable for the other owners and mortgagees, shall be filed and constitute full compliance with this paragraph. 75.521(3m)(3m) Extended time for foreclosing tax liens. 75.521(3m)(a)1.1. “Dwelling” means any building that contains one or 2 dwelling units and any land included with that building in the same entry on the tax roll. 75.521(3m)(a)2.2. “Dwelling unit” means a structure or that part of a structure used as a home, residence or sleeping place by one person or by 2 or more persons maintaining a common household, to the exclusion of all others. 75.521(3m)(b)(b) The common council of any city authorized to proceed under s. 74.87 may by ordinance direct its treasurer to defer the foreclosure of tax liens on dwellings. The ordinance shall designate the period of time that the foreclosure of tax liens shall be deferred after the one-year period provided under sub. (3) (a) 1. and 2. The deferral period may not exceed 2 years. The deferral shall apply to those delinquent taxes and assessments incurred while the dwelling was owned and occupied by the person who owns and occupies the building at the beginning of the deferral period. If the owner ceases to occupy the dwelling during the deferral period, the city treasurer shall foreclose the tax lien on the dwelling as soon as practicable. A city adopting an ordinance under this subsection may require the dwelling owner to submit proof that the owner is eligible for a deferral under this subsection. 75.521(4)(4) Duty of the clerk of circuit court. Each clerk of the circuit court with whom the list of tax liens is filed shall index it by year and list number, and alphabetically by the names of those set forth in the list, under sub. (3) (am) 2., in a separate record kept for that purpose and the clerk shall be entitled to a fee of $3 for receiving, filing and indexing of each such list, in lieu of any other fees to which he or she might otherwise be entitled for those services. The circuit court of the county in which the delinquent list is filed has jurisdiction of the proceeding authorized by this section. 75.521(5)(5) Rights of persons having an interest in parcels of land affected by tax liens. Every person, including any municipal taxing district other than the county, having any right, title or interest in, or lien upon, any parcel described in such list may redeem such parcel by paying all of the sums mentioned in such list of tax liens together with interest thereon and the reasonable costs that the county incurred to initiate the proceedings under sub. (3) plus the person’s share of the reasonable costs of publication under sub. (6), or such portion thereof as is due for the interest therein or part thereof owned by such person which amount shall be determined by the county treasurer on application, before the expiration of the redemption period mentioned in the notice published pursuant to sub. (6), or may serve a verified answer upon the county treasurer of such county, as provided in sub. (7). The caption of such answer shall contain a reference to the number or numbers of the parcels concerned as shown by the treasurer’s list. Such answer must be served on said county treasurer and filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court within 30 days after the date mentioned in the notice published pursuant to sub. (6), as the last day for redemption. In the event of the failure to redeem or answer by any person having the right to redeem or answer within the time herein limited, such person, and all persons claiming under and through that person, from and after the date of the filing of said list of tax liens with the clerk of the circuit court, shall be forever barred and foreclosed of all his or her right, title and interest in and to the parcel described in such list of tax liens and a judgment in foreclosure may be taken as herein provided. Upon redemption as permitted by this section, the person redeeming shall be entitled to a certificate evidencing such redemption from the county treasurer of such county, describing the property in the same manner as it is described in such list of tax liens and the fact of such redemption shall be noted upon the tax rolls in the office of the county treasurer, who shall file a certified copy of such redemption certificate with the clerk of the circuit court and upon such filing, such clerk shall note the word “Redeemed” and the date of such filing opposite the description of said parcel on such list of tax liens. Such notation shall operate to cancel the notice of pendency of proceeding with respect to such parcel or such portion thereof. The person so redeeming shall be entitled to add the amount paid in redemption to the face amount of any lien which the person may have against said lands and to have interest thereon until paid. 75.521(6)(6) Public notice of in rem proceeding. Upon the filing of such list in the office of the clerk of the circuit court, the county treasurer forthwith shall prepare a notice that such list of tax liens and petition has been so filed and a copy thereof posted in the office of said county treasurer. The treasurer shall cause such notice, together with the list of tax liens and petition, to be published as a class 3 notice, under ch. 985. Such notice shall be in substantially the following form: NOTICE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROCEEDING
IN REM TO FORECLOSE TAX LIENS
BY .... COUNTY
(Here insert list of tax liens and petition as filed in office of clerk of the circuit court.)
Take notice That all persons having or claiming to have any right, title or interest in or lien upon the real property described in the list of tax liens, No. ...., on file in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of .... county, dated ...., and hereinabove set forth, are hereby notified that the filing of such list of tax liens in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of .... county constitutes the commencement by said .... county of a special proceeding in the circuit court for .... county to foreclose the tax liens therein described by foreclosure proceeding in rem and that a notice of the pendency of such proceeding against each piece or parcel of land therein described was filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court on .... (insert date). Such proceeding is brought against the real property herein described only and is to foreclose the tax liens described in such list. No personal judgment will be entered herein for such taxes, assessments or other legal charges or any part thereof.
Take further notice That all persons having or claiming to have any right, title or interest in or lien upon the real property described in said list of tax liens are hereby notified that a certified copy of such list of tax liens has been posted in the office of the county treasurer of .... county and will remain posted for public inspection up to and including .... (here insert date at least 8 weeks from the date of the first publication of this notice) which date is hereby fixed as the last day for redemption.
Take further notice That any person having or claiming to have any right, title or interest in or lien upon any such parcel may, on or before said .... (insert redemption final date), redeem such delinquent tax liens by paying to the county treasurer of .... county, the amount of all such unpaid tax liens and in addition thereto, all interest and penalties which have accrued on said unpaid tax liens, computed to and including the date of redemption, plus the reasonable costs that the county incurred to initiate the proceedings plus the person’s share of the reasonable costs of publication under sub. (6).
.... County
By ....
County Treasurer
75.521(7)(7) Right of person having an interest in or lien upon parcels described in list of tax liens, to answer petition. 75.521(7)(a)(a) Every person having any right, title or interest in or lien upon any parcel described in such list of tax liens, may serve a duly verified answer upon the county treasurer for such county, setting forth in detail, the nature and amount of that person’s interest and objecting to the proposed foreclosure upon one or more of the following grounds only: 75.521(7)(a)1.1. That the lands in which such person is interested, described in such list of tax liens, were not liable to taxation, special assessment, special charge or special tax at the time the tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax for the nonpayment of which the tax lien arises, was levied. 75.521(7)(a)2.2. That the tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax for the nonpayment of which said tax lien arises, was in fact paid before the last day of the redemption period provided by law. 75.521(7)(a)3.3. That the tax lien is barred by the statute of limitations. 75.521(7)(b)(b) No other defense to the petition of said county set forth in such tax list, shall be set up. Such answer must be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court and served upon the county treasurer of such county within 30 days after the date hereinabove mentioned, as the last date for redemption. 75.521(8)(8) Duty of the court to enter judgment in default cases. In the event of the failure to redeem or answer by any person having the right to redeem or answer as hereinabove provided, such person and all persons claiming under and through that person, from and after the date of the filing of the list of tax liens in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county, shall be forever barred and foreclosed of all right, title and interest and equity of redemption in and to the parcel described in such list of the tax liens, and upon filing of an affidavit of such default or failure of redemption by the county treasurer of such county, the court in which such list of tax liens is filed, shall render final judgment ordering and adjudging that the county is vested with an estate in fee simple absolute in such lands, subject, however, to all unpaid taxes and charges which are subsequent to the latest dated valid tax lien appearing on the list specified in sub. (3) (b) and to recorded restrictions as provided by s. 75.14 (4) and all persons, both natural and artificial, including the state of Wisconsin, infants, individuals adjudicated incompetent, absentees, and nonresidents who may have had any right, title, interest, claim, lien or equity of redemption in such lands, are forever barred and foreclosed of such right, title, interest, claim, lien or equity of redemption. Such judgment shall be deemed to be based on the latest dated valid tax lien appearing on the list of tax liens. No personal judgment shall be entered against any person having or claiming to have any right, title or interest in or lien upon said lands. Such judgment shall have the effect of the issuance of a tax deed or deeds and of judgment to bar former owners and quiet title thereon. 75.521(9)(9) Filing of affidavit. All affidavits of filing, publication, posting, mailing or other acts required by this section, shall be made by the person performing such acts and shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the property subject to such tax lien is situated and shall, together with all other documents required in this section, filed in such office, constitute and become part of the judgment roll in such foreclosure proceeding. 75.521(10)(10) Contested issues and trial thereof. If a duly verified answer is served upon the county treasurer within the period mentioned in sub. (7), the court shall hear and determine the issues raised by the petition and answer in the same manner and under the same rules as it hears and determines civil actions, except as in this section otherwise provided. Upon such trial, proof that such tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax, together with any interest or penalty which may have been due was paid, or that the property was not subject to tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax, or that such tax lien is barred by the statute of limitations, shall constitute a complete defense. Whenever an answer is interposed as herein provided, there shall be a severance of the proceeding as to any parcel or parcels of land in which such answering defendant has any right, title or interest as alleged in his or her answer, and as to the other parcels in such list, the proceeding shall proceed as provided in sub. (8). 75.521(11)(11) Preference over other proceedings and actions. Any proceeding brought pursuant to this section shall be given preference over all other causes and actions not on trial and no such proceeding shall be referred. 75.521(12)(12) Presumptions of validity; guardian ad litem. 75.521(12)(a)(a) The county need not plead or prove the various steps, proceedings and notices for the assessment and levy of the taxes, assessments or other lawful charges against the lands set forth in the list of tax liens and all such taxes, assessments or other lawful charges and the lien thereof shall be presumed to be valid. A defendant alleging any jurisdictional defect or invalidity in the tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax, because of which said land was not liable to taxation, special assessment or other lawful charge, must particularly specify in the defendant’s answer such jurisdictional defect or invalidity and must affirmatively establish such defense. 75.521(12)(b)(b) This section shall apply to and be valid and effective with respect to all defendants even though one or more be infants, individuals adjudicated incompetent, absentees or nonresidents of the state of Wisconsin, provided that a guardian ad litem shall be appointed to serve for all persons known or unknown who have or may have an interest in the lands described in any list and who are or may be minors or individuals adjudicated incompetent at the date of filing such list. Such guardian ad litem may be appointed by the court without notice, and the fee for the services of the guardian ad litem as fixed by the court shall be paid by the county. 75.521(13)(a)(a) Where, as to any parcel in the list of tax liens, an answer has been interposed by a party and the court shall determine in favor of such party upon such answer, the court shall make a final judgment divesting said parcel of the lien alleged to have accrued against same. 75.521(13)(b)(b) In the event that the court shall determine that the issue raised by the answer of the defendant is without merit, a final judgment to such effect shall be entered ordering and adjudging that the county is vested with an estate in fee simple absolute in such lands subject, however, to all unpaid taxes and charges which are subsequent to the latest dated tax lien appearing on the list specified in sub. (3) (b) and to recorded restrictions as provided by s. 75.14, and all persons, both natural and artificial, including the state of Wisconsin, infants, individuals adjudicated incompetent, absentees and nonresidents who may have had any right, title, interest, claim, lien or equity of redemption in such lands, are forever barred and foreclosed of such right, title, interest, claim, lien or equity of redemption. Such judgment shall be deemed to be based on the latest dated tax lien appearing on the list of tax liens. Such judgment shall have the effect of the issuance of a tax deed or deeds and of judgment to bar former owners and quiet title thereon. 75.521(14)(14) Judgment to be recorded. A certified copy of the judgment of the court in both default and contested cases shall be recorded by the prevailing party in the office of the register of deeds of such county. 75.521(14a)(14a) Damages. Any person who was the owner of any right, title or interest in land which was lost by judgment of foreclosure as provided in this section may within 2 years from the date of entry of such judgment, in the cases hereinafter mentioned other than fraud and within 6 years in the case of fraud, commence an action in the circuit court against the county to recover the fair market value of the person’s interest therein at the date of entry of said judgment of foreclosure in rem. If the court determines that such person’s right, title and interest in said land was unjustly foreclosed and lost because said person’s interest in such lands was not subject to taxation, special assessment, special charge or special tax at the time of the levy of the tax, assessment or charge, for nonpayment of which said lands were foreclosed, or that in fact such tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax was paid by said owner, or that the tax lien upon which the judgment of foreclosure in rem was based was barred by the statute of limitations, or if such person lost said property through fraud without fault on his or her part, the court shall determine the fair market value of said land or of said person’s interest therein as hereinabove set forth. The fair market value shall not exceed the amount arrived at by dividing the assessed valuation of such lands in the year in which such judgment in rem was entered by the percentage ratio of real estate assessments prevailing for the taxing district in which the lands were located as set forth in the equalization for state tax purposes of the same year. The court shall award judgment to such plaintiff in such amount, together with reasonable attorney fees to be fixed by the court, and the plaintiff’s costs and disbursements of such action. The amount awarded the plaintiff shall be reduced by the total amount due, as of the date of entry of such judgment, for all current taxes and upon all tax certificates held by the county on such date that the court shall find were valid. Upon payment of the judgment the county may charge back as a tax to any taxing district the amount which such district received from the county in payment of taxes and interest on said land either by distribution of proceeds of sale thereof by the county or through other payment by the county to the extent that it exceeds the amount distributable to such district had the same been based upon the payment of the taxes and interest found by the court to be properly payable at the time of the entry of the judgment of foreclosure and applied in reduction of the amount awarded to the plaintiff hereunder. 75.521 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 174; 1979 c. 34, 89; 1983 a. 52, 192, 302, 538; 1987 a. 27, 378; 1989 a. 330, 347; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1993 a. 301, 490; 1995 a. 224, 225, 417; 1997 a. 72, 250; 1999 a. 96; 2005 a. 387; 2017 a. 207 s. 5. 75.521 AnnotationThe county’s failure to fully comply with the statute renders a foreclosure judgment void. A judgment may not be valid as to one party but void as to another. Waukesha County v. Young, 106 Wis. 2d 244, 316 N.W.2d 362 (1982). 75.521 AnnotationJudgment under this section extinguishes all rights, titles, and interests in foreclosed property, including a claim based on adverse possession. Published notice was sufficient. Leciejewski v. Sedlak, 116 Wis. 2d 629, 342 N.W.2d 734 (1984). 75.521 AnnotationA municipality may constitutionally retain the excess proceeds of a tax lien foreclosure and sale if there has been notice sufficient to meet due process requirements. Due process does not require notices to state that should the tax lien be foreclosed and property sold the municipality may retain all the proceeds. Ritter v. Ross, 207 Wis. 2d 476, 558 N.W.2d 909 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-1941. But see Tyler v. Hennepin County, 598 U.S. ___, 143 S. Ct. 1369, 215 L. Ed. 2d 564 (2023). 75.521 AnnotationIf the provisions of this section are not followed, the remedies of this section are not available. A county’s failure to fully comply with the statute renders the foreclosure judgment void. Topps v. County of Walworth, 2003 WI App 30, 260 Wis. 2d 225, 659 N.W.2d 177, 02-0653. 75.521 AnnotationA reasonable reading of sub. (3) (am) 2. and (c) is that they direct a county to set forth the names of the owners and mortgagees for whom a post-office address is identified in the records that are located in the office of the register of deeds, relating to each affected parcel. Nowhere in the statute does the legislature direct counties, before compiling a list of “unknown addresses” under sub. (3) (c), to search elsewhere if no address appears in the records relating to an affected parcel. Juneau County v. Associated Bank, N.A., 2013 WI App 29, 346 Wis. 2d 264, 828 N.W.2d 262, 12-1304. 75.521 AnnotationAn income tax lien is extinguished by tax deed under s. 75.14 or by judgment under this section. 62 Atty. Gen. 234.
75.5475.54 Reassessment of taxes by order of court. 75.54(1)(1) In all actions in any court of this state in which either party seeks to avoid or set aside in whole or in part any assessment, tax or tax proceeding or reassessment, if the court is of the opinion, after holding a hearing, that, for any reason affecting the groundwork of the tax and all of the property in any taxation district, the assessment, tax or tax proceeding should be set aside, the court shall immediately stay all proceedings in the action and in all other actions affecting the assessment, tax or tax proceeding in the taxation district until a reassessment of the property in the taxation district can be made. The proper officers of the municipality constituting the taxation district or in which the district is located shall reassess the property in the taxation district in the manner specified in the statutes and levy upon the reassessed property the amount of taxes for the year in question. A reassessment under this subsection shall be made by the assessor of the taxation district or by the person the court appoints, and the assessment roll shall be submitted to and passed upon by the board of review in the manner and after the same notice as that which is given in the case of the original assessment. 75.54(2)(a)(a) Upon completion of the review by the board of review under sub. (1), the clerk of the town, village or city in which the reassessed district is situated shall extend upon the assessment roll the taxes lawfully levied upon and apportioned to the property described in the tax roll for the year in question. The tax roll and the tax extended on the tax roll under this section are a public record and are prima facie evidence in any legal proceeding of all of the following: 75.54(2)(a)1.1. The amount of tax justly chargeable against the party seeking to set aside or avoid the original assessment, tax or tax proceeding and the amount of tax upon all lands respecting which the action was brought. 75.54(2)(a)2.2. The amount of tax justly chargeable against every other person and all other lands included in the tax roll for the year in question. 75.54(2)(b)(b) The reassessment and tax roll as corrected under this section shall be completed and filed with the clerk of the taxation district within 90 days from the date of entry of the order for reassessment unless the court upon motion and cause shown extends the time. 75.54(3)(a)(a) Upon completion and filing of the tax roll under sub. (2), notice of the reassessment shall be given by the clerk of the taxation district to the clerk of the court in which the action challenging the tax is pending. The clerk of court shall give notice of the reassessment to the attorneys for the parties to the action and to the attorneys in all other actions pending in which the validity of the original assessment may be involved. 75.54(3)(b)(b) If any party to an action seeking to set aside or avoid the original assessment, tax or tax proceeding desires to contest the validity of a reassessment made under this section, that party shall, within 20 days after notice of the completion and filing of the reassessment and tax roll, file written objections to the reassessment or tax roll with the clerk of the court where the action is pending and serve a copy of those objections upon the attorney for the opposing party within 5 days after filing. 75.54(3)(c)(c) Upon the filing and service of the written objections under par. (b), the court may direct that the issue raised by the objections be tried summarily by the court, which shall make an order sustaining or overruling the objections. If the objections are sustained, the court shall do one of the following: 75.54(3)(c)1.1. Hold the reassessment or tax roll to be invalid and order subsequent reassessments of the tax in the manner and form provided in this section. 75.54(3)(c)2.2. Determine and fix the amount of tax to be paid by the party or parties contesting the original assessment, tax or tax proceeding, and, for that purpose, the court may proceed to take any further evidence that is necessary to determine the tax. 75.54(4)(a)(a) If under sub. (3) the reassessment and tax roll are held by the court to be regular and valid or if no objections to the reassessment and tax roll are filed, the court shall make an order requiring the party or parties contesting the original assessment, tax or tax proceeding to pay into court, for the use and benefit of the party entitled thereto, the amount that by the reassessment the contesting party or parties justly ought to pay. If the amount of tax imposed upon the property of the contesting party by the reassessment, or by the subsequent determination and order of the court, equals or exceeds the amount imposed on the property by the original assessment and tax roll, the party or parties contesting the validity of the assessment shall be adjudged to pay the costs of the suit. Otherwise, upon complying with the order of the court, the contesting party or parties are entitled to judgment with costs. 75.54(4)(b)(b) No judgment rendered in any action under this section affects the validity of any tax against any person other than the parties to the action or affects property that is not described in the complaint in the action. 75.54(5)(5) A stay of proceedings and reassessment in accordance with sub. (1) shall be ordered in all cases in which a tax that has been reassessed by any county, town or village board or common council for one or more years is adjudged uncollectible or void for any reason affecting the groundwork of the tax so as to require a reassessment in order to determine the amount properly due. If the reassessed tax has been levied in different years it is not necessary to make separate assessment rolls for each year. The valuations for each year may be placed opposite the description of the property on the assessment roll in columns headed with the figures of the year, so that the valuations for each year of reassessments are distinct from the valuations for other years entered upon the tax roll. All of the provisions of this section apply to the making and completion of, and to objections and further proceedings in respect to, an assessment under this subsection. An assessment under this subsection shall be treated with respect to each year that it purports to embrace as if it were a separate reassessment roll for that year. 75.54(5g)(5g) The value of property reassessed under this section shall be fixed, as nearly as possible, as of the day as of which the original assessment was made, and the rules for determining the value of the property are those provided by law. 75.54(5r)(5r) This section applies to all actions. 75.54(6)(6) In any action under this section in which the evidence enables the court to determine, with reasonable certainty, the amount of taxes that were justly chargeable against the lands involved in the action, the court, may proceed to judgment without staying proceedings or ordering a reassessment, if it finds that it is for the best interests of all parties to the action that it should do so. 75.54 HistoryHistory: 1991 a. 316; 1997 a. 253. 75.54 AnnotationWhen an initial assessment was unchallenged but annual percentage increases were voided, the “groundwork” of the tax was unaffected under sub. (1). State ex rel. Kaskin v. Board of Review, 91 Wis. 2d 272, 282 N.W.2d 620 (Ct. App. 1979). 75.54 AnnotationThe trial court may determine taxes under either s. 74.74 [now s. 74.39] or this section. Judicial determination of taxes is not an unconstitutional “levy.” Fontana v. Village of Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, 107 Wis. 2d 226, 319 N.W.2d 900 (Ct. App. 1982). 75.54 AnnotationThe court erred in ordering an area reassessment without holding a hearing under sub. (1). State ex rel. Hemker v. Huggett, 114 Wis. 2d 320, 338 N.W.2d 335 (Ct. App. 1983). 75.5575.55 Application of section 75.54. Section 75.54 shall be construed to permit the reassessment, by or under the direction or authority of any city, of the property, real and personal, therein, which city, before and until the passage of these statutes, was authorized by law to make its own tax sales, tax certificates and tax deeds by its own proper officers. And in and for and in respect to every such city and the property, real and personal, therein the mayor and council thereof, the assessors thereof, the city clerk thereof, the board of equalization thereof, and the city treasurer thereof shall, as to any such city and the wards therein, respectively exercise all the powers and perform all the duties and proceed in the manner hereinbefore provided in respect to towns, villages and other cities, and exercise the powers and perform the duties devolved upon the board of supervisors, upon the assessors, upon the town clerk, upon the board of review and upon the town treasurer, respectively, for the reassessment of taxes and the collection thereof. 75.6175.61 Actions related to tax certificates. 75.61(1)(1) One-year limitation. Every action enumerated in s. 75.57, 1955 stats., and s. 66.0731, and every action or proceeding to set aside any inclusion of land in a tax certificate for the nonpayment of taxes, or to cancel any tax certificate, or to restrain the issuing of any tax certificate, or tax deed, for any error or defect going to the validity of the assessment, and affecting the groundwork of such tax, or on account of any void or defective special assessment, shall be commenced within one year from the date of issuance of the tax certificate under s. 74.57, and not thereafter. In every action brought to set aside any such inclusion of land in a tax certificate, or to cancel any tax certificate, or to restrain the issuing of any tax deed upon any ground whatever not going to the validity of the assessment and affecting the groundwork of such tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax, the plaintiff, if he or she shows himself or herself otherwise entitled to judgment, shall, before the entry thereof within a reasonable time to be fixed by the court, pay into the court for the county or city authorized to act under s. 74.87 holding the tax certificate the amount for which such land is delinquent, with interest on all such amounts at the rate of 8 percent per year from the times of payment until the money is paid into court; and in default of such payment within the time so fixed the defendant shall have judgment in the action. This provision as to the payment into court to be made by the plaintiff shall apply to all actions brought to cancel any tax deed, or to remove the cloud upon any title created by any tax certificate or tax deed where the action impeaches the tax deed or tax certificate upon any grounds whatever not affecting the groundwork of the tax for the nonpayment of which such deed or tax certificate was issued. 75.61(2)(2) Tax certificates of county, discount on. Whenever the county holds tax certificates upon real estate and the owner of said real estate or any person, firm, association, corporation or limited liability company holding a valid lien thereon shall claim the assessment of said real estate to be greater than the value that can ordinarily be obtained therefor at private sale, the respective town board, village board or city council where said real estate is situated may take proof under oath of the value of said real estate and make a finding thereon. Upon the filing of said finding with the county treasurer, the treasurer shall accept from said owner or lienholder the proper proportional tax on said real estate based upon the value so found, together with the proper charges, as in the case of redemption of tax certificates, shall cancel said tax certificate as it relates to that real estate, and shall give to said owner or lienholder a receipt for said tax. The difference between the tax as returned and the amount of such proportional tax, exclusive of charges, received by the county as a result of the compromise shall be charged to the town, village or city which returned the same and may be included by the county as a special charge in the next tax levy against such town, city or village. 75.6275.62 Procedure in actions related to tax certificates. 75.62(1)(1) Conditional payment. Whenever any action or special proceeding is hereafter commenced to set aside any inclusion of lands in a tax certificate for the nonpayment of taxes, or to cancel any tax certificate, or to restrain the issuing of any tax certificate or tax deed, or to set aside any tax, for any error or defect going to the validity of the assessment and affecting the groundwork of such tax, within 20 days after the commencement of such action the plaintiff in such action or special proceeding shall pay or cause to be paid to the county, town, city, or village officer entitled to receive the same, the amount of taxes, interest and charges levied against the said lands involved in such action, as a condition of maintaining said action. 75.62(2)(2) Reassessment; proceeding. If in said action or proceeding a reassessment is ordered, the court shall, upon the completion of said reassessment made in the manner required by statute, determine the amount which, according to said reassessment, the plaintiff ought justly to have paid upon the lands involved in said action or special proceeding. 75.62(3)(3) Judgment. The plaintiff in such action or special proceeding shall be entitled to recover judgment for the amount, if any, the plaintiff so paid in excess of the amount the court shall finally determine the plaintiff ought to have paid on the lands involved in said action or proceeding, with interest from the date of such payment. 75.62(4)(4) Payment of judgment. Payment of any judgment so recovered by the plaintiff, shall be made forthwith by the treasurer of any such county, town, city or village, upon presentation of a certified copy thereof, without other or further order. The treasurer shall preserve said copy of said judgment as the treasurer’s warrant for such payment and shall require the satisfaction of record of said judgment upon the making of such payment. The amount of any judgment so paid by the county treasurer shall be charged to the proper town, city or village and may be included by the county as a special charge against such town, city or village if such judgment shall be the result of an error or defect caused by said town, city or village or official thereof. 75.6375.63 Ejectment as to public lands; conditions. 75.63(1)(a)(a) No action may be commenced, maintained or prosecuted by or on behalf of the original owner or any person claiming title through or under the original owner to recover possession of or in any way involving the title to any lands conveyed to this state by any county, or attempted to be so conveyed, and sold by this state to any person until all of the following have been paid into the treasury of the county where the lands are located: 75.63(1)(a)1.1. All taxes levied and assessed on the lands from the date of the sale of the lands by the state. 75.63(1)(a)2.2. All legal charges for assessing and collecting the taxes described in subd. 1, and interest thereon at the rate of 8 percent per year from the January 15 in each year during which the lands were assessed, commencing with the January following the first assessment after the sale. 75.63(1)(a)3.3. All delinquent taxes levied upon and returned against the lands that were unpaid when the lands were conveyed or attempted to be conveyed to the state, together with interest on those delinquent taxes at the rate and in the manner described in subd. 2.
