Chapter 779

779.485(3)(c)1. 1. A manufacturer may not enforce a manufacturers’ lien unless the manufacturer provides notice in writing to the customer, delivered personally or by registered mail to the last-known address of the customer, that states that the manufacturer is claiming a lien for the amount due described in par. (b). Except as provided in subd. 2., if the manufacturer is not paid the amount due within 90 days after the customer receives the notice, and if the manufacturer is still in possession of the special tool, the manufacturer may sell the special tool at public auction under par. (d).

779.485(3)(c)2. 2. If the postal service returns a notice under subd. 1. as undeliverable and if the manufacturer is still in possession of the special tool, the manufacturer may sell the special tool at public auction under par. (d) no sooner than 90 days after the special tool builder publishes, under ch. 985, a class 1 notice of the sale in a newspaper of general circulation in the place of the last-known address of the customer.

779.485(3)(d) (d) Public auction.

779.485(3)(d)1. 1. A manufacturer may not sell a special tool at public auction unless the manufacturer has provided, by registered mail, return receipt requested, the customer and any other person, including a special tool builder, who has perfected by filing a security interest in the special tool, a notice that includes all of the following:

779.485(3)(d)1.a. a. A statement that the manufacturer intends to sell the special tool no sooner than 60 days after receipt of the notice.

779.485(3)(d)1.b. b. A description of the special tool.

779.485(3)(d)1.c. c. The time and place of the public auction.

779.485(3)(d)1.d. d. An itemized statement of the amount for which the manufacturer’s lien is claimed.

779.485(3)(d)1.e. e. A statement that any product produced by the manufacturer with the special tool complies with the quality and quantity ordered by the customer.

779.485(3)(d)2. 2. Except as provided in subd. 3., a manufacturer may sell a special tool at public auction no sooner than 60 days after the customer’s or other person’s receipt of the notice specified in subd. 1., whichever is later, except that, if the postal service returns any of the notices as undeliverable, the manufacturer may sell the special tool no sooner than 60 days after the manufacturer publishes, under ch. 985, a class 1 notice of the intended sale, that includes the information specified in subd. 1., in a newspaper of general circulation in the place where the manufacturer is holding the special tool for sale, in the place of the customer’s last-known address, and in the place of the other person’s last-known address.

779.485(3)(d)3. 3. If a customer disagrees with the statement specified in subd. 1. e. that is included in a notice, the customer may notify the manufacturer of the disagreement in writing by registered mail, return receipt requested. If a manufacturer receives a notification under this subdivision before the date of the public auction, the manufacturer may not sell the special tool at public auction until after the disagreement is resolved.

779.485(3)(e) (e) Proceeds. The proceeds of a sale of a special tool under par. (d) shall, if applicable, first be paid to a prior lienholder who has perfected a lien in an amount sufficient to extinguish that lien. Any excess proceeds shall next be paid to the manufacturer in an amount sufficient to extinguish the manufacturer’s lien. Any remainder shall be paid to the customer.

779.485 History History: 2005 a. 336.

subch. V of ch. 779 SUBCHAPTER V

BREEDING ANIMAL, THRESHING LIENS, ETC.

779.49 779.49 Lien of owner of breeding animal or methods.

779.49(1) (1) 

779.49(1)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), every owner of a stallion, jackass or bull, or semen from a stallion, jackass or bull, kept and used for breeding purposes shall have a lien upon any dam served and upon any offspring gotten by the animal, or by means of artificial insemination for the sum stipulated to be paid for the service of the dam. The owner of the stallion, jackass or bull, used to service, or semen used to artificially inseminate, the dam may seize and take possession of the dam and offspring or either without process at any time before the offspring is one year old, in case the price agreed upon for the service remains unpaid, and sell the offspring at public auction. The sale of the offspring shall be upon 10 days’ notice, to be posted in at least 3 public places in the town where the service was rendered. The proceeds of the sale shall be applied to the payment of the amount due for the service and the expenses of the seizure and sale. The residue, if any, shall be returned to the party entitled to it.

779.49(1)(b) (b) No lien given under this subsection shall be effective for any purpose against an innocent purchaser or mortgagee of the offspring or the dam of the offspring for value unless the owner having a claim for the service records with the register of deeds of the county where the owner of the dam served resides a statement showing that the service has been rendered and the amount due for the service.

779.49(2) (2) Any person who sells, disposes of or gives a mortgage upon any dam which to the person’s knowledge has been served by a stallion, jackass or bull, or artificially inseminated with semen owned by another, the fee for which has not been paid, and who has not given written information to the purchaser or mortgagee of the fact of the service or artificial insemination, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not more than $10 or imprisoned for not more than 60 days.

779.49 History History: 1979 c. 32 s. 57; 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 779.49; 1993 a. 301; 1997 a. 254.

779.50 779.50 Lien for threshing, husking, baling; enforcement.

779.50(1) (1) 

779.50(1)(a) (a) Every person who threshes grain, cuts, shreds, husks or shells corn or bales hay or straw by machine for another shall have a lien upon the grain, corn, hay or straw for the value of the services to the extent that the person contracting for the services has an interest in the grain, corn, hay or straw, from the date of the commencement of the service.

779.50(1)(b) (b) The lien given under par. (a) may be foreclosed at any time within 6 months from the date of the last charge for the services described in par. (a) as long as the charges remain unpaid. For the purpose of foreclosing the lien, the lien claimant may take possession of so much of the grain, corn, hay or straw as shall be necessary to pay for the services and the expenses of enforcing the lien, for the services, and sell the grain, corn, hay or straw at public auction. The auction shall be held upon notice of not less than 10 nor more than 15 days from the date of the seizure of the grain, corn, hay or straw under this paragraph.

779.50(2) (2) Notice of such sale shall be given personally and by posting in at least three public places in the town where the debtor resides, and also in the town where such sale is to be made; and if such debtor is a nonresident of the state, in the town where such grain, corn, hay or straw, or some part thereof, was threshed, cut, husked, shelled or baled, and apply the proceeds of such sale to the payment of such service, together with the expenses of such seizure and sale, returning the residue to the party entitled thereto.

779.50(3) (3) The lien created by this section shall be preferred to all other liens and encumbrances, but does not apply to an innocent purchaser for value unless such lien is recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county where the services were performed within 15 days from the date of the completion of such service.

779.50(4) (4) The costs and expenses of seizure and sale under this section shall be as follows:

779.50(4)(a) (a) For seizing grain, corn, hay or straw, 50 cents.

779.50(4)(b) (b) For posting each notice, 12 cents.

779.50(4)(c) (c) For serving each notice of sale, 25 cents.

779.50(4)(d) (d) For every copy of a notice of sale delivered on request, 12 cents.

779.50(4)(e) (e) For each mile actually traveled, going and returning to serve any notice; or to give or post notices of sale, 10 cents.

779.50(4)(f) (f) For conducting the sale of the grain, corn, hay or straw, 50 cents.

779.50(4)(g) (g) For collecting and paying over all sums upon the sale, 5 percent of the sums collected or $10, whichever is less.

779.50(4)(h) (h) All necessary expenses incurred in taking possession of and preserving any grain, corn, hay or straw.

779.50 History History: 1979 c. 32 s. 57; 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 779.50; 1993 a. 301; 1997 a. 254; 2007 a. 96.

779.50 Annotation Sub. (1) (b) does not state that an agricultural lien is extinguished or terminated if the lienholder chooses not to foreclose within six months of the date of the last charge. This section provides for a permissive foreclosure process. CHS Capital, LLC v. Hellenbrand Farms, LLC, 420 F. Supp. 3d 872 (2019).

subch. VII of ch. 779 SUBCHAPTER VII

MAINTENANCE LIENS

779.70 779.70 Maintenance liens.

779.70(1) (1) Any corporation organized under the laws of this state as a nonprofit, membership corporation for the purpose of maintaining, improving, policing or preserving properties in which its members shall have common rights of usage and enjoyment, including, without limitation because of specific enumeration, private (not public) parks, plazas, roads, paths, highways, piers, docks, playgrounds, tennis courts, beaches, water pumping plant and connecting pipes or sewer plant and connecting pipes, shall have the power to prepare and annually submit to its membership a budget of the expenditures which it proposes to make for the ensuing year. Such budget shall include the expenses of maintaining the necessary organization of the corporation including salaries to officers, fees paid for auditing the books of the corporation and for necessary legal services and counsel fees to the governing board thereof.

779.70(2) (2) 

779.70(2)(a) (a) Upon the adoption and approval of the annual budget by a majority of the members entitled to vote as established by the articles of incorporation and bylaws of the corporation and by rules validly adopted by resolution of the governing board of the corporation, at a regular meeting or adjournment thereof, or upon the approval of a special assessment under par. (e), the governing board of the corporation may levy an assessment not in excess of 8 mills on each dollar of assessed valuation, to be known as a maintenance assessment, against all of the lots, the ownership of which entitles the owner thereof to the use and enjoyment of the properties controlled by the corporation, but the limitation of 8 mills on each dollar of assessed valuation shall not apply in any case in which the property owners or their predecessors in title have, by written contract, or by the terms of their deeds of conveyance, assumed and agreed to pay the costs of maintaining those properties in which the owners have common rights of usage and enjoyment.

779.70(2)(b) (b) The assessment levied under this section shall be equal in amount against each parcel of contiguous lots under common ownership and with one dwelling house in a parcel, with the assessment prorated among the lots in the parcel, or equal in rate against the assessed value of each lot or equal in amount against each lot, at the option of the governing board as it directs each year, except as provided in pars. (c) and (d), and shall be levied at the same time once in each year upon all lots. Assessed value shall include the value of the land comprising the lot and the improvements thereon.

779.70(2)(c) (c) The governing board shall apportion the cost of operating water or sewer plants and facilities thereof and separate such costs from the other expenses of the budget and shall include the expenses of water and sewer plant maintenance only in the levy against those lots which may be improved with a dwelling house on the date when the levy is ordered, and no portion of such cost shall be assessed against the vacant lots or the owners thereof. In computing the cost of operating water or sewer line facilities thereof, reasonable reserves may be set up for depreciation of facilities.

779.70(2)(d) (d) If property owners or their predecessors in title have, by written contract, or by the terms of their deeds of conveyance, agreed to pay unequal amounts, dues or assessments to maintain those properties in which the owners have common rights of usage and enjoyment and if those amounts, dues or assessments which are not based on assessed valuations do not vary more than $25 between lots, then the governing board may apportion the costs of maintaining those properties in proportion to the amounts, dues or assessments specified in the agreement.

779.70(2)(e) (e) The governing board of a corporation may call a special meeting upon at least 5 days’ written notice for the purpose of making a special assessment. The nature of the proposed special assessment shall be included in the notice. A majority of members entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for a special meeting, and a majority of members entitled to vote who are present at the special meeting shall determine a question.

779.70(3) (3) The governing board of a corporation described in sub. (1) shall declare the assessments levied under sub. (2) due and payable at any time after 30 days from the date of the levy. The corporation’s secretary or other officer shall notify the owner of every lot so assessed of the action taken by the board, the amount of the assessment of each lot owned by such owner and the date on which the assessment becomes due and payable. The secretary shall mail the notice by U.S. mail, postage prepaid, to the owner at the owner’s last-known post-office address.

779.70(4) (4) In the event that an assessment levied under sub. (2) against any lot remains unpaid for a period of 60 days from the date of the levy, the governing board of the levying corporation may, in its discretion, file a claim for a maintenance lien against the lot. All of the following apply to a claim for lien under this subsection:

779.70(4)(a) (a) The claim may be filed at any time within 6 months from the date of the levy.

779.70(4)(b) (b) The claim shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the lands affected by the levy lie.

779.70(4)(c) (c) The claim shall contain a reference to the resolution authorizing the levy and the date of the resolution, the name of the claimant or assignee, the name of the person against whom the assessment is levied, a description of the property affected by the levy and a statement of the amount claimed.

779.70(4)(d) (d) The claim shall be signed by the claimant or the claimant’s attorney, need not be verified, and may be amended, in case an action is brought, by court order, as pleadings may be.

779.70(5) (5) The clerk of circuit court shall enter each claim for a maintenance lien in the judgment and lien docket immediately after the claim is filed in the same manner that other liens are entered. The date of levy of assessment will appear on the judgment and lien docket instead of the last date of performance of labor or furnishing materials.

779.70(6) (6) When the corporation, described in sub. (1) has so filed its claim for lien upon a lot it may foreclose the same by action in the circuit court having jurisdiction thereof, and ss. 779.09, 779.10, 779.11, 779.12 and 779.13 shall apply to proceedings undertaken for the enforcement and collection of maintenance liens as described in this subsection.

779.70 History History: 1977 c. 316, 449; 1979 c. 32 ss. 57, 92 (9); 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 779.70; 1989 a. 31; 1995 a. 224; 1997 a. 254.

subch. VIII of ch. 779 SUBCHAPTER VIII

DISPOSITION OF UNCLAIMED ARTICLES

779.71 779.71 Disposition of articles left for laundering, dry cleaning, repair, storage.

779.71(1) (1) Any garment, clothing, wearing apparel or household goods remaining in the possession of a person, firm, partnership or corporation, on which laundering, cleaning, pressing, glazing or dyeing has been done or upon which alteration or repairs have been made, or on which materials or supplies have been used or furnished, for a period of 6 months or more, may be sold to pay the reasonable or agreed charges and the cost of notifying the owner, after giving notice of said sale as specified in sub. (3) to such owner. Property that is to be placed in storage after any of the services or labors mentioned herein are performed shall not be affected by the provisions of this subsection.

779.71(2) (2) All garments, clothing, wearing apparel or household goods placed in storage, or on which any of the services or labors mentioned in sub. (1) have been performed and then placed in storage by agreement and remaining in the possession of a person without the reasonable or agreed charges having been paid for a period of more than 18 months, may be sold to pay said charges after giving notice of said sale as specified in sub. (3) to such owner, provided that where property was delivered to be cleaned, pressed, glazed or dyed, and left for storage in addition to having such work done, it shall not be so sold unless at the time of delivery the owner was given a receipt for such property containing a statement that the property will be sold when such 18 months have elapsed unless called for within such 18 months’ period. Persons operating as warehouses or warehouse keepers shall not be affected by this subsection.

779.71(3) (3) The mailing of a registered letter, with a return address marked thereon, addressed to the owner at their address given at the time of the delivery of the article or articles to a person, firm, partnership or corporation rendering any of the services or labors as set out in this section, stating the time and place of sale, shall constitute notice. Said notice shall be posted or mailed at least 30 days before the date of sale. The costs of posting or mailing said letter shall be added to the charges.

779.71(4) (4) The person, firm, partnership or corporation to whom the charges are payable, shall, from the proceeds of sale, deduct the charges due plus the costs of notifying the owner and shall hold the overplus, if any, subject to the order of the owner and shall immediately thereafter mail to the owner at the owner’s address, if known, a notice of the sale, the amount of overplus, if any, due the owner, and at any time within 12 months, upon demand by the owner, pay to the owner said sums of overplus.

779.71(5) (5) All persons, firms, partnerships or corporations taking advantage of this section must keep posted in a prominent place in their receiving office or offices at all times 2 notices which shall read as follows: “All articles cleaned, pressed, glazed, laundered, washed, altered or repaired and not called for in 6 months will be sold to pay charges”. “All articles stored by agreement and charges not having been paid for 18 months will be sold to pay charges”.

779.71 History History: 1979 c. 32 s. 57; 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 779.71; 1983 a. 500 s. 43.

subch. IX of ch. 779 SUBCHAPTER IX

HOSPITAL LIENS

779.80 779.80 Hospital liens.

779.80(1) (1) Every corporation, association or other organization operating as a charitable institution and maintaining a hospital in this state shall have a lien for services rendered, by way of treatment, care or maintenance, to any person who has sustained personal injuries as a result of the negligence, wrongful act or any tort of any other person.

779.80(2) (2) Such lien shall attach to any and all rights of action, suits, claims, demands and upon any judgment, award or determination, and upon the proceeds of any settlement which such injured person, or legal representatives might have against any such other person for damages on account of such injuries, for the amount of the reasonable and necessary charges of such hospital.

779.80(3) (3) No such lien shall be effective unless a written notice containing the name and address of the injured person, the date and location of the event causing such injuries, the name and location of the hospital, and if ascertainable by reasonable diligence, the names and addresses of the persons alleged to be liable for damages sustained by such injured person, shall be filed in the office of the clerk of circuit court in the county in which such injuries have occurred, or in the county in which such hospital is located, or in the county in which suit for recovery of such damages is pending, prior to the payment of any moneys to such injured person or legal representatives, but in no event later than 60 days after discharge of such injured person from the hospital.

779.80(3)(a) (a) The clerk of circuit court shall enter all hospital liens in the judgment and lien docket, including the name of the injured person, the date of the event causing the injury and the name of the hospital or other institution making the claim. The clerk of circuit court shall receive the fee prescribed in s. 814.61 (5) for entering each lien.

779.80(3)(b) (b) Within 10 days after filing of the notice of lien, the hospital shall send by certified mail or registered mail or serve personally a copy of such notice with the date of filing thereof to or upon the injured person and the person alleged to be liable for damages sustained by such injured person, if ascertained by reasonable diligence. If such hospital fails to give notice if the name and address of the person injured or the person allegedly liable for the injury are known or should be known, the lien shall be void.

779.80(3)(c) (c) The hospital shall also serve a copy of such notice, as provided in par. (b), to any insurer which has insured such person alleged to be liable for the injury against such liability, if the name and address may be ascertained by reasonable diligence.

779.80(4) (4) After filing and service of the notice of lien, no release of any judgment, claim or demand by the injured person shall be valid as against such lien, and the person making any payment to such injured person or legal representatives as compensation for the injuries sustained shall, for a period of one year from the date of such payment, remain liable to the hospital for the amount of such lien.

779.80(5) (5) Such lien shall not in any way prejudice or interfere with any lien or contract which may be made by such injured person or legal representatives with any attorney or attorneys for legal services rendered with respect to the claim of the injured person or legal representatives against the person alleged to be liable for such injury. Said lien shall also be subservient to actual taxable court costs, and actual disbursements made by the attorney in prosecuting the court action.

779.80(6) (6) No hospital is entitled to any lien under this section if the person injured is eligible for compensation under ch. 102 or any other worker’s compensation act.

779.80 History History: 1975 c. 147 s. 54; 1979 c. 32 s. 57; 1979 c. 89; 1979 c. 102 s. 236 (3); 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 779.80; 1981 c. 317; 1991 a. 179; 1995 a. 224.

779.80 Annotation Under s. 609.91, a health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollee has no personal liability for the costs of covered health care received. A hospital only has recourse against the HMO and may not assert its lien rights under this section against insurance proceeds paid by a tortfeasor’s insurer to the HMO enrollee. Dorr v. Sacred Heart Hospital, 228 Wis. 2d 425, 597 N.W.2d 462 (Ct. App. 1999), 98-1772.

779.80 Annotation The circuit court did not err in interpreting federal Medicare law to allow a hospital to enforce a lien under this section after expiration of the time period within which the hospital could have billed Medicare for the plaintiff’s treatment. Laska v. General Casualty Co. of Wisconsin, 2013 WI App 42, 347 Wis. 2d 356, 830 N.W.2d 252, 10-2410.

779.80 Annotation An attorney or law firm that receives and then distributes a settlement payment on a personal injury claim is not, under sub. (4), a person making any payment to the injured person as compensation for the injuries sustained. The tortfeasor’s insurer that made a payment to the injured person through the injured party’s attorney is such a person because it made payment to the injured person as compensation for the injuries sustained. Watertown Regional Medical Center, Inc. v. General Casualty Insurance Co., 2014 WI App 62, 354 Wis. 2d 195, 848 N.W.2d 890, 13-2324.

subch. X of ch. 779 SUBCHAPTER X

PREPAID MAINTENANCE LIEN

779.85 779.85 Definitions. In ss. 779.85 to 779.94:

779.85(1) (1) “Creditor” has the meaning set forth in s. 421.301 (16).

779.85(2) (2) “Customer” means a person who seeks or acquires maintenance on behalf of himself or herself or another person for personal, family, household or agricultural purposes.

779.85(3) (3) “Goods” has the meaning set forth in s. 402.105 (1) (c) except that this term does not include a “motor vehicle” as defined in s. 218.0101 (22).

779.85(4) (4) “Maintenance” means any repair or other services to be performed on goods after the goods have been initially delivered to the premises designated by a customer following its sale, but this term does not include installation, set up charges or delivery charges.