895.524 HistoryHistory: 2013 a. 269. 895.524 AnnotationThe Exculpatory Contract and Public Policy. Anzivino. 102 MLR 747 (2019).
895.525895.525 Participation in recreational activities; restrictions on civil liability, assumption of risk. 895.525(1)(1) Legislative purpose. The legislature intends by this section to establish the responsibilities of participants in recreational activities in order to decrease uncertainty regarding the legal responsibility for deaths or injuries that result from participation in recreational activities and thereby to help assure the continued availability in this state of enterprises that offer recreational activities to the public. 895.525(2)(a)(a) “Agricultural tourism activity” means an educational or recreational activity that takes place on a farm, ranch, grove, or other place where agricultural, horticultural, or silvicultural crops are grown or farm animals or farmed fish are raised, and that allows visitors to tour, explore, observe, learn about, participate in, or be entertained by an aspect of agricultural production, harvesting, or husbandry that occurs on the farm, ranch, grove, or other place. 895.525(2)(b)(b) “Recreational activity” means any activity undertaken for the purpose of exercise, relaxation or pleasure, including practice or instruction in any such activity. “Recreational activity” does not include participating in an alpine sport at a ski area, as those terms are defined in s. 167.33, but includes hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, bowling, billiards, picnicking, exploring caves, nature study, dancing, bicycling that is not biking, as defined in s. 167.33 (1) (ar), horseback riding, horseshoe-pitching, bird-watching, motorcycling, operating an all-terrain vehicle or utility terrain vehicle, recreational aviation, as defined in s. 895.52 (1) (hm), ballooning, curling, throwing darts, hang gliding, hiking, sleigh riding, snowmobiling, skating, participation in water sports, weight and fitness training, sight-seeing, rock-climbing, cutting or removing wood, climbing observation towers, animal training, harvesting the products of nature, participating in an agricultural tourism activity, sport shooting, and participating in an alpine sport outside a ski area, as those terms are defined in s. 167.33, and any other sport, game or educational activity. 895.525(3)(3) Appreciation of risk. A participant in a recreational activity engaged in on premises owned or leased by a person who offers facilities to the general public for participation in recreational activities accepts the risks inherent in the recreational activity of which the ordinary prudent person is or should be aware. In a negligence action for recovery of damages for death, personal injury or property damage, conduct by a participant who accepts the risks under this subsection is contributory negligence, to which the comparative negligence provisions of s. 895.045 shall apply. 895.525(4)(a)(a) A participant in a recreational activity engaged in on premises owned or leased by a person who offers facilities to the general public for participation in recreational activities is responsible to do all of the following: 895.525(4)(a)2.2. Heed all warnings regarding participation in the recreational activity. 895.525(4)(a)3.3. Maintain control of his or her person and the equipment, devices or animals the person is using while participating in the recreational activity. 895.525(4)(a)4.4. Refrain from acting in any manner that may cause or contribute to the death or injury to himself or herself or to other persons while participating in the recreational activity. 895.525(4)(b)(b) A violation of this subsection constitutes negligence. The comparative negligence provisions of s. 895.045 apply to negligence under this subsection. 895.525(4m)(4m) Liability of contact sports participants. 895.525(4m)(a)(a) A participant in a recreational activity that includes physical contact between persons in a sport involving amateur teams, including teams in recreational, municipal, high school and college leagues, may be liable for an injury inflicted on another participant during and as part of that sport in a tort action only if the participant who caused the injury acted recklessly or with intent to cause injury. 895.525(4m)(b)(b) Unless the professional league establishes a clear policy with a different standard, a participant in an athletic activity that includes physical contact between persons in a sport involving professional teams in a professional league may be liable for an injury inflicted on another participant during and as part of that sport in a tort action only if the participant who caused the injury acted recklessly or with intent to cause injury. 895.525(5)(5) Effect on related provisions. Nothing in this section affects the limitation of property owners’ liability under s. 895.52 or the limitation of school districts’ liability, of school boards’ liability, and of liability of governing bodies of charter schools under s. 895.523. 895.525 AnnotationThis section codifies common law. It does not impose a greater duty of care on individuals than exists at common law. Rockweit v. Senecal, 197 Wis. 2d 409, 541 N.W.2d 742 (1995), 93-1130. 895.525 AnnotationSub. (3) does not mean that all who ski are negligent under all circumstances. Subs. (3) and (4) when read together impose an obligation of ordinary care on a skier to avoid foreseeable harms, including adherence to the conditions enumerated in sub. (4). Ansani v. Cascade Mountain, Inc., 223 Wis. 2d 39, 588 N.W.2d 321 (Ct. App. 1998), 97-3514. 895.525 AnnotationCheerleaders are immune from negligence actions because they participate in a recreational activity that includes physical contact between persons in a sport involving amateur teams. Cheerleading is a sport because a sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill that is governed by a set of rules or customs. Cheerleaders are on amateur teams because a team is a group organized to work together and cheerleaders are a group dedicated to leading fan participation and taking part in competitions. Cheerleading involves a significant amount of contact among the participants that at times can produce a forceful interaction between the cheerleaders when one person is tossed high into the air and then caught by those same tossers. Noffke v. Bakke, 2009 WI 10, 315 Wis. 2d 350, 760 N.W.2d 156, 06-1886. 895.525 AnnotationThe Exculpatory Contract and Public Policy. Anzivino. 102 MLR 747 (2019).
895.525 AnnotationGo Team! Wisconsin’s Latest Recreational Immunity Controversy. Condon. Wis. Law. June 2009.
895.526895.526 Participation in an alpine sport; restrictions on civil liability, assumption of risk. 895.526(1)(1) Definitions. All definitions in s. 167.33 apply to this section unless the context otherwise requires. 895.526(2)(2) Appreciation of conditions and risk of participation in an alpine sport. 895.526(2)(a)(a) Every participant in an alpine sport at a ski area accepts the conditions and risks of the alpine sport as set forth in s. 167.33 (2). 895.526(2)(b)(b) Every participant in an alpine sport at a ski area is presumed to have seen and understood signage provided by the ski area operator pursuant to s. 167.33 (3). 895.526(2)(c)(c) Every participant in an alpine sport at a ski area accepts that failure to wear a helmet or wearing a helmet that is improperly sized, fitted, or secured increases the risk of injury or death or the risk of a more severe injury. Every participant in an alpine sport at a ski area accepts that a helmet may not be available for purchase or for rent at a ski area. 895.526(2)(d)(d) Every participant in an alpine sport at a ski area accepts that natural or man-made items or obstacles within a ski area, including ski area infrastructure and ski area vehicles, may be unpadded or not heavily padded and accepts that there may be a higher risk of injury or death or of a more severe injury associated with a collision with an item or obstacle that is unpadded or not heavily padded. 895.526(3)(3) Responsibilities of a participant in an alpine sport. Every participant in an alpine sport is responsible to do all of the following: 895.526(3)(b)(b) Choose whether to wear a helmet while participating in the alpine sport. If the participant chooses to wear a helmet, he or she has the responsibility to ensure the helmet is of the correct size and fit and to ensure that it is properly secured while he or she participates in the alpine sport. 895.526(4)(4) Limits on liability for a ski area operator; release and liability of a participant. 895.526(4)(a)(a) A ski operator who fulfills all of his or her duties under s. 167.33 (3) and (4) owes no further duty of care to a participant in an alpine sport and is not liable for an injury or death that occurs as a result of any condition or risk accepted by the participant under sub. (2). 895.526(4)(b)(b) A participant involved in a collision with any other participant or with a nonparticipant may be liable for an injury or death that occurs as a result of the collision. 895.526(5)(5) Effect on related provision. Nothing in this section affects the limitation of a property owner’s liability under s. 895.52. 895.526 HistoryHistory: 2011 a. 199; 2015 a. 168. 895.526 AnnotationCodify This: Exculpatory Contracts in Wisconsin Recreational Businesses. Nold. 101 MLR 573 (2017).
895.526 AnnotationThe Exculpatory Contract and Public Policy. Anzivino. 102 MLR 747 (2019).
895.5265895.5265 Civil liability exemption; placement of certain structures in waterways. 895.5265(1)(1) In this section, “department” means the department of natural resources. 895.5265(2)(2) A person is immune from civil liability for damage to personal property, injury to a person, or death caused by placing a structure on the bed of a navigable water or in a wetland if the structure is placed for the purpose of fish and wildlife habitat creation, protection, or improvement or if the structure is a net pen that meets the requirements under s. 30.12 (3) (b) 1. a., b., and c., and if any of the following applies: 895.5265(2)(a)(a) The department authorized the person to place the structure under a permit or other approval issued under subch. II of ch. 30 or under s. 281.36 and the person placed the structure in accordance with the permit or other approval. 895.5265(2)(b)(b) The person is exempt from any permit requirement under subch. II of ch. 30 or under s. 281.36 and the structure is placed in a manner that meets the exemption requirements. 895.5265(2)(c)(c) The person is acting under the direction of a person described under par. (a) or (b). 895.5265(2m)(2m) A person is immune from civil liability for damage to personal property, injury to a person, or death caused by a structure described under sub. (2) if the structure was placed on the bed of a navigable water or in a wetland on or adjacent to the person’s property by a predecessor in title to the property. 895.5265(3)(3) No person authorized under sub. (2) (a), (b), or (c) to place a structure in a navigable water or wetland and no person described under sub. (2m) owe to any person a duty to do any of the following: 895.5265(3)(b)(b) Give warning of the existence of the structure unless specifically required by law. 895.5265(3)(c)(c) Give warning of an unsafe condition caused by the structure. 895.5265 HistoryHistory: 2015 a. 220. 895.527895.527 Sport shooting range activities; limitations on liability and restrictions on operation. 895.527(1)(1) In this section, “sport shooting range” means an area designed and operated for the use and discharge of firearms. 895.527(2)(2) A person who owns or operates a sport shooting range is immune from civil liability related to noise resulting from the operation of the sport shooting range. 895.527(3)(3) A person who owns or operates a sport shooting range is not subject to an action for nuisance or to state or local zoning conditions related to noise. If a sport shooting range, on the date it was established, was a lawful or legal nonconforming use under any state law or local ordinance related to its use that was in effect on that date, the sport shooting range continues to be subject to the state laws and local ordinances related to its use that were in effect on the date it was established. No court may enjoin or restrain the operation or use of a sport shooting range on the basis of noise or on the basis of noncompliance with a state law or local ordinance related to its operation or use that was enacted after the date that the sport shooting range was established if the sport shooting range, on the date it was established, was a lawful or legal nonconforming operation or use under any state law or local ordinance related to its operation or use that was in effect on that date. 895.527(4)(4) Any sport shooting range that exists on July 16, 2013, may continue to operate as a sport shooting range at that location notwithstanding any zoning ordinance enacted under s. 59.69, 59.692, 60.61, 60.62, 61.35 or 62.23 (7), if the sport shooting range is a lawful use or a legal nonconforming use under any zoning ordinance enacted under s. 59.69, 59.692, 60.61, 60.62, 61.35 or 62.23 (7) that is in effect on July 16, 2013. The operation of the sport shooting range continues to be a lawful use or legal nonconforming use notwithstanding any expansion of, or enhancement or improvement to, the sport shooting range. 895.527(5)(5) Any sport shooting range that exists on June 18, 1998, may continue to operate as a sport shooting range at that location notwithstanding all of the following: 895.527(6)(6) A city, village town or county may regulate the hours between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. that an outdoor sport shooting range may operate, except that such a regulation may not apply to a law enforcement officer as defined in s. 165.85 (2) (c), a member of the U.S. armed forces or a private security person as defined in s. 440.26 (1m) who meets all of the requirements under s. 167.31 (4) (a) 4. 895.527(7)(7) A person who is shooting in the customary or a generally acceptable manner at a sport shooting range between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. is presumed to not be engaging in disorderly conduct merely because of the noise caused by the shooting. 895.527(8)(8) An owner or operator of a sport shooting range, or an employee, agent, contractor, customer, or insurer of the owner or operator of a sport shooting range, and any user of a sport shooting range is immune from civil liability in any action commenced by the state or its political subdivisions, or by a special purpose district, related to the use, release, placement, deposition, or accumulation of any projectiles on or under the sport shooting range or other contiguous real property over which the owner or operator of a sport shooting range has an easement, leasehold, or other legal right to use. 895.527(9)(9) An owner, operator, officer, or board member of a sport shooting range, and any employee or volunteer acting on behalf of the owner or operator who provided recommendations regarding the operation of a sport shooting range, are immune from any civil action based solely on the negligent action of a user of the sport shooting range. 895.527(10)(10) This section does not impair or diminish the private property rights of owners of property adjoining a sport shooting range. 895.527 AnnotationThis section does not prohibit the application of a zoning ordinance to a sport shooting range unless the range was a lawful use under the ordinance as of June 18, 1998. Town of Avon v. Oliver, 2002 WI App 97, 253 Wis. 2d 647, 644 N.W.2d 260, 01-1851. 895.527 AnnotationThe Exculpatory Contract and Public Policy. Anzivino. 102 MLR 747 (2019).
895.528895.528 Civil liability exemption; placement of markers in waterways. 895.528(1)(1) Except as provided in sub. (2), a person is immune from civil liability for damage or injury caused by placing, or failing to place, buoys or other markers in a waterway if all of the following apply: 895.528(1)(a)(a) The person holds, or acts under the direction of a person who holds, a permit or other approval from the department of natural resources that authorizes the placement of the buoys or markers in the waterway. 895.528(1)(b)(b) The permit or other approval described under par. (a) authorizes placement of buoys or markers for the purpose of identifying or marking hazards in the waterway. 895.528(2)(2) A person is not immune from civil liability under sub. (1) for damage or injury caused by placing, or failing to place, buoys or other markers in a waterway if the person intentionally causes the damage or injury. 895.528 HistoryHistory: 2015 a. 91. 895.529895.529 Civil liability limitation; duty of care owed to trespassers. 895.529(1)(a)(a) “Possessor of real property” means an owner, lessee, tenant, or other lawful occupant of real property. 895.529(1)(b)(b) “Trespasser” means a natural person who enters or remains upon property in possession of another without express or implied consent. 895.529(2)(2) Except as provided in sub. (3), a possessor of real property owes no duty of care to a trespasser. 895.529(3)(3) A possessor of real property may be liable for injury or death to a trespasser under the following circumstances: 895.529(3)(a)(a) The possessor of real property willfully, wantonly, or recklessly caused the injury or death. This paragraph does not apply if the possessor used reasonable and necessary force for the purpose of self-defense or the defense of others under s. 939.48 or used reasonable and necessary force for the protection of property under s. 939.49. 895.529(3)(b)(b) The person injured or killed was a child and all of the following apply: 895.529(3)(b)1.1. The possessor of real property maintained, or allowed to exist, an artificial condition on the property that was inherently dangerous to children. 895.529(3)(b)2.2. The possessor of real property knew or should have known that children trespassed on the property.
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