SPRING 2023 OVERVIEW

The Wisconsin Supreme Court serves an integral role in upholding our freedoms under Wisconsin laws and our state constitution. Yet, research shows critical gaps in Wisconsinites’ knowledge and awareness of the state’s highest court. In order to bridge those gaps and mitigate confusion, an educational narrative should be built that: 1) increases Wisconsinites’ overall awareness of the court, 2) distinguishes the specific roles of the court, and 3) highlights the issues that have come before the court in the past, and issues that could come before the court in the future.

MESSAGING

KNOWLEDGE GAPS

1. Awareness of SCOWIS → Many Wisconsinites do not know there is a state Supreme Court nor do they understand the ways in which the Court impacts their lives. We must continue to raise awareness through educational content and stress why Wisconsinites should care about getting informed.
2. Role of SCOWIS → As strategic communicators, we must answer (1) what is the WI Supreme Court, (2) what is their duty, (3) what powers do they possess, and (4) what issues could come before the Court.
3. SCOWIS vs. SCOTUS → It is clear from the research that Wisconsinites need information on how our state Supreme Court differs from the U.S. Supreme Court. Make sure you include a distinction and expand on the specific powers of the WI Supreme Court.

ISSUES BEFORE THE COURT

PAST ISSUES

FUTURE ISSUES

• ●Redistricting
• ●Ballot drop boxes
• ●Voter ID
• ●Act 10
• ●COVID-19 emergency orders
• ●Gun issues
• ●The governor’s veto power
• ●Environmental protections and regulations
• ●Open records law

• ●Enforceability and legality of the criminal abortion ban
• ●Challenges to current or future district maps
• ●Election rules and finance laws
• ●2024 presidential election challenges
• ●Environmental protections and regulations
• ●Gun issues
• ●LGBTQ+ rights

TALKING POINTS

1. The Wisconsin Supreme Court is an elected body that exists to defend our freedoms under our state laws and state constitution.
2. Many of the freedoms that we have as Wisconsinites have come before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the past. Such as, [insert freedom/case here] …
3. Many of the freedoms that we have as Wisconsinites could come before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the future. Such as, [insert freedom/case here] …
4. Justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court have both progressive and conservative ideologies.
5. Currently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has a 4-3 conservative ideological majority. This means many cases are decided by just one vote.
6. Justices elected to the court serve 10-year terms.

GENERAL GUIDANCE

✅ Center the issues that matter most to Wisconsinites

✅ Amplify and create easy-to-understand educational content that answers the question, “why should I care?”

✅ Highlight local and community impacts of the state Supreme Court

✅ Lean into value-based messaging that focuses on upholding our freedoms

✅ Emphasize the long-term impact of the court and justice’s 10-year terms

🚫 Do not overcomplicate your communications and avoid legal or industry jargon

DISINFORMATION

What we expect to see:

• ●Public safety: lenient sentences, anecdotes about crime, cash bail, limited resources of law enforcement, etc.
• ●LGBTQ+ rights: culture war narratives surrounding kids, medical care, public schools, and educators.
• ●Abortion: accessibility, the current law, crisis pregnancy centers and attacks against them, medication abortions, etc.
• ●Election integrity: narratives about Milwaukee and Madison, vote by mail and early vote, voter rolls, voter suppression, 2020 election, and voter fraud.
• ●Racism: culture war narratives regarding woke culture, examples of reverse racism, public schools, affirmative action, equitable practices, etc.
• ●COVID-19: safety orders, vaccine injuries, and ivermectin.

Inoculation and Strategy:

✅ Proactive messaging and education on issues.

✅ Exposing motivations for spreading lies and scapegoating people.

🚫 Not amplifying or engaging with disinformation.

RESOURCES

SAMPLE SOCIAL

SAMPLE POSTS:

Cases the Court could see (abortion): “In Wisconsin, there is a 173-year-old criminal abortion law currently on the books that bans abortion in nearly every case. Recently, the @WisDOJ filed a lawsuit that challenges the legality and enforceability of this ban and the Wisconsin Supreme Court could rule on this case sometime in the next year.”

Cases the Court could see (district maps): “Every 10 years, states go through a redistricting process where new congressional and state legislative district maps are drawn. In Wisconsin, these maps are often appealed to the state Supreme Court—meaning that WI Supreme Court justices could have the final say on future and current district maps.”

Upholding our freedoms: “The Wisconsin Supreme Court has a duty to uphold our freedoms under our state laws and state constitution. They have the power to rule on cases spanning from abortion access to election laws and other issues that impact the wellbeing of Wisconsinites.”

Ideological differences on the Court: “The WI Supreme Court is a nonpartisan body that has the duty to ensure fair resolutions to disputes relating to state laws and the state constitution. Still, Justices have their own progressive or conservative ideological beliefs—meaning that many cases are decided by one vote.”

Longer version: “The WI Supreme Court is a nonpartisan body that has the duty to ensure fair resolutions to disputes relating to state laws and the state constitution. Still, Justices have their own progressive or conservative ideological beliefs and currently the WI Supreme Court has a 4-3 conservative ideological majority—meaning that many cases are decided by one vote.”

SCOWIS vs. SCOTUS: “Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, the Wisconsin Supreme Court consists of 7 justices elected by voters to serve a 10 year term. These justices have jurisdiction over lower courts in Wisconsin and the power to determine what cases they will hear related to state laws and the state constitution.”

GRAPHICS: