Supreme Court, without being asked, takes up second lawsuit over powers of Tony Evers, Josh Kaul

MADISON - In a rare move, the Wisconsin Supreme Court took control Friday of an appeal of a lawsuit challenging laws passed by Republicans limiting the powers of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul.

Without being asked, the state's highest court assumed jurisdiction over the appeal of the lawsuit brought by labor unions arguing the legislators' actions in December violated the state constitution's separation-of-powers doctrine.

The court's decision means two of the four lawsuits challenging the GOP-controlled Legislature's action before Evers and Kaul were sworn into office will be decided by the Supreme Court, which is controlled by conservative-leaning justices.

The court's four conservative justices wrote that they "concluded that the interests of the state would be best served by the appeal bypassing the court of appeals and proceeding in this court."

Read more: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/19/lame-duck-laws-supreme-court-takes-up-second-lawsuit-over-powers-tony-evers-josh-kaul-without-being/3525462002/