425.106 Exempt property.

(1) Except to the extent that the merchant has a valid security interest which is permitted by chs. 421 to 427 and 429 or has a lien under ch. 779 in such property, or where the transaction is for medical or legal services and there has been no finance charge actually imposed, the following property of the customer shall be exempt from levy, execution, sale, and other similar process in satisfaction of a judgment for an obligation arising from a consumer credit transaction:

(a) Unpaid earnings to the extent provided in s. 812.34.

(b) Clothing of the customer or his or her dependents, and the following: dining table and chairs, refrigerator, heating stove, cooking stove, radio, beds and bedding, couch and chairs, cooking utensils and kitchenware and household goods as defined in 12 CFR 227.13 (d), 12 CFR 535.1 (g) or 16 CFR 444.1 (i) consisting of furniture, appliances, one television, linens, china, crockery and personal effects including wedding rings, except works of art, electronic entertainment equipment, antiques and jewelry, to the extent a nonpossessory security interest in these household goods is prohibited under 12 CFR 227.13 (d), 12 CFR 535.2 (a) (4) or 16 CFR 444.2 (a) (4);

(c) Real property used as the principal residence of the customer or the customer's dependents, to the extent that the fair market value of such property, less all amounts secured by mortgages and liens outstanding against it, is $15,000 or less; and

(d) Earnings or other assets of the customer which are required to be paid by the customer as restitution under s. 973.20.

(2) With respect to process against marital property in satisfaction of a judgment for an obligation described under s. 766.55 (2) (b) arising from a consumer credit transaction, each spouse is entitled to and may claim the exemptions under sub. (1). Each spouse is entitled to one exemption under sub. (1) (c). That exemption is limited to the specified maximum dollar amount, which may be combined with the other spouse's exemption in the same property or applied to different property included under the same exemption.

(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to displace other provisions of law which afford additional or greater protection to the customer.

(4) An order or process in violation of this section is void.

History: 1971 c. 239; 1973 c. 2, 3; 1979 c. 32 s. 92 (9); 1979 c. 89, 177, 221; 1983 a. 36; 1985 a. 37, 256; 1987 a. 398; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 80; 1995 a. 329.

NOTE: As to sub. (2), see notes in 1985 Wis. Act 37, marital property trailer bill.