425.109 Pleadings.

(1) A complaint by a merchant to enforce any cause of action arising from a consumer credit transaction shall include all of the following:

(a) An identification of the consumer credit transaction.

(b) A description of the collateral or leased goods, if any, which the merchant seeks to recover or has recovered.

(c) A specification of the facts constituting the alleged default by the customer.

(d)

1. If the consumer credit transaction is pursuant to an open-end credit plan, the actual or estimated amount of U.S. dollars or of a named foreign currency that the merchant alleges he or she is entitled to recover and the figures necessary for computation of the amount alleged to be due to the merchant on a date certain after the customer's default. Figures necessary for computation shall mean the amount reflected on a billing statement addressed to the customer and a breakdown of all charges, interest, and payments, including any amount received from the sale of any collateral, occurring after this date certain. This paragraph does not require a specific itemization, but the breakdown shall identify separately the amount due on a date certain, the total of all charges occurring after this date certain, the total of all interest occurring after this date certain, and the total of all payments occurring after this date certain.

2. If the consumer credit transaction is other than one pursuant to an open-end credit plan, the actual or estimated amount of U.S. dollars or of a named foreign currency alleged to be due to the merchant on a date certain after the customer's default, and a breakdown of all charges, interest, and payments, including any amount received from the sale of any collateral, occurring after this date certain. This paragraph does not require a specific itemization, but the breakdown shall identify separately the amount due on a date certain, the total of all charges occurring after this date certain, the total of all interest occurring after this date certain, and the total of all payments occurring after this date certain.

(e) Except in an action to recover goods subject to a consumer lease, a statement that the customer has the right to redeem any collateral as provided in s. 425.208 (1) (intro.) and the actual or estimated amount of U.S. dollars or of a named foreign currency required for redemption, itemized in accordance with s. 425.208 (1) (a) to (d).

(f) Except in an action to recover goods subject to a consumer lease, the estimated amount of U.S. dollars or of a named foreign currency of any deficiency claim which may be available to the merchant following the disposition of any collateral recovered subject to the limitations of s. 425.209 or which the merchant seeks to recover and which the merchant intends to assert subject to the limitations of s. 425.210 if the customer fails to redeem the collateral.

(g) If the customer still has the right to cure a default under s. 425.105 pursuant to a notice given under s. 425.104, the total payment or other performance necessary to cure the alleged default and the exact date by which it must be made.

(h) Subject to sub. (2) and s. 425.205 (4), an accurate copy of the writings, if any, evidencing the transaction, except that with respect to claims arising under open-end credit plans, a statement that the merchant will submit accurate copies of the writings evidencing the customer's obligation to the court and the customer upon receipt of the customer's written request therefor on or before the return date or the date on which the customer's answer is due.

(2) Upon the written request of the customer under sub. (1) (h), the merchant shall submit accurate copies to the court and the customer of writings evidencing the customer's obligation pursuant to an open-end credit plan upon which the merchant's claim is made and default judgment may not be entered for the merchant unless the merchant does so. The writings requirement under this subsection is satisfied if the merchant provides the customer with a copy of the billing statement referenced in sub. (1) (d) 1. addressed to the customer reflecting the total outstanding balance on the customer's account at the time this billing statement was issued. If this billing statement is attached to the complaint, then the statement under sub. (1) (h) is not required to be included in the complaint.

(3) A default judgment may not be entered upon a complaint which fails to comply with this section.

(4) For purposes of subchs. III and IV, a complaint that fails to comply with this section does not constitute a violation of chs. 421 to 427, and shall not give rise to recovery of attorney fees under s. 425.308, unless the customer establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that the failure to comply was willful or intentional.

History: 1971 c. 239; 1983 a. 389; 1991 a. 236; 2015 a. 155.

A stated amount owed as of a specific date with a per diem interest figure is not a sufficient statement of “the figures necessary for computation of the amount" as required by sub. (1) (d). A complaint is not sufficient under this section because it meets the general rules of notice pleading. Household Finance Corp. v. Kohl, 173 Wis. 2d 798, 496 N.W.2d 708 (Ct. App. 1993). See also Bank One v. Ofojebe, 2005 WI App 151, 284 Wis. 2d 510, 702 N.W.2d 456, 04-0902.

A company that purchased an overdue credit card account and brought an action to collect the amount due on it was not a “creditor" within the meaning of s. 421.301 (16) and not subject to the pleading requirements of sub. (1). Rsidue, LLC v. Michaud, 2006 WI App 164, 295 Wis. 2d 585, 721 N.W.2d 718, 05-1299.

Sub. (2) requires a creditor to document any transaction it wishes to collect upon. Estate of Newgard v. Bank of America, 2007 WI App 161, 303 Wis. 2d 466, 735 N.W.2d 578, 07-0082.

Even if there was a failure to comply with the pleading requirements of this section, such a failure cannot deprive a small claims court of subject matter jurisdiction and cannot render a default judgment void. Mercado v. GE Money Bank, 2009 WI App 73, 318 Wis. 2d 216, 768 N.W.2d 53, 08-1992.