799.29 Default judgments.

(1) Motion to reopen.

(a) There shall be no appeal from default judgments, but the trial court may, by order, reopen default judgments upon notice and motion or petition duly made and good cause shown.

(b) In ordinance violation cases, the notice of motion must be made within 20 days after entry of judgment. In ordinance violation cases, default judgments for purposes of this section include pleas of guilty, no contest and forfeitures of deposit.

(c) In other actions under this chapter, the notice of motion must be made within 12 months after entry of judgment unless venue was improper under s. 799.11. The court shall order the reopening of a default judgment in an action where venue was improper upon motion or petition duly made within one year after the entry of judgment.

(2) Stipulations. The court or judge having trial jurisdiction to recover a forfeiture may, with or without notice, for good cause shown by affidavit and upon just terms, within 30 days after the stipulation has been entered into, relieve any person from the stipulation or any order, judgment or conviction entered or made thereon. Where the stipulation was made without appearance in or having been filed in court, the court or l judge may order a written complaint to be filed and set the matter for trial. The stipulation or a copy shall, in such cases, be filed with the court or judge and costs and fees shall be taxed as provided by law.

History: 1979 c. 32 s. 66; 1979 c. 110 s. 60 (6); Stats. 1979 s. 799.29; 1983 a. 228; 1985 a. 332; 1987 a. 208; 2003 a. 138; 2019 a. 70.

Judicial Council Note, 1983: Sub. (1) (c) liberalizes the time limit for reopening default judgments entered in improperly venued actions. This remedy supplements the court's authority under s. 799.11 (3) to correct venue on its own motion. [Bill 324-S]

Sub. (1) provides the exclusive procedure for reopening a default judgment in small claims proceedings. King v. Moore, 95 Wis. 2d 686, 291 N.W.2d 304 (Ct. App. 1980).