Guzman v. St. Francis Hospital, Inc.

Wisconsin Supreme Court
Guzman v. St. Francis Hospital, Inc., 234 Wis. 2d 170 (Wis. 2000)
2000 WI 34; 609 N.W.2d 166; 2000 Wisc. LEXIS 33

Guzman v. St. Francis Hospital, Inc.

Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM.

¶ 1. The court is equally divided on whether to affirm or reverse the order of the circuit court for Milwaukee County. Chief Justice Abrahamson, Justices Bablitch and Bradley would affirm. Justices Wilcox, Crooks and Sykes would reverse. Justice Prosser did not participate.

¶ 2. When a certification or bypass results in a tie vote by this court, the better course of action is to vacate our decision to accept certification or bypass and remand the cause to the court of appeals. State v. Richard Knutson, Inc., 191 Wis. 2d 395, 396-97, 528 N.W.2d 430 (1995) (remanding to court of appeals on a tie vote on certification); State v. Elam, 195 Wis. 2d 683, 684-85, 538 N.W.2d 249 (1995) (restating rule but *173declining to remand to court of appeals on a tie vote on bypass because court of appeals had previously decided issue).

¶ 3. Accordingly, we vacate our order granting bypass and remand to the court of appeals.

By the Court. — Order granting bypass vacated and cause remanded to the court of appeals.

Reference

Full Case Name
Audrey Guzman, Nicanor Guzman, Jessica Guzman, a minor, and Steven Guzman, a minor, by their Guardian ad Litem, Plaintiffs-Respondents v. St. Francis Hospital, Inc., American Continental Insurance Company and Wisconsin Patients Compensation Fund, St. Francis Hospital, Defendant-Third-Party James Sullivan, M.D., Physicians Insurance Company of Wisconsin, Richard Fitzpatrick, M.D., and Southeastern Emergency Medical Services, S.C., Third-Party XY & Z Insurance Company, Third-Party
Cited By
1 case
Status
Published