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| {{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
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| {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
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| In direct response to election changes related to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]] and [[2020 United States presidential election in Wisconsin]]; [[Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign|Donald Trump's campaign]] launched numerous lawsuits contesting the election processes of Wisconsin. All were either dismissed or dropped.
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| The sole case ruled in favour of Trump and the Republican party was ''Mark Jefferson v. Dane County, Wisconsin'', on December 14, 2020. On December 14, 2020, a petition was filed in the [[Wisconsin Supreme Court]] by Mark Jefferson and the [[Republican Party of Wisconsin]] seeking a declaration that (1) Dane County lacks the authority to issue an interpretation of Wisconsin's election law allowing all electors in Dane County to obtain an absentee ballot without a photo identification and (2) Governor [[Tony Evers]]' Emergency Order #12 did not authorize all Wisconsin voters to obtain an absentee ballot without a photo identification. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mark Jefferson and the Republican Party of Wisconsin, stating that the Dane County government's interpretation of Wisconsin election laws was erroneous. "A county clerk may not 'declare' that any elector is indefinitely confined due to a pandemic," the court said. The court further stated that "...the presence of a communicable disease such as COVID-19, in and of itself, does not entitle all electors in Wisconsin to obtain an absentee ballot..." This ruling had no effect on the results of either Dane County or Wisconsin.
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| == Summary of lawsuits ==
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| {| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
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| |+Wisconsin post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election
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| !First filing date
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| !Case
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| !Court
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| !Docket no(s).
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| !Outcome
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| !Comments
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| !References
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| |{{Date table sorting|2020-11-12}}
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| |''[[Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election#Langenhorst v. Pecore|Langenhorst v. Pecore]]''
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| |[[U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin]]
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| |1:20-cv-01701-WCG
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| |Dropped
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| |Plaintiffs alleged inclusion of some invalid ballots in [[Milwaukee County, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]], [[Menominee County, Wisconsin|Menominee]] and [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane]] counties results resulted in vote-dilution disenfranchisement, and sought to invalidate all votes from those counties before Wisconsin certified their results.
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| Voluntarily dismissed by plaintiffs.
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| |<ref>{{Cite web|title=🚨ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT IN WISCONSIN|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/cases/wisconsin-democratic-counties-election-challenge/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116052247/https://www.democracydocket.com/cases/wisconsin-democratic-counties-election-challenge/|archive-date=November 16, 2020|access-date=November 13, 2020|website=Democracy Docket|date=November 12, 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Bazelon|first=Emily|date=November 14, 2020|title=Trump Is Not Doing Well With His Election Lawsuits. Here's a Rundown.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/us/politics/trump-election-lawsuits.html|url-status=live|access-date=November 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116052312/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/us/politics/trump-election-lawsuits.html|archive-date=November 16, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Docket for Langenhorst v. Pecore, 1:20-cv-01701|url=http://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18625260/langenhorst-v-pecore/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118210525/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18625260/langenhorst-v-pecore/|archive-date=November 18, 2020|access-date=November 16, 2020|website=CourtListener|language=en-us}}</ref>
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| |{{Date table sorting|2020-11-23}}
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| |''[[Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election#Wisconsin Voters Alliance v. Wisconsin Elections Commission|Wisconsin Voters Alliance v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n]]''
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| |[[Wisconsin Supreme Court]]
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| |2020AP1930-OA
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| |Dismissed
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| |Plaintiffs claimed thousands of illegal ballots were cast and sought to stop certification of election.
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| ''Petition denied.''
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| |<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Cheney|first1=Kyle|last2=Gerstein|first2=Josh|date=December 4, 2020|title=Donald Trump's brutal day in court|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/04/donald-trump-in-court-443010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205143732/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/04/donald-trump-in-court-443010|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=[[Politico]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Voters Alliance vs. Wisconsin Election Commissions|url=https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=393|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129201501/https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=393|archive-date=November 29, 2020|access-date=November 29, 2020|website=Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Tornabene|first1=Juliana|last2=Baik|first2=Michelle|date=November 24, 2020|title=Group asks state high court to toss election results and order legislature to pick electors|url=https://www.nbc15.com/2020/11/24/voter-group-files-lawsuit-against-the-wisconsin-elections-commission-over-election-results/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124223144/https://www.nbc15.com/2020/11/24/voter-group-files-lawsuit-against-the-wisconsin-elections-commission-over-election-results/|archive-date=November 24, 2020|access-date=November 29, 2020|website=nbc15.com|language=en|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bauer|first=Scott|date=November 24, 2020|title=Republicans sue to stop Wisconsin vote certification|url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-madison-wisconsin-7882adcf4ed8fc941fa6948e1da9e5ab|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128032408/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-madison-wisconsin-7882adcf4ed8fc941fa6948e1da9e5ab|archive-date=November 28, 2020|access-date=November 29, 2020|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Order (Wisconsin Voters Alliance v. Wisconsin Elections Commission)|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1930-OAfinal-12-4-20.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205203748/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1930-OAfinal-12-4-20.pdf|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref>
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| |{{Date table sorting|2020-11-27}}
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| |''[[Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election#Mueller v. Jacobs|Mueller v. Jacobs]]''
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| |[[Wisconsin Supreme Court]]
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| |No. 2020AP1958-OA
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| |Dismissed
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| |Plaintiffs claimed ballots collected from [[Ballot box|drop boxes]] were illegal and should not be counted; sought to stop certification of election.
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| Wisconsin Supreme Court denied the petition in a 4–3 decision.
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|
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| ''Petition denied.''
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| |<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 27, 2020|title=Mueller v. Jacobs, Complaint|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/201127Mueller.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202171018/https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/201127Mueller.pdf|archive-date=December 2, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sadowski|first=Jonathon|date=November 30, 2020|title=Explained: Two Lawsuits Seek to Nullify Wisconsin's Election|url=https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/11/30/explained-there-are-currently-two-lawsuits-trying-to-nullify-wisconsins-election/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130210244/https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/11/30/explained-there-are-currently-two-lawsuits-trying-to-nullify-wisconsins-election/|archive-date=November 30, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=UpNorthNews|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kremer|first=Rich|date=November 28, 2020|title=New Lawsuit Asks State Supreme Court To Toss Nov. 3 Election Results|url=https://www.wpr.org/new-lawsuit-asks-state-supreme-court-toss-nov-3-election-results|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130180915/https://www.wpr.org/new-lawsuit-asks-state-supreme-court-toss-nov-3-election-results|archive-date=November 30, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=Wisconsin Public Radio|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 29, 2020|title=Wisconsin election recount confirms Biden's win over Trump|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/29/completed-wisconsin-election-recount-confirms-bidens-win-over-trump.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201072934/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/29/completed-wisconsin-election-recount-confirms-bidens-win-over-trump.html|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mueller v. Jacobs, Wisconsin Supreme Court Order|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1958-OA-12-3-20.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203230853/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1958-OA-12-3-20.pdf|archive-date=December 3, 2020|access-date=December 10, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Jannene|first=Jeramey|date=November 27, 2020|title=New Lawsuit Challenges Election Drop Boxes, Wants Election Thrown Out|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/11/27/new-lawsuit-challenges-election-drop-boxes-wants-election-overturned/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128135123/https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/11/27/new-lawsuit-challenges-election-drop-boxes-wants-election-overturned/|archive-date=November 28, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=Urban Milwaukee|language=en}}</ref>
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| |{{Date table sorting|2020-12-01}}
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| |''[[Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election#Feehan v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n|Feehan v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n]]''
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| |[[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin]]
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| |2:20-cv-1771
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| |Dismissed
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| |Plaintiffs challenged a variety of election practices and claimed electronic ballot stuffing campaign occurred. Plaintiffs seek decertification of election results. The case was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction on December 9, 2020. The plaintiff also lacked legal standing.
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|
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| |<ref>{{Cite web|title=Complaint for Declaratory, Emergency, and Permanent Injunctive Relief|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/Feehan-ED-WI-Lawsuit-Complaint1.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201233226/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/Feehan-ED-WI-Lawsuit-Complaint1.pdf|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Jannene|first=Jeramey|date=December 1, 2020|title=Sidney Powell Files Suit to Overturn State Election|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/12/01/sidney-powell-files-suit-to-overturn-state-election/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201211121/https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/12/01/sidney-powell-files-suit-to-overturn-state-election/|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Urban Milwaukee|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":282">{{Cite web|last=Bauer|first=Scott|date=December 1, 2020|title=Trump files lawsuit challenging Wisconsin election results|url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-lawsuit-wisconsin-results-6b6f053d548b6be8f3e85e975661fe0d|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201194105/https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-lawsuit-wisconsin-results-6b6f053d548b6be8f3e85e975661fe0d/|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=AP News}}</ref><ref name=":292">{{Cite web|last=Vetterkind|first=Riley|date=December 1, 2020|title=As promised, Trump campaign files lawsuit over Wisconsin's recount|url=https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/as-promised-trump-campaign-files-lawsuit-over-wisconsins-recount/article_029fdc44-9087-59f4-8624-296ab4830be6.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204224333/https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/trump-campaign-files-lawsuit-over-wisconsins-recount/article_029fdc44-9087-59f4-8624-296ab4830be6.html|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Wisconsin State Journal|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Feehan v. Wisconsin Elections Commission|url=https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=407|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225643/https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=407|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Order Regarding Amended Motion for Injunctive Relief (Dkt. No. 6)|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/20314487219.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225239/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/20314487219.pdf|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Beck|first=Molly|date=December 1, 2020|title=GOP candidate says he was used without permission as a plaintiff in lawsuit to overturn Wisconsin election results|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/01/wisconsin-republican-says-he-used-without-permission-trump-suit/3786051001/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202080126/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/01/wisconsin-republican-says-he-used-without-permission-trump-suit/3786051001/|archive-date=December 2, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Pepper|first=Pamela|date=2020-12-09|title=Order Granting Defendants' Motions to Dismiss (Dkt. Nos. 51, 53), Denying as Moot Plaintiff's Amended Motion for Injunctive Relief (Dkt. No. 6) and Dismissing Case|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18702085/83/feehan-v-wisconsin-elections-commission/|work=Feehan v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n|via=courtlistener.com|access-date=2020-12-21|archive-date=2020-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222013417/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18702085/83/feehan-v-wisconsin-elections-commission/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Sidney|date=2020-12-10|title=Plaintiff's Notice of Appeal|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020-12-10-Notice-Of-Appeal-dckt-84_0.pdf|work=Feehan v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n|via=democracydocket.com|access-date=2020-12-21|archive-date=2020-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222013415/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020-12-10-Notice-Of-Appeal-dckt-84_0.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
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| |{{Date table sorting|2020-12-01}}
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| |''[[Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election#Trump v. Evers|Trump v. Evers]]''
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| |[[Wisconsin Supreme Court]]
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| |2020AP1971-OA
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| |Dismissed
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| |Plaintiffs challenged several election practices and sought to overturn election results. The court denied hearing the petition in a 4–3 decision due to the case being filed directly in higher court whereas the case must first be filed and heard in circuit court.
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| ''Petition denied.''
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| |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Pete|date=November 23, 2020|title=Trump's election fight includes over 40 lawsuits. It's not going well.|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-s-election-fight-includes-over-30-lawsuits-it-s-n1248289|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205212619/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-s-election-fight-includes-over-30-lawsuits-it-s-n1248289|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=November 23, 2020|website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":282" /><ref name=":292" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Governor Tony Ever's Corrected Opposition to Petition for Original Action|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/3P34436-2020.12.01-Everss-Corrected-Oppn-to-Trump-Pet.-for-Original-Action-clean.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205210355/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/3P34436-2020.12.01-Everss-Corrected-Oppn-to-Trump-Pet.-for-Original-Action-clean.pdf|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Petition for Original Action Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 809.70|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/120120wsctrump.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201161316/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/120120wsctrump.pdf|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Trump v. Evers|url=https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=412|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205210520/https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=412|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Reinwald|first=Caroline|date=December 2, 2020|title=Evers: Trump's election lawsuit seeks to disenfranchise thousands of Wisconsin voters|url=https://www.wisn.com/article/evers-trumps-election-lawsuit-seeks-to-disenfranchise-thousands-of-wisconsin-voters/34841440|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202042427/https://www.wisn.com/article/evers-trumps-election-lawsuit-seeks-to-disenfranchise-thousands-of-wisconsin-voters/34841440|archive-date=December 2, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=WISN|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=WBAY News Staff|date=December 1, 2020|title=President Trump challenges election results in Wisconsin Supreme Court|url=https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/01/president-trump-challenges-election-results-in-wisconsin-supreme-court/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201162641/https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/01/president-trump-challenges-election-results-in-wisconsin-supreme-court/|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=wbay.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Breuninger|first1=Kevin|last2=Mangan|first2=Dan|date=December 1, 2020|title=Trump sues to reverse Biden win in Wisconsin|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/01/trump-campaign-files-election-lawsuit-in-wisconsin-after-state-declares-biden-won-.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202075218/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/01/trump-campaign-files-election-lawsuit-in-wisconsin-after-state-declares-biden-won-.html|archive-date=December 2, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Order (Trump v. Evers)|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020AP1971-OA.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205211927/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020AP1971-OA.pdf|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=WBAY News Staff|date=December 2, 2020|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Trump's election challenge|url=https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/02/evers-calls-trump-lawsuit-shocking-and-outrageous-assault-on-our-democracy/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205212141/https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/02/evers-calls-trump-lawsuit-shocking-and-outrageous-assault-on-our-democracy/|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=wbay.com|language=en}}</ref>
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| |{{Date table sorting|2020-12-02}}
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| |''[[Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election#Trump v. Wisconsin Elections Commission|Trump v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n]]''
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| |[[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin]]<br><br>[[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]]
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| |2:20-cv-01785 (district court)<br><br>20-3414 (appeals court)
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| |Dismissal upheld on appeal
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| |Trump's "Electors Clause claims failed as a matter of law and fact". Additionally, Trump could have challenged the election practices before the vote occurred, but failed to do so.
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| ''Dismissed with prejudice.''
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|
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| Appeals court affirmed the district court's decision.
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| |<ref>{{Cite news|last=Marley|first=Patrick|date=December 12, 2020|title=Federal court judge dismisses 'extraordinary' Trump lawsuit seeking to overturn Wisconsin election|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/12/trump-wisconsin-lawsuit-dismissed-federal-judge/3894689001/|url-status=live|access-date=December 12, 2020|archive-date=December 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212205957/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/12/trump-wisconsin-lawsuit-dismissed-federal-judge/3894689001/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Erik|date=December 13, 2020|title=Trump's Wisconsin Election Suit Dismissed by Federal Judge|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-12/trump-s-wisconsin-election-suit-dismissed-by-federal-judge|url-status=live|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201213024234/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-12/trump-s-wisconsin-election-suit-dismissed-by-federal-judge|archive-date=December 13, 2020}}</ref><ref name=Glauber1/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020-12-12-Notice-Of-Appeal-dckt-136_0.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2020-12-21 |archive-date=2020-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216023522/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020-12-12-Notice-Of-Appeal-dckt-136_0.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/rssExec.pl?Submit=Display&Path=Y2020/D12-24/C:20-3414:J:Scudder:aut:T:fnOp:N:2635261:S:0 Decision] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074346/http://media.ca7.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/rssExec.pl?Submit=Display&Path=Y2020%2FD12-24%2FC%3A20-3414%3AJ%3AScudder%3Aaut%3AT%3AfnOp%3AN%3A2635261%3AS%3A0 |date=2020-12-30 }} of US 7th Circuit</ref>
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| |{{Date table sorting|2020-12-7}}
| |
| |''[[Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election#Trump v. Biden|Trump v. Biden]]''
| |
| |Wisconsin Circuit Court, Milwaukee County
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| |2020CV7092 and 2020CV2514
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| |Ruled after appeal
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| |The district court "affirmed" the certification of Wisconsin's presidential election results, because Trump and other plaintiffs failed to prove that Wisconsin violated its "early voting laws" in its recount.
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| The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 4–3 decision, affirmed the decision of the circuit court; the plaintiffs' claims were either "meritless" or rejected due to a delay that was "unreasonable in the extreme".
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| ''Ruled in favor of the respondents: Biden et al.''
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| |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Klasfeld|first=Adam|date=December 7, 2020|title=Outgoing Trump White House Sues Incoming Biden White House to Disenfranchise Wisconsin's Most Diverse Counties|url=https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/outgoing-trump-white-house-sues-incoming-biden-white-house-to-disenfranchise-wisconsins-most-diverse-counties/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207224248/https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/outgoing-trump-white-house-sues-incoming-biden-white-house-to-disenfranchise-wisconsins-most-diverse-counties/|archive-date=December 7, 2020|access-date=December 8, 2020|website=Law and Crime}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Brewster|first1=Adam|date=December 11, 2020|title=Wisconsin court rejects Trump campaign's recount challenge|work=[[CBS News]]|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wisconsin-court-rejects-trump-campaign-election-recount-challenge/|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074349/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wisconsin-court-rejects-trump-campaign-election-recount-challenge/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Shawn|date=December 11, 2020|title=Wisconsin Judge Delivers Another Legal Blow To Trump, Ruling Against Election Challenge|work=[[Wisconsin Public Radio]]|url=https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-judge-delivers-another-legal-blow-trump-ruling-against-election-challenge|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074512/https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-judge-delivers-another-legal-blow-trump-ruling-against-election-challenge|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Paul|first1=Deanna|date=December 14, 2020|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Denies Trump Campaign Effort to Throw Out Votes|work=[[Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/wisconsin-supreme-court-denies-trump-campaign-effort-to-throw-out-votes-11607969548|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074521/https://www.wsj.com/articles/wisconsin-supreme-court-denies-trump-campaign-effort-to-throw-out-votes-11607969548|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Epstein|first1=Reid|date=December 14, 2020|title=Wisconsin's Supreme Court denies a last-ditch Trump effort to toss 200,000 votes from Milwaukee and Madison.|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/us/politics/wisconsins-supreme-court-denies-a-last-ditch-trump-effort-to-toss-200000-votes-from-milwaukee-and-madison.html|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201216123554/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/us/politics/wisconsins-supreme-court-denies-a-last-ditch-trump-effort-to-toss-200000-votes-from-milwaukee-and-madison.html|archive-date=December 16, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Erik|date=December 14, 2020|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Tosses Trump Bid to Invalidate Votes|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-14/wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-trump-bid-to-invalidate-votes|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201216124559/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-14/wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-trump-bid-to-invalidate-votes|archive-date=December 16, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=December 14, 2020|title=Trump v. Biden: On Petition to Bypass Court of Appeals, Review of Decision of the Circuit Court|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/ORDER-3.pdf|work=Supreme Court of Wisconsin|via=democracydocket.com|access-date=December 21, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074330/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/ORDER-3.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
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| == ''Feehan v. Wisconsin Elections Comm'n'' ==
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| On December 1, 2020, Bill Feehan, the [[La Crosse County, Wisconsin|La Crosse County]] Republican Party chairman, filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission in federal court.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Complaint for Declaratory, Emergency, and Permanent Injunctive Relief|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/Feehan-ED-WI-Lawsuit-Complaint1.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201233226/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/Feehan-ED-WI-Lawsuit-Complaint1.pdf|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref> The plaintiffs, represented by conservative lawyer [[Sidney Powell]], claimed that [[Dominion Voting Systems]] and [[Smartmatic]], companies that provide voting software and hardware across the U.S., were used to conduct electronic ballot-stuffing and rig votes for Joe Biden. The plaintiffs also claimed that "indefinitely confined voters declared themselves so illegally, in-person absentee ballots are invalid and clerks illegally completed addresses on absentee ballots."<ref name=":27">{{Cite web|last=Jannene|first=Jeramey|date=December 1, 2020|title=Sidney Powell Files Suit to Overturn State Election|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/12/01/sidney-powell-files-suit-to-overturn-state-election/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201211121/https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/12/01/sidney-powell-files-suit-to-overturn-state-election/|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Urban Milwaukee|language=en}}</ref> As a remedy, the plaintiffs asked the court to decertify the state's election results, declare Donald Trump the winner of the state, or invalidate the absentee ballots at issue. The filing contained several misspellings and factual errors. Listed among the plaintiffs was [[Derrick Van Orden]], a Republican candidate for Congress who lost his race; Van Orden said he did not give permission to be listed as a litigant. The lawsuit also sought footage of vote counting at the [[TCF Center]], which is not located in Wisconsin but in Michigan.<ref name=":27" /><ref name=":28">{{Cite web|last=Bauer|first=Scott|date=December 1, 2020|title=Trump files lawsuit challenging Wisconsin election results|url=https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-lawsuit-wisconsin-results-6b6f053d548b6be8f3e85e975661fe0d|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201194105/https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-lawsuit-wisconsin-results-6b6f053d548b6be8f3e85e975661fe0d/|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=AP News}}</ref><ref name=":29">{{Cite web|last=Vetterkind|first=Riley|date=December 1, 2020|title=As promised, Trump campaign files lawsuit over Wisconsin's recount|url=https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/as-promised-trump-campaign-files-lawsuit-over-wisconsins-recount/article_029fdc44-9087-59f4-8624-296ab4830be6.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204224333/https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/trump-campaign-files-lawsuit-over-wisconsins-recount/article_029fdc44-9087-59f4-8624-296ab4830be6.html|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Wisconsin State Journal|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Feehan v. Wisconsin Elections Commission|url=https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=407|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225643/https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=407|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project}}</ref>
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| On December 2, U.S. District Judge [[Pamela Pepper]] filed an order, noting that the plaintiffs filed a draft which did not comply with basic rules, and did not ask for a hearing or propose a briefing schedule.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Order Regarding Amended Motion for Injunctive Relief (Dkt. No. 6)|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/20314487219.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204225239/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/20314487219.pdf|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Beck|first=Molly|date=December 1, 2020|title=GOP candidate says he was used without permission as a plaintiff in lawsuit to overturn Wisconsin election results|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/01/wisconsin-republican-says-he-used-without-permission-trump-suit/3786051001/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202080126/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/01/wisconsin-republican-says-he-used-without-permission-trump-suit/3786051001/|archive-date=December 2, 2020|access-date=December 4, 2020|website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|language=en-US}}</ref>
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| On December 9, District Judge Pepper dismissed the case, writing that the "federal court has no authority or jurisdiction to grant the relief the remaining plaintiff seeks". The litigation on behalf of the plaintiff was "sometimes odd and often harried", and it ultimately failed to establish why a federal case was appropriate. The judge also repeatedly stated that the plaintiff did not have legal standing to bring the case. The judge concluded that granting the relief would be against the Constitution.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 10, 2020|title=Election lawsuit involving La Crosse Co. GOP chair dismissed in federal court|work=[[WXOW]]|url=https://wxow.com/2020/12/10/election-lawsuit-involving-la-crosse-co-gop-chair-dismissed/|access-date=December 10, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074358/https://wxow.com/2020/12/10/election-lawsuit-involving-la-crosse-co-gop-chair-dismissed/|url-status=live}}</ref>
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| == ''Langenhorst v. Pecore'' ==
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| Three residents filed a lawsuit against clerks in [[Menominee County, Wisconsin|Menominee]], [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane]], and [[Milwaukee County, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]] counties in the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin|Eastern District of Wisconsin]], Green Bay Division, on November 11, 2020. The plaintiffs questioned the three counties that included a pandemic scenario in the definition of "indefinitely confined voters". Despite the State Supreme Court's ruling that the "advice [of including a pandemic scenario] was legally incorrect", this interpretation still caused a surge in absentee ballots this year. Additionally, the witness signature requirement was also relaxed. As the result, the plaintiffs wanted the ballots in the 3 counties (estimated 800,000 ballots) invalidated.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Archived copy|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/ED-WI-Lawsuit.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116052316/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/ED-WI-Lawsuit.pdf|archive-date=November 16, 2020|access-date=November 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Halaschak|first=Zachary|date=November 13, 2020|title=New federal lawsuit seeks to toss 800,000 ballots in Wisconsin|work=[[Washington Examiner]]|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-federal-lawsuit-seeks-to-toss-800-000-ballots-in-wisconsin|url-status=live|access-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116052332/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-federal-lawsuit-seeks-to-toss-800-000-ballots-in-wisconsin|archive-date=November 16, 2020}}</ref> The Trump campaign also alleged that three people who legally cast absentee ballots prior to election day died in the interim. Ann Jacobs of the Wisconsin Elections Commission stated: "They all died after they voted, so they were alive when they voted, and they died in the interim. With the coronavirus raging, it should not be a particular surprise to anyone. But also, that's really normal. People die. People die every month in the state of Wisconsin."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Calvi|first1=Jason|date=November 13, 2020|title=Lawsuit wants votes tossed in 3 Wisconsin counties|work=FOX6 News Milwaukee|url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/lawsuit-wants-votes-tossed-is-3-wisconsin-counties|url-status=live|access-date=November 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116052316/https://www.fox6now.com/news/lawsuit-wants-votes-tossed-is-3-wisconsin-counties|archive-date=November 16, 2020}}</ref> The plaintiffs dropped the suit on November 16.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Polantz|first1=Katelyn|date=November 16, 2020|title=Lawsuits that tried to disrupt Biden's wins in four states are withdrawn|work=CNN|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/16/politics/lawsuits-michigan-pennsylvania-wisconsin-georgia/index.html|url-status=live|access-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118210600/https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/16/politics/lawsuits-michigan-pennsylvania-wisconsin-georgia/index.html|archive-date=November 18, 2020}}</ref>
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| == ''Mueller v. Jacobs'' ==
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| On November 27, 2020, attorney Karen L. Mueller petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court on behalf of her husband, Dean W. Mueller of [[Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin|Chippewa Falls]]. Mueller alleged that the Wisconsin Elections Commission encouraged the collection of absentee ballots via drop boxes, without the proper rule-making authority to do so. Mueller asked the court to invalidate ballots collected at drop-boxes, the number of which is unclear; hold a new election; or otherwise block the certification of the state's election results, where Joe Biden won by about 20,000 votes, and direct the state legislature to appoint electors.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 27, 2020|title=Mueller v. Jacobs, Complaint|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/201127Mueller.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202171018/https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/201127Mueller.pdf|archive-date=December 2, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sadowski|first=Jonathon|date=November 30, 2020|title=Explained: Two Lawsuits Seek to Nullify Wisconsin's Election|url=https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/11/30/explained-there-are-currently-two-lawsuits-trying-to-nullify-wisconsins-election/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130210244/https://upnorthnewswi.com/2020/11/30/explained-there-are-currently-two-lawsuits-trying-to-nullify-wisconsins-election/|archive-date=November 30, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=UpNorthNews|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kremer|first=Rich|date=November 28, 2020|title=New Lawsuit Asks State Supreme Court To Toss Nov. 3 Election Results|url=https://www.wpr.org/new-lawsuit-asks-state-supreme-court-toss-nov-3-election-results|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130180915/https://www.wpr.org/new-lawsuit-asks-state-supreme-court-toss-nov-3-election-results|archive-date=November 30, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=Wisconsin Public Radio|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 29, 2020|title=Wisconsin election recount confirms Biden's win over Trump|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/29/completed-wisconsin-election-recount-confirms-bidens-win-over-trump.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201072934/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/29/completed-wisconsin-election-recount-confirms-bidens-win-over-trump.html|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Jannene|first=Jeramey|date=November 27, 2020|title=New Lawsuit Challenges Election Drop Boxes, Wants Election Thrown Out|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/11/27/new-lawsuit-challenges-election-drop-boxes-wants-election-overturned/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128135123/https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/11/27/new-lawsuit-challenges-election-drop-boxes-wants-election-overturned/|archive-date=November 28, 2020|access-date=December 2, 2020|website=Urban Milwaukee|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mueller v. Jacobs|url=https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=405|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210060100/https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=405|archive-date=December 10, 2020|access-date=December 10, 2020|website=Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project}}</ref>
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| On December 3, the Wisconsin Supreme Court denied the petition in a 4–3 ruling.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mueller v. Jacobs, Wisconsin Supreme Court Order|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1958-OA-12-3-20.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203230853/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1958-OA-12-3-20.pdf|archive-date=December 3, 2020|access-date=December 10, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref> The court's conservative justices dissented, including Chief Justice [[Patience D. Roggensack|Patience Drake Roggensack]], and said, "This court cannot continue to shirk its institutional responsibilities to the people of Wisconsin."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court denies Trump campaign's attempt to bypass lower court in election challenge|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wisconsin-election-supreme-court-denies-trump-campaigns-attempt-to-bypass-lower-court/|access-date=2020-12-14|work=CBS News|date=December 4, 2020 |language=en-US|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074515/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wisconsin-election-supreme-court-denies-trump-campaigns-attempt-to-bypass-lower-court/|url-status=live}}</ref>
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| == ''Trump v. Biden'' ==
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| On December 7, 2020, the Trump campaign filed lawsuits in state court against election officials in Milwaukee and Dane counties, seeking to nullify the presidential election.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Klasfeld|first=Adam|date=December 7, 2020|title=Outgoing Trump White House Sues Incoming Biden White House to Disenfranchise Wisconsin's Most Diverse Counties|url=https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/outgoing-trump-white-house-sues-incoming-biden-white-house-to-disenfranchise-wisconsins-most-diverse-counties/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207224248/https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/outgoing-trump-white-house-sues-incoming-biden-white-house-to-disenfranchise-wisconsins-most-diverse-counties/|archive-date=December 7, 2020|access-date=December 8, 2020|website=Law and Crime}}</ref>
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| On December 11, judge Stephen Simanek ruled in favor of the defendants, because the plaintiffs had failed to prove that Wisconsin violated its "early voting laws" in its recount.<ref name="Simanek1">{{cite news|last1=Brewster|first1=Adam|date=December 11, 2020|title=Wisconsin court rejects Trump campaign's recount challenge|work=[[CBS News]]|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wisconsin-court-rejects-trump-campaign-election-recount-challenge/|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074352/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wisconsin-court-rejects-trump-campaign-election-recount-challenge/|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, Simanek ruled there was "no credible evidence of misconduct or wide-scale fraud".<ref name="Marley1">{{cite news|last1=Marley|first1=Patrick|date=December 12, 2020|title=Republican moves to overturn election hit brick walls with the U.S. Supreme Court and a Wisconsin judge|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/11/wisconsin-judge-hears-trump-election-case/3887419001/|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074527/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/11/wisconsin-judge-hears-trump-election-case/3887419001/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hence, the district court "affirmed" the certification of Wisconsin's presidential election results, including the recounts Dane County and Milwaukee County.<ref name="Simanek3">{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Shawn|date=December 11, 2020|title=Wisconsin Judge Delivers Another Legal Blow To Trump, Ruling Against Election Challenge|work=[[Wisconsin Public Radio]]|url=https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-judge-delivers-another-legal-blow-trump-ruling-against-election-challenge|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074414/https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-judge-delivers-another-legal-blow-trump-ruling-against-election-challenge|url-status=live}}</ref>
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| After the ruling was quickly appealed,<ref name="Simanek1" /><ref name="Marley1" /><ref name="Simanek3" /> the [[Wisconsin Supreme Court]] ruled on the case on December 14, affirming the district court's decision in a 4–3 vote.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Reilly|first1=Briana|date=December 14, 2020|title=With electors poised to cast votes for Biden, Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Trump suit|work=[[The Capital Times]]|url=https://madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/with-electors-poised-to-cast-votes-for-biden-wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-trump-suit/article_b9d31e64-2037-5ee8-a824-8bf962a9b5e9.html|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074353/https://madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/with-electors-poised-to-cast-votes-for-biden-wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-trump-suit/article_b9d31e64-2037-5ee8-a824-8bf962a9b5e9.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to the majority of justices, the plaintiffs' attempt to invalidate 28,000 indefinitely confined ballots was "meritless" and had "no basis in reason or law".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Paul|first1=Deanna|date=December 14, 2020|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Denies Trump Campaign Effort to Throw Out Votes|work=[[Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/wisconsin-supreme-court-denies-trump-campaign-effort-to-throw-out-votes-11607969548|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074415/https://www.wsj.com/articles/wisconsin-supreme-court-denies-trump-campaign-effort-to-throw-out-votes-11607969548|url-status=live}}</ref> Also according to the majority, three other attempts by the plaintiffs to invalidate ballots were rejected because of ''laches'': the plaintiffs' delay in bringing the suit was "unreasonable in the extreme".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Epstein|first1=Reid|date=December 14, 2020|title=Wisconsin's Supreme Court denies a last-ditch Trump effort to toss 200,000 votes from Milwaukee and Madison.|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/us/politics/wisconsins-supreme-court-denies-a-last-ditch-trump-effort-to-toss-200000-votes-from-milwaukee-and-madison.html|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201216123554/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/us/politics/wisconsins-supreme-court-denies-a-last-ditch-trump-effort-to-toss-200000-votes-from-milwaukee-and-madison.html|archive-date=December 16, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Erik|date=December 14, 2020|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Tosses Trump Bid to Invalidate Votes|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-14/wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-trump-bid-to-invalidate-votes|access-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201216124559/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-14/wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-trump-bid-to-invalidate-votes|archive-date=December 16, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
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| On December 29, 2020, [[Rudy Giuliani]] appealed this case to the Supreme court, citing a debunked conspiracy theory published in ''[[The Epoch Times]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Burris |first1=Sarah K. |title=Trump campaign files second claim to Supreme Court citing fake news report on 'alternative electors' |url=https://www.rawstory.com/trump-campaign-alternative-electors/ |website=Raw Story |date=December 29, 2020 |access-date=December 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Burris |first1=Sarah K. |title=Trump wants Supreme Court to overturn Wis election results|url=https://www.salon.com/2020/12/29/trump-goes-back-to-the-supreme-court-over-his-election-loss-_partner/ |work=Salon |date=December 30, 2020 |access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref>
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| == ''Trump v. Evers'' ==
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| On December 1, 2020, the day after Wisconsin certified its election results, the Trump campaign filed a lawsuit in the Wisconsin Supreme Court against Wisconsin Governor [[Tony Evers]] and other state election officials.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Petition for Original Action Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 809.70|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/120120wsctrump.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201161316/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/120120wsctrump.pdf|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref> The plaintiffs claimed that "elections workers illegally altered absentee ballot envelopes, counted ballots that had no required application, overlooked unlawful claims of indefinite confinement and held illegal voting events." As a remedy, they asked the court to decertify the state's election results and exclude 221,000 votes in Milwaukee and Dane counties from the count. The governor's legal team filed a response the same day,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Governor Tony Ever's Corrected Opposition to Petition for Original Action|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/3P34436-2020.12.01-Everss-Corrected-Oppn-to-Trump-Pet.-for-Original-Action-clean.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205210355/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/3P34436-2020.12.01-Everss-Corrected-Oppn-to-Trump-Pet.-for-Original-Action-clean.pdf|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref> saying that the practices were widely accepted in Wisconsin's elections. Furthermore, they said the complaint only points to technical errors, and that under federal law voters cannot be penalized because of "immaterial error or omission under state law".<ref name=":28" /><ref name=":29" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Trump v. Evers|url=https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=412|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205210520/https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=412|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Reinwald|first=Caroline|date=December 2, 2020|title=Evers: Trump's election lawsuit seeks to disenfranchise thousands of Wisconsin voters|url=https://www.wisn.com/article/evers-trumps-election-lawsuit-seeks-to-disenfranchise-thousands-of-wisconsin-voters/34841440|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202042427/https://www.wisn.com/article/evers-trumps-election-lawsuit-seeks-to-disenfranchise-thousands-of-wisconsin-voters/34841440|archive-date=December 2, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=WISN|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=WBAY News Staff|date=December 1, 2020|title=President Trump challenges election results in Wisconsin Supreme Court|url=https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/01/president-trump-challenges-election-results-in-wisconsin-supreme-court/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201162641/https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/01/president-trump-challenges-election-results-in-wisconsin-supreme-court/|archive-date=December 1, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=wbay.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Breuninger|first1=Kevin|last2=Mangan|first2=Dan|date=December 1, 2020|title=Trump sues to reverse Biden win in Wisconsin|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/01/trump-campaign-files-election-lawsuit-in-wisconsin-after-state-declares-biden-won-.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202075218/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/01/trump-campaign-files-election-lawsuit-in-wisconsin-after-state-declares-biden-won-.html|archive-date=December 2, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=CNBC|language=en}}</ref> On December 3, 2020, the court denied the petition in a 4–3 decision, saying that the suit must first be brought to the state's circuit courts.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Pete|date=November 23, 2020|title=Trump's election fight includes over 40 lawsuits. It's not going well.|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-s-election-fight-includes-over-30-lawsuits-it-s-n1248289|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205212619/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/trump-s-election-fight-includes-over-30-lawsuits-it-s-n1248289|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=November 23, 2020|website=NBC News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Order (Trump v. Evers)|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020AP1971-OA.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205211927/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/12/2020AP1971-OA.pdf|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=WBAY News Staff|date=December 2, 2020|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Trump's election challenge|url=https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/02/evers-calls-trump-lawsuit-shocking-and-outrageous-assault-on-our-democracy/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205212141/https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/02/evers-calls-trump-lawsuit-shocking-and-outrageous-assault-on-our-democracy/|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=wbay.com|language=en}}</ref>
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| Thereafter, the Trump campaign filed the lawsuit in the state's circuit court,<ref>{{Cite web|last=White|first=Laurel|date=2020-12-08|title=Wisconsin Set To Miss Federal 'Safe Harbor' Election Deadline|url=https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-set-miss-federal-safe-harbor-election-deadline|access-date=2020-12-12|website=Wisconsin Public Radio|language=en|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074400/https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-set-miss-federal-safe-harbor-election-deadline|url-status=live}}</ref> making Wisconsin the only state to miss the December 8 federal "safe harbor" deadline.<ref name=":107">{{Cite web|last1=Sherman|first1=Mark|last2=Levy|first2=Marc|date=December 9, 2020|title=Trump looks past Supreme Court loss to new election lawsuit|url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-pennsylvania-ken-paxton-b1451249400026effe93cf4e080a9d91|access-date=2020-12-12|work=Associated Press|archive-date=2020-12-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222013324/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-pennsylvania-ken-paxton-b1451249400026effe93cf4e080a9d91|url-status=live}}</ref> Meeting the deadline, by making sure all state level recounts and lawsuits are finished, means Congress must accept the electoral votes of the state and that the votes cannot be challenged in Congress.<ref name=":107" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-12-08|title=Tuesday's safe harbor deadline is boost for Biden|url=https://apnews.com/article/safe-harbor-law-locks-congress-joe-biden-119b6e1570f33af0baee1493cbbe012b|access-date=2020-12-12|website=AP NEWS|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074403/https://apnews.com/article/safe-harbor-law-locks-congress-joe-biden-119b6e1570f33af0baee1493cbbe012b|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 10, Reserve Judge Stephen Simanek ruled against Trump and dismissed the case.<ref name=":108">{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Will Take Up Trump Lawsuit Appeal To Overturn Biden Win|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/12/11/945483203/wisconsin-judge-rules-against-another-trump-bid-to-overturn-bidens-win|access-date=2020-12-12|website=NPR.org|date=December 11, 2020 |language=en|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074415/https://www.npr.org/2020/12/11/945483203/wisconsin-judge-rules-against-another-trump-bid-to-overturn-bidens-win|url-status=live|last1=Chappell |first1=Bill |last2=Romo |first2=Vanessa }}</ref>
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| Hours after Judge Simanek's ruling, the Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, letting it skip the court of appeals.<ref name=":108" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bauer|first=Scott|date=2020-12-11|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court to hear Trump lawsuit appeal|url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-madison-wisconsin-7357f09bf97e346e7c8236706cf99b22|access-date=2020-12-12|website=AP NEWS|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074538/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-madison-wisconsin-7357f09bf97e346e7c8236706cf99b22|url-status=live}}</ref> At oral argument on December 12, the court seemed divided between the three liberal-backed justices, [[Rebecca Dallet]] and [[Jill Karofsky|Jill Karoksky]], who showed skepticism toward the Trump campaign's argument, and three conservative-backed justices, Chief Justice [[Patience D. Roggensack|Patience Roggensack]] plus [[Annette Ziegler]] and [[Rebecca Bradley (judge)|Rebecca Bradley]], who showed some support for the campaign's claims.<ref name=":113">{{Cite web|last=Marley|first=Patrick|date=2020-12-12|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court shows divisions as it hears Trump lawsuit seeking to overturn state's election|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/12/wisconsin-supreme-court-hears-trump-suit-seeking-overturn-election/6522348002/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213131532/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/12/wisconsin-supreme-court-hears-trump-suit-seeking-overturn-election/6522348002/|archive-date=2020-12-13|access-date=2020-12-14|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Vetterkind|first=Riley|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court hearing on Donald Trump's election challenge features heated rhetoric|url=https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-hearing-on-donald-trumps-election-challenge-features-heated-rhetoric/article_38ceca3d-c184-5ded-84e2-6aff241015de.html|access-date=2020-12-14|website=madison.com|language=en|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074356/https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-hearing-on-donald-trumps-election-challenge-features-heated-rhetoric/article_38ceca3d-c184-5ded-84e2-6aff241015de.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The views of the fourth conservative-backed justice, [[Brian Hagedorn]], were not clear; Hagedorn mostly listened, and asked a few technical questions.<ref name=":113" />
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| Justice Hagedorn wrote the 4–3 ruling against the Trump campaign, saying the campaign waited too long to bring the suit and should have brought the challenge before the election.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Journal|first=Riley Vetterkind {{!}} Wisconsin State|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Donald Trump's election challenge; electors vote for Joe Biden|url=https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-donald-trumps-election-challenge-electors-vote-for-joe-biden/article_d82d99c1-25a5-53ad-bd55-e0998efd86a5.html|access-date=2020-12-15|website=madison.com|date=December 15, 2020 |language=en|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074405/https://madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/wisconsin-supreme-court-rejects-donald-trumps-election-challenge-electors-vote-for-joe-biden/article_d82d99c1-25a5-53ad-bd55-e0998efd86a5.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
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| Following the ruling, justices Karofsky and Dallet received misogynistic and anti-Semitic online comments; with neo-Nazi website ''[[The Daily Stormer]]'' highlighting their Jewish heritage.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sales |first1=Ben |title=2 Jewish Wisconsin judges denounced a Trump lawsuit. Now anti-Semites are harassing them. |url=https://www.jta.org/2020/12/17/politics/2-jewish-wisconsin-judges-denounced-a-trump-lawsuit-now-anti-semites-are-harassing-them |access-date=December 26, 2020 |agency=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |date=December 17, 2020 |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074550/https://www.jta.org/2020/12/17/politics/2-jewish-wisconsin-judges-denounced-a-trump-lawsuit-now-anti-semites-are-harassing-them |url-status=live }}</ref> Justice Hagedorn, who was personally criticized by Trump after the ruling, was also subjected to harassment. Wisconsin chief justice Roggensack reacted by condemning the "threats of actual or proposed violence" faced by the justices.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Glauber |first1=Bill |title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Roggensack expresses concern over threats, comments aimed at members of her court |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/25/justice-roggensack-concerned-over-wisconsin-supreme-court-criticism/4045914001/ |access-date=December 26, 2020 |work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |date=December 25, 2020 |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074357/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/25/justice-roggensack-concerned-over-wisconsin-supreme-court-criticism/4045914001/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
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| == ''Trump v. Wisconsin Elections Commission'' ==
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| On December 2, 2020, Donald Trump, in his capacity as a candidate for president, filed a lawsuit in federal district court against the Wisconsin Elections Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Docket for Trump v. The Wisconsin Elections Commission, 2:20-cv-01785|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18710035/trump-v-the-wisconsin-elections-commission/|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=CourtListener|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074359/https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18710035/trump-v-the-wisconsin-elections-commission/|url-status=live}}</ref> The campaign alleged that several election officials committed unconstitutional acts,<ref name=":109">{{Cite news|last=Danbeck|first=Jackson|date=December 2, 2020|title=Trump campaign files 2nd lawsuit, this time against Wisconsin Elections Commission|work=[[WTMJ-TV]]|url=https://www.tmj4.com/news/election-2020/trump-campaign-files-2nd-lawsuit-this-time-against-wisconsin-elections-commission|url-status=live|access-date=December 5, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074405/https://www.tmj4.com/news/election-2020/trump-campaign-files-2nd-lawsuit-this-time-against-wisconsin-elections-commission}}</ref><ref name=":110">{{Cite web|last=Jannene|first=Jeramy|date=December 4, 2020|title=Trump Sues Again, This Time in Milwaukee and Dane Counties|url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/12/03/trump-files-second-suit-seeking-to-throw-out-wisconsin-election/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204170929/https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/12/04/trump-sues-again-this-time-in-milwaukee-and-dane-counties/|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=December 8, 2020|website=Urban Milwaukee}}</ref> and the risk of voter fraud was increased because of how absentee ballots were handled.<ref name=":111">{{Cite web|last=Bauer|first=Scott|date=2020-12-10|title=Federal judge casts doubt on Trump's Wisconsin lawsuit|url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-legislature-madison-8adc2e137d85d0fee64c5a6cb6421f3f|access-date=2020-12-12|website=AP NEWS|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074455/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-legislature-madison-8adc2e137d85d0fee64c5a6cb6421f3f|url-status=live}}</ref> The campaign challenged various directives given by the Wisconsin Elections Commission and claimed that a plan setting up absentee ballot drop boxes, made by the mayors of Milwaukee, Madison, Kenosha, Green Bay and Racine, was implemented without adequate security measures.<ref name=":109" /><ref name=":111" /> The campaign also challenged the ballots of those who voted without showing a photo ID, after declaring themselves "indefinitely confined".<ref name=":111" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Shawn|date=2020-12-10|title=Federal Judge: 'Incredible' That Trump Waited To File Wisconsin Lawsuit|url=https://www.wpr.org/federal-judge-incredible-trump-waited-file-wisconsin-lawsuit|access-date=2020-12-12|website=Wisconsin Public Radio|language=en|archive-date=2020-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074607/https://www.wpr.org/federal-judge-incredible-trump-waited-file-wisconsin-lawsuit|url-status=live}}</ref> For the challenged Wisconsin Elections Commission policies, the policy on witness addresses was issued in 2016, and updated in 2020; the policy on the qualifying criteria for "indefinitely confined" voter status during the COVID-19 pandemic was announced in March 2020; and the policy allowing absentee ballot drop boxes was enacted in August 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sullum |first1=Jacob |title=A Trump Appointee Rejects Election Complaints Similar to the Ones SCOTUS Declined to Hear |url=https://reason.com/2020/12/14/a-trump-appointee-rejects-election-complaints-similar-to-the-ones-scotus-declined-to-hear/ |access-date=December 26, 2020 |work=[[Reason (website)|Reason]] |date=December 14, 2020}}</ref> As a remedy, the campaign asked the court to overturn the results of the election and send the matter to the state legislature.<ref name=":109" /><ref name=":110" />
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| On December 12, Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge [[Brett H. Ludwig|Brett Ludwig]] dismissed the case with prejudice. Judge Ludwig described the case as "''extraordinary''" with "even more ''extraordinary''" relief sought. The judge ruled that the Trump campaign's "Electors Clause claims fail as a matter of law and fact" and that the opposite was proven: Wisconsin's presidential electors were determined exactly in the way the Wisconsin legislature intended, because the Wisconsin legislature had ordered the Wisconsin Election Commission to decide the rules of the election. The judge also noted that since the lawsuit was about "disputed issues of election administration" practices, Trump could have filed the lawsuit before the vote occurred, but failed to do so. The judge concluded that Trump "lost on the merits" in this case.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Marley|first=Patrick|date=December 12, 2020|title=Federal court judge dismisses 'extraordinary' Trump lawsuit seeking to overturn Wisconsin election|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/12/trump-wisconsin-lawsuit-dismissed-federal-judge/3894689001/|url-status=live|access-date=December 12, 2020|archive-date=December 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212205957/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/12/trump-wisconsin-lawsuit-dismissed-federal-judge/3894689001/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Larson|first1=Erik|date=December 13, 2020|title=Trump's Wisconsin Election Suit Dismissed by Federal Judge|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-12/trump-s-wisconsin-election-suit-dismissed-by-federal-judge|url-status=live|access-date=December 13, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201213024234/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-12/trump-s-wisconsin-election-suit-dismissed-by-federal-judge|archive-date=December 13, 2020}}</ref>
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| Trump appealed to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit]], where a three-judge panel unanimously "affirmed" the district court's ruling.<ref name=Glauber1>{{cite news |last1=Glauber |first1=Bill |title=Federal appeals court turns down Donald Trump push to overturn election results in Wisconsin |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/24/federal-appeals-court-rejects-trump-bid-overturn-wisconsin-results/4043650001/ |access-date=December 26, 2020 |work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |date=December 25, 2020 |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074455/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/12/24/federal-appeals-court-rejects-trump-bid-overturn-wisconsin-results/4043650001/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The panel ruled that Trump's "claims fail under the Electors Clause", because the Wisconsin legislature had given the Wisconsin Elections Commission the "authority" to manage the election, therefore there was no constitutional violation: Wisconsin's presidential electors were "lawfully appointed its electors in the manner directed by" the Wisconsin legislature.<ref name=Glauber1/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Gerstein |first1=Josh |title=Trump campaign suffers another legal setback in Wisconsin case |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/24/trump-loses-wisconsin-georgia-450433 |access-date=December 27, 2020 |work=[[Politico]] |date=December 24, 2020 |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074454/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/24/trump-loses-wisconsin-georgia-450433 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=WBAY25>{{cite news |title=U.S. Appeals Court rules against Trump in suit challenging Wisconsin election |url=https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/24/us-appeals-court-rules-against-trump-in-suit-challenging-wisconsin-election/ |access-date=December 26, 2020 |work=[[WBAY]] |date=December 25, 2020 |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230063006/https://www.wbay.com/2020/12/24/us-appeals-court-rules-against-trump-in-suit-challenging-wisconsin-election/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Trump's claims also failed due to "the unreasonable delay" in challenging the potential constitutional violation; entertaining such a late lawsuit would result in "unquestionable harm" to Wisconsin voters, ruled the judges.<ref name=WBAY25/><ref name=AP25>{{cite news |title=Court affirms ruling dismissing Trump challenge in Wisconsin |url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-wisconsin-state-elections-21be0822f83b937cab9a4ff133e92941 |access-date=December 26, 2020 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=December 25, 2020 |archive-date=December 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230074456/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-wisconsin-state-elections-21be0822f83b937cab9a4ff133e92941 |url-status=live }}</ref> The appeals court decision was written by [[Michael Y. Scudder|Michael Scudder Jr.]], a Trump appointee, while the other two judges, [[Joel Flaum]] and [[Ilana Rovner]], were also Republican-appointed.<ref name=Glauber1/><ref name=AP25/>
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| == ''Wisconsin Voters Alliance v. Wisconsin Elections Commission'' ==
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| On November 23, 2020, a group of Republican voters, the Wisconsin Voters Alliance, filed a lawsuit in the Wisconsin Supreme Court against the [[Wisconsin Elections Commission]]. The voters claimed that a [[Mark Zuckerberg]]-funded organization, Center for Technology and Civic Life, gave $6 million to the cities of [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]], [[Madison, Wisconsin|Madison]] and [[Milwaukee]] in order to facilitate the casting of tens of thousands of illegal ballots. The group said Trump would have won the state without the inclusion of those ballots; as a remedy, they asked the court to stop the certification of the election, allow the state legislature to appoint electors, and order the governor to certify those electors. Democratic Attorney General [[Josh Kaul]] released a statement the following day, saying the litigation seeks to disenfranchise voters, and that his department "will ensure that Wisconsin's presidential electors are selected based on the will of the more than 3 million Wisconsin voters who cast a ballot."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Voters Alliance vs. Wisconsin Election Commissions|url=https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=393|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129201501/https://healthyelections-case-tracker.stanford.edu/detail?id=393|archive-date=November 29, 2020|access-date=November 29, 2020|website=Stanford-MIT Healthy Elections Project}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Tornabene|first1=Juliana|last2=Baik|first2=Michelle|date=November 24, 2020|title=Group asks state high court to toss election results and order legislature to pick electors|url=https://www.nbc15.com/2020/11/24/voter-group-files-lawsuit-against-the-wisconsin-elections-commission-over-election-results/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124223144/https://www.nbc15.com/2020/11/24/voter-group-files-lawsuit-against-the-wisconsin-elections-commission-over-election-results/|archive-date=November 24, 2020|access-date=November 29, 2020|website=nbc15.com|language=en|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bauer|first=Scott|date=November 24, 2020|title=Republicans sue to stop Wisconsin vote certification|url=https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-madison-wisconsin-7882adcf4ed8fc941fa6948e1da9e5ab|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128032408/https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-madison-wisconsin-7882adcf4ed8fc941fa6948e1da9e5ab|archive-date=November 28, 2020|access-date=November 29, 2020|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> On December 4, the court rejected the petition, with Justice Brian Hagedorn writing: "Once the door is opened to judicial invalidation of presidential election results, it will be awfully hard to close that door again. This is a dangerous path we are being asked to tread."<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Cheney|first1=Kyle|last2=Gerstein|first2=Josh|date=December 4, 2020|title=Donald Trump's brutal day in court|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/04/donald-trump-in-court-443010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205143732/https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/04/donald-trump-in-court-443010|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=[[Politico]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Order (Wisconsin Voters Alliance v. Wisconsin Elections Commission)|url=https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1930-OAfinal-12-4-20.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205203748/https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/2020AP1930-OAfinal-12-4-20.pdf|archive-date=December 5, 2020|access-date=December 5, 2020|website=Democracy Docket}}</ref>
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| == References ==
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