Johnson v. Blackburn

SHIRLEY S. ABRAHAMSON, CHIEF JUSTICE.

¶1. This is a review of a published decision of the court of appeals, Johnson v. Blackburn, 220 Wis. 2d 260, 582 N.W.2d 488 (Ct. App. 1998). The Circuit Court for Fond du Lac County, Peter L. Grimm, Judge, dismissed the complaints. The court of appeals reinstated the complaints and remanded the causes for further proceedings. The case arises out of a fire that killed four-year-old Joel James Johnson, Jr., and seriously injured his one-year-old sister, Bryana Harkins.

¶ 2. There are two issues that emerge in this case: (1) Were the two injured children…