Wisconsin Streamlines Foreclosures on Abandoned Properties

Foreclosure

On March 21, Wisconsin enacted Senate Bill 307 relating to foreclosures on abandoned properties. Under the new law, the redemption period for abandoned property is reduced from two months to five weeks from the date a judgment of foreclosure is entered. The length of time that a sheriff must publish the notice of a sale in a newspaper is reduced from six successive weeks to three successive weeks before the sale. The law also (i) adds a new provision that provides that in addition to the parties to an action to enforce a mortgage lien, a representative of the municipality where the property is located may also provide evidence or testimony to the court as to whether the property has been abandoned and (ii) delineates the specific factors a court must consider in determining whether a property is abandoned. The changes take effect April 5, 2012.