MILWAUKEE — The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) was awarded the “Biggest Home State Win” by the State Policy Network for a legal victory in a case recently before the Wisconsin Supreme Court that struck down Dane County’s school closure order.

WILL filed an original action in August 2020, and the court issued an injunction in September. The legal victory in WCRIS v. Heinrich allowed private schools with more than 52,000 students and public schools with nearly 80,000 students the option of opening their schools for in-person learning for the 2020-21 school year. The court issued a final decision in June 2021 that the Dane County health department exceeded its authority when issuing a school closure order.

The State Policy Network is a national association with a goal to catalyze thriving, durable freedom movements in every state, anchored with high-performing independent think tanks.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the State Policy Network and our peer organizations around the country. WILL is doing really significant work to move the law and inform the policy debate,” said Rick Esenberg, president and general counsel of the Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty.