Legal Question in Intellectual Property in Wisconsin

Re: property damage under $250

I am admitted only in New York, not in Wisconsin.

In New York, small claims court (as seen on Judge Judy) would be available to you at the level of damages you're talking about; small claims, or whatever Wisconsin has in place at the similar level is very likely available to you. You don't need a lawyer for this.

Before you do anything, though, ask yourself: What's more important, the $250 or your long-term relationship with your niece?

Lawsuits, even small claims suits, destroy relationships, and that destruction lasts a lifetime. Is the $250 recovery worth that? Try working things out with your niece without getting the legal system involved.

Your question is miscast, btw; intellectual property involves patents, trademarks, trade dress, trade secrets, copyrights, licenses and franchises, not $250 worth of physical stuff left out in the rain; that's personal property. There's nothing intellectual about it.

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