Bill Would Make It A Felony To Threaten Attorneys Involved In Family Law Proceedings

A bill in the Wisconsin state Legislature would make it a felony to harm or threaten an attorney, corporation counsel or guardian ad litem during family legal proceedings, including divorces and child custody cases.

Sponsors are calling the bill “Sara’s Law” after Sara Quirt-Sann, one of the victims of a multiple shooting incident that took place last March in the small town of Rothschild.

Quirt-Sann was a family law attorney representing the estranged wife of the gunman. Nengmy Vang, the gunman, shot Quirt-Sann in her law office.

Vang, also shot two of his wife’s co-workers, Karen Barclay and Dianne Look, and Everest Metro Police Det. Jason Weiland. Vang was killed by police after a standoff.

Quirt-Sann served as guardian ad litem at the Marathon County Courthouse, helping to decide the fate of children in family legal disputes.

Her husband Scott Sann helped write the new law with other members of Wausau Metro Strong, a group that formed in response to the shootings.

“I used to listen to Sara when she came home from work. I never thought that someone would act upon their words. There’s an old saying, ‘What comes off the lips resides in the heart,’” Sann said a news conference in the Sara Quirt-Sann memorial courtroom.

Sann said he hopes Sara’s Law causes people in divorce cases to think before they threaten attorneys.

“A lot of us have jobs where we just go about our daily lives and maybe have a little controversy in the office,” Sann said. “But to have somebody threaten you, physically or verbally or in a written letter or e-mail, you take that home with you, and you shouldn’t have to.”

Sara’s Law would make threatening family attorneys a Class H felony, punishable by six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. It is already a felony to threaten a judge, law enforcement officer or prosecutor.

State Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Wausau, is sponsoring the bill in the Assembly. State Sen. Jerry Petrowski, R-Stettin, is sponsoring the companion bill in the Senate.

“Knowing that they have this law now, and knowing what happened here in Wausau in March, they can’t take any type of threat as just a casual threat. They (now) have a legal weapon that will hopefully tell the person who is making the threat to cease and desist,” Snyder said.

Snyder also praised the work of Wausau Metro Strong.

“Out of tragedy we try to build unity and strength, and this Wausau Metro Strong group, the diversity of minds and individuals and expertise, really has pushed this community forward,” he said.