Case: Disability Rights Wisconsin, Inc. v. Blom

1:17-cv-00183 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

Filed Date: Feb. 8, 2017

Closed Date: Sept. 21, 2017

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Case Summary

This is a case about a protection and advocacy (P&A) agency’s records access authority. On February 8, 2017, Disability Rights Wisconsin filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Disability Rights Wisconsin filed this lawsuit against Melissa Blom and Rosemary Davis in their personal and official capacities as Outagamie County (County) Department of Health and Human Services employees, and Thomas Nelson in his personal and official capacity as Outagamie County Executive. Disability Rights Wisconsin alleged that the County violated the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act, Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, and Protection and Advocacy for Individual Rights Act (P&A Acts) when they denied them access to death investigation records of a child in the county. Judge William C. Griesbach presided over this matter.

This lawsuit began after Disability Rights Wisconsin learned from media reports in August 2016 that a fourteen-year-old with spinal muscular atrophy planned on ending her life by entering hospice care. Disability Rights Wisconsin contacted multiple county agencies, including Outagamie County, requesting they investigate the situation, but received no response from Outagamie County directly. In September 2022, Disability Rights Wisconsin learned that the child died in a hospice facility. Disability Rights Wisconsin then received a complaint of alleged neglect in her death from her biological father, and subsequently requested death investigation records from the County in October 2016. After ignoring multiple requests, the County denied Disability Rights Wisconsin’s requests citing state confidentiality laws. Disability Rights Wisconsin then filed this lawsuit.

On September 20, 2017, the parties reached a private settlement agreement not entered into the court record. The court dismissed the case on September 21, 2017.

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Summary Authors

NDRN (4/11/2024)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13401722/parties/disability-rights-wisconsin-inc-v-blom/

Judge(s)

Griesbach, William C. (Wisconsin)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Hagopian, Mitchell M (Wisconsin)

Attorney for Defendant

Alexy, Paul E (Wisconsin)

Bitar, Remzy D (Wisconsin)

Schmid, Samantha R (Wisconsin)

Judge(s)

Griesbach, William C. (Wisconsin)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Hagopian, Mitchell M (Wisconsin)

Attorney for Defendant

Alexy, Paul E (Wisconsin)

Bitar, Remzy D (Wisconsin)

Schmid, Samantha R (Wisconsin)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 1:17-cv-00183	Complaint	Feb. 8, 2017	Feb. 8, 2017 Complaint
16 1:17-cv-00183	Stipulation for Dismissal of All Claims	Sept. 20, 2017	Sept. 20, 2017 Pleading / Motion / Brief
15 1:17-cv-00183	Re: DRW v. Blom, et al, U.S.D.C (E.D.WI) Case No. 17-CV-00183 WCG	Sept. 20, 2017	Sept. 20, 2017 Pleading / Motion / Brief

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13401722/disability-rights-wisconsin-inc-v-blom/

Last updated Oct. 23, 2025, 9:16 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT against All Defendants by Disability Rights Wisconsin Inc. ( Filing Fee PAID $400 receipt number 0757-2514936) (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit DRW letter to Blom August 17, 2016, # 2 Exhibit DCF letter to DRW August 29, 2016, # 3 Exhibit DRW letter to Blom October 14, 2016, # 4 Exhibit DRW letter to Blom November 8, 2016, # 5 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote November 14, 2016, # 6 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote November 30, 2016, # 7 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote December 19, 2016, # 8 Exhibit Guidote letter to DRW December 21, 2016, # 9 Exhibit Guidote Letter to DRW January 6, 2017, # 10 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote January 12, 2017, # 11 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote February 6, 2017, # 12 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote February 6, 2017)(Hagopian, Mitchell) (Additional attachment(s) added on 2/8/2017: # 13 Civil Cover Sheet) (lls). Modified filer on 2/8/2017 (lh). 1 Exhibit DRW letter to Blom August 17, 2016 View on PACER 2 Exhibit DCF letter to DRW August 29, 2016 View on PACER 3 Exhibit DRW letter to Blom October 14, 2016 View on PACER 4 Exhibit DRW letter to Blom November 8, 2016 View on PACER 5 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote November 14, 2016 View on PACER 6 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote November 30, 2016 View on PACER 7 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote December 19, 2016 View on PACER 8 Exhibit Guidote letter to DRW December 21, 2016 View on PACER 9 Exhibit Guidote Letter to DRW January 6, 2017 View on PACER 10 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote January 12, 2017 View on PACER 11 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote February 6, 2017 View on PACER 12 Exhibit DRW letter to Guidote February 6, 2017 View on PACER 13 Civil Cover Sheet View on PACER	Feb. 8, 2017	Feb. 8, 2017 Clearinghouse
2	DISCLOSURE Statement by Disability Rights Wisconsin Inc. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Feb. 8, 2017	Feb. 8, 2017 PACER
3	Refusal to Jurisdiction by US Magistrate Judge by Disability Rights Wisconsin Inc. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Feb. 8, 2017	Feb. 8, 2017 PACER
	Notice of Judge Assignment	Feb. 8, 2017	Feb. 8, 2017 PACER
	NOTICE Regarding assignment of this matter to Chief Judge William C Griesbach; Consent/refusal forms for Magistrate Judge Jones to be filed within 21 days; the consent/refusal form is available on our website; pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7.1 a disclosure statement is to be filed upon the first filing of any paper and should be filed now if not already filed. (lls)	Feb. 8, 2017	Feb. 8, 2017 PACER
4	WAIVER OF SERVICE Returned Executed by Melissa Blom - Waiver sent on 2/10/2017. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Feb. 19, 2017	Feb. 19, 2017 PACER
5	WAIVER OF SERVICE Returned Executed by Rosemary Davis - Waiver sent on 2/10/2017. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Feb. 19, 2017	Feb. 19, 2017 PACER
6	WAIVER OF SERVICE Returned Executed by Thomas Nelson - Waiver sent on 2/10/2017. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Feb. 19, 2017	Feb. 19, 2017 PACER
7	WAIVER OF SERVICE Returned Executed by Outagamie County - Waiver sent on 2/10/2017. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Feb. 19, 2017	Feb. 19, 2017 PACER
8	NOTICE of Appearance by Remzy D Bitar on behalf of All Defendants. Attorney(s) appearing: Remzy D. Bitar (Bitar, Remzy)	April 10, 2017	April 10, 2017 PACER
9	ANSWER to 1 Complaint with Jury Demand by All Defendants.(Schmid, Samantha)	April 10, 2017	April 10, 2017 PACER
10	NOTICE of Hearing: Rule 16 Telephone Scheduling Conference set for 5/26/2017 at 09:20 AM before Chief Judge William C Griesbach. The court will initiate the call. Counsel are to provide the telephone number at which they can be reached (direct dial preferred) at least two days prior to the telephone conference. In the event counsel are unavailable at the scheduled time of the telephone conference, the conference may be rescheduled and counsel may be required to appear in person. Please provide your telephone number to the Office of the Clerk at wied_clerks_gb@wied.uscourts.gov(cc: all counsel)(mac)	May 10, 2017	May 10, 2017 PACER
11	Joint REPORT of Rule 26(f) Plan by All Defendants. (Alexy, Paul)	May 19, 2017	May 19, 2017 PACER
12	NOTICE of Appearance by Paul E Alexy on behalf of All Defendants. Attorney(s) appearing: Paul E. Alexy (Alexy, Paul)	May 19, 2017	May 19, 2017 PACER
13	Minute Entry for proceedings held before Chief Judge William C Griesbach: Rule 16 Telephone Scheduling Conference held on 5/26/2017. Plaintiff's Rule 26(a) Disclosures to be exchanged by 6/15/2017, Defendants Rule 26(a) Disclosures to be exchanged by 6/30/2017, Amended Pleadings due by 7/21/2017, Discovery due by 9/1/2017, Plaintiff's Expert Witness List due by 7/31/2017, Defendants Expert Witness List due by 9/29/2017, Motions due by 10/13/2017. (Tape #052617) (mac) (Entered: 05/30/2017)	May 26, 2017	May 26, 2017 PACER
14	SCHEDULING ORDER signed by Chief Judge William C Griesbach on 5/30/2017. (cc: all counsel)(Griesbach, William)	May 30, 2017	May 30, 2017 PACER
15	LETTER from Disability Rights Wisconsin to Judge Griesbach. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Sept. 20, 2017	Sept. 20, 2017 Clearinghouse
16	STIPULATION of Dismissal by Disability Rights Wisconsin Inc. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Sept. 20, 2017	Sept. 20, 2017 Clearinghouse
17	PROPOSED Proposed dismissal order filed by Disability Rights Wisconsin Inc. (Hagopian, Mitchell)	Sept. 20, 2017	Sept. 20, 2017 PACER
18	ORDER DISMISSING CASE with prejudice and without costs to any party, signed by Chief Judge William C Griesbach on 9/21/2017. (cc: all counsel)(Griesbach, William)	Sept. 21, 2017	Sept. 21, 2017 PACER
	NOTICE of Electronic Filing Error re 17 Proposed Document filed by Disability Rights Wisconsin Inc; Proposed Orders should be e-filed as an attachment to the stipulation or motion and NOT e-filed as a separate document. Please ensure that the proposed order has been emailed to the proposed email box for the assigned judge in Word or WordPerfect format. This document does not need to be re-filed; Please refer to the policies and procedures for electronic case filing and the user manual found at www.wied.uscourts.gov (mac)	Sept. 21, 2017	Sept. 21, 2017 PACER
	Notice of Electronic Filing Error	Sept. 21, 2017	Sept. 21, 2017 PACER