City turns over attorney billing records to police union

The City of Rhinelander has turned over to the Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA) copies of attorney billing records it received from the law firm Von Briesen & Roper, S.C. between Jan. 1, 2024 and Dec. 4, 2025.
According to court records, the records were provided on April 7, six days after the WPPA petitioned Oneida County Circuit Court for a Writ of Mandamus ordering the city to produce the information.
Von Briesen & Roper serves as “city attorney” for Rhinelander while the WPPA, a Madison-based not-for-profit labor organization serves as the sole and exclusive bargaining representative for the Rhinelander Professional Police Association, Local #38.
According to court records, Judge Mary Sowinski issued the Writ of Mandamus on April 23.
“Petitioner has a clear legal right to the records sought because attorney billing records are only protected if disclosure of the lawyer-client communication would directly or indirectly reveal the substance of the client’s confidential communication to the lawyer,” Sowinski wrote in her order. She went on to state that no evidence had been presented to demonstrate that the records contained privileged information.
However, in a filing dated April 24, an attorney representing the city stated that the issue was “moot” because the requested records had been provided on April 7.
The attorney, Taylor R. Anderson, also wrote that the city acted in good faith at all times and the delay was not the result of arbitrary or capricious behavior. The records are subject to “lawful review and analysis,” prior to production, the attorney wrote.
According to its petition, the WPPA decided to take legal action after nearly four months had passed without a response from the city to the records request.
In response to a query from the Star Journal, WPPA attorney Kate Harrell confirmed the requested records were received on April 7. She declined further comment on the matter.
Steve Sorenson, the Von Briesen attorney who handles legal matters for the city, also confirmed that the records were turned over on April 7.
“All of the requested documents were provided well in advance of the court’s order,” he noted.
The case was formally dismissed by the court on May 5.