Wisconsin Code § 443.20

Indemnification in civil contracts
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(1) In this
section:
(a) “Civil contract” means any contractual agreement between the state or a political subdivision and a private entity.
(b) “Design professional” means any of the following:
1. Architect.
2. Engineer-in-training.
3. Landscape architect.
4. Professional engineer.
5. Professional land surveyor.
6. Wisconsin registered interior designer.
(c) “Design professional services” means any service performed by a design professional and services performed by others
that arise out of or are related to services performed by a design
professional, including the following:
1. Studies.
2. Planning.
3. Surveys.
4. Project management.
5. Traffic management.
6. Preparatory work.
(2) Notwithstanding s. 895.447, any provision of a civil contract containing any of the following, explicitly or in effect, is
void and unenforceable:
(a) A provision requiring a private entity performing design
professional services to indemnify the state or any political subdivision, except as provided in sub. (3) (a).
(b) A provision requiring a private entity performing design
professional services to defend the state or any political subdivision in any legal action.
(3) The limitations under sub. (2) (a) do not apply to any of
the following:
(a) Indemnification provisions in any civil contract in which a
private entity’s indemnification obligation is limited to losses
proximately caused by the negligent performance of design professional services by the private entity and does not exceed the
proportion of a loss caused by the negligent performance.
(b) Provisions required to be included in the state’s or a political subdivision’s contracts with the federal government to the extent the provisions conflict with sub. (2).
(c) A provision in a civil design contract that requires a private
entity to indemnify the state or any political subdivision for damages caused by the private entity’s acts or omissions if the acts or
omissions involve reckless, wanton, or intentional misconduct.
(4) Nothing in this section may be construed as a waiver of
any immunity or other limitation of liability described in this
chapter or ch. 893 or 895.
(5) Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit the
state or any political subdivision from requiring a private entity to
provide proof of liability insurance as a condition of contract.

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