Wisconsin Code § 846.155

Eligible bidders at foreclosure sales; affidavit required for confirmation; penalties for false representation
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(1) DEFINITIONS. In this section:
(a) “Entity” means a person other than an individual.
(b) “Taxes” means general property taxes, as defined in s.
74.01 (1), special assessments, as defined in s. 74.01 (3), special
charges, as defined in s. 74.01 (4), or special taxes, as defined in
s. 74.01 (5).
(c) “Third-party bidder” means a person that intends to submit a bid at a sale of mortgaged premises and that is not any of the
following:
1. A party in the foreclosure action.
2. An agent of a party in the foreclosure action.
3. An assignee of the plaintiff in the foreclosure action.
(2) MINIMUM BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS. No 3rd-party bidder
may submit a bid at a sale of mortgaged premises unless the 3rdparty bidder meets all of the following qualifications:
(a) The 3rd-party bidder does not own an interest in property
in this state against which taxes have been levied that are more
than 120 days delinquent.
(b) The 3rd-party bidder is not directly or indirectly owned,
managed, or controlled, in whole or in part, by a person that owns
an interest in property in this state against which taxes have been
levied that are more than 120 days delinquent.
(c) The 3rd-party bidder does not directly or indirectly own,
manage, or control, in whole or in part, an entity that owns an interest in property in this state against which taxes have been
levied that are more than 120 days delinquent.
(d) No judgment against the 3rd-party bidder related to a violation of a state or local building code with respect to property in
this state has been rendered that is unsatisfied.
(e) No judgment against a person that directly or indirectly
owns, manages, or controls, in whole or in part, the 3rd-party bidder related to a violation of a state or local building code with respect to property in this state has been rendered that is
unsatisfied.
(f) No judgment against an entity directly or indirectly owned,
managed, or controlled, in whole or in part, by the 3rd-party bidder related to a violation of a state or local building code with respect to property in this state has been rendered that is
unsatisfied.
(g) In submitting a bid at the sale, the 3rd-party bidder is not
acting on behalf of or as part of an agreement with a person that
does not meet the qualifications described in pars. (a) to (f).
(3) PREBIDDING ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Before allowing a
3rd-party bidder to submit a bid at a sale of mortgaged premises,
the sheriff or referee may require the 3rd-party bidder to confirm
any of the following:
(a) The 3rd-party bidder meets all of the qualifications described in sub. (2).
(b) If the 3rd-party bidder submits a bid at the sale, the 3rdparty bidder will not assign the bid to a person that, if the person
had submitted a bid directly at the sale, would not have met the
qualifications described in sub. (2).
(c) If the 3rd-party bidder is the purchaser of the mortgaged
premises, the 3rd-party bidder will file the affidavit described in
sub. (5).
(d) The 3rd-party bidder is aware that, if a false representation
is made in the affidavit described in sub. (5), the 3rd-party bidder,
and the individual acting on behalf of the 3rd-party bidder, may
be subject to the penalties described in sub. (6) (c) and (d).
(4) ASSIGNMENT OF BID TO UNQUALIFIED BIDDER PROHIBITED. No person that submits a bid at a sale of mortgaged
premises, nor any assignee of that person, may assign that bid to
a person that, if the person had submitted a bid directly at the
sale, would not have met the qualifications described in sub. (2).
This subsection does not apply to an assignment of a bid to the
Federal National Mortgage Association or Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corporation.
(5) FILING AFFIDAVIT OF MINIMUM BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS.

(a) If the grantee of a deed executed under s. 846.16 (1) (a) is not
a party in the foreclosure action or the Federal National Mortgage
Association or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the
grantee shall, no later than the time scheduled for confirmation of
sale, file with the clerk of court an affidavit affirming that, as of
the date on which the affidavit is filed, the grantee meets all of
the qualifications described in sub. (2). The affidavit also shall
identify the name and street address of a person in this state that
is authorized to accept service of process for the grantee. If the
grantee is not an individual, an individual who is authorized to
act on behalf of the grantee shall sign the affidavit.
(b) The director of state courts shall provide to the clerk of
court in each county a form for use in filing affidavits required
under this subsection. The form shall require a person that files
the affidavit to acknowledge that the person is aware that, if a
false representation is made in the affidavit, the person, and the
individual who signs the affidavit on behalf of the person, may be
subject to the penalties described in sub. (6).
(6) AFFIDAVIT REQUIRED FOR CONFIRMATION OF SALE;
PENALTIES FOR FALSE REPRESENTATIONS. (a) If a grantee of a
deed executed under s. 846.16 (1) (a) is not a party in the foreclosure action or the Federal National Mortgage Association or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the court may not confirm the sale until the grantee files the affidavit required under
sub. (5).
(b) At any time before the court confirms a sale of mortgaged
premises, a party in the foreclosure action or the city, village,
town, or county where the mortgaged premises are located may
provide to the court testimony or evidence that the affidavit filed
by a grantee under sub. (5) contains a false representation.
(c) If the court determines that the affidavit filed by a grantee
under sub. (5) contains a false representation, the court may
refuse to confirm the sale and may order all of the following:
1. That the grantee shall forfeit the amount of the deposit or
down payment delivered to the clerk of court under s. 846.16 (1r)
(b).
2. That the clerk of court shall pay the amount forfeited under subd. 1. to the parties that would be entitled to the proceeds of
the sale as ordered by the court.
3. That the mortgaged premises shall be resold.
4. That the clerk of court shall destroy the deed executed to
the purchaser, and that deed is of no effect.
(d) If the court determines that the affidavit filed by a grantee
under sub. (5) contains a false representation that was made
knowingly, in addition to any of the penalties imposed under par.
(c), the court may order the grantee, the individual who signed
the affidavit on behalf of the grantee, or both to forfeit up to
$1,000 and may bar the grantee, the individual who signed the affidavit on behalf of the grantee, or both from submitting a bid at
any sale of mortgaged premises conducted in the county for a period of time not to exceed one year from the date on which the order is entered.

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