Amy Z. v. Jon T., 2004 WI 73
For Jon T.: Geoffrey Dowse
Issue/Holding:
¶20. Due process requires that the notice provided reasonably convey the information required for parties to prepare their defense and make their objections. Bachowski v. Salamone, 139 Wis. 2d 397, 412, 407 N.W.2d 533 (1987).
¶21. The guardian argues that Jon should have anticipated that all of the issues addressed in the guardianship petition would be addressed at the hearing. … No reasonable person responding to this petition would anticipate that the petitioner was asserting a claim for support.
¶22. As to the proceeding itself, the issue of support was first raised as the parties were making their closing statements to the circuit court. Given that the matter of support was not raised until the final moments of the hearing and was not otherwise addressed at any earlier point in the proceedings, we hold that the proceedings did not provide Jon with fair and adequate notice to address the issue. We reverse the child support order and remand for a new hearing
