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MADISON – The Wisconsin Supreme Court announced Wednesday that it has granted a petition from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association reviewing a lower district court’s decision reinstating then-Waterford wrestler Hayden Halter’s 2019 wrestling title.
Halter v. Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association will be the only case the court will consider out of more than 40 filed from across the state, according to a court press release. The Supreme Court will next meet for oral arguments in September.
The development represents the latest twist in a more than five-year legal battle between the Halter family and the WIAA, which has its origins in a matter that began with two controversial unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in 2019.
Holder initially suspended in 2019
At the Southern Lakes Conference tournament on February 2, 2019, Halter received two unsportsmanlike penalties in a decision win — the validity of which has been the subject of considerable criticism. The first was imposed on the then-sophomore for questioning a referee’s decision. The second was for flexing his muscles and yelling at an opposing Burlington crowd, where Halter was enrolled and wrestled as a freshman.
A Journal Sentinel report at the time said that the referee involved, Michael Arendt, claimed Halter responded to a late-game decision with foul language before showing the muscular tension to the crowd. Under WIAA rules, Halter would have been suspended for one game for the violations, which would have disqualified him from the following regional tournament and ended his season.
Halter’s family sought and received a temporary restraining order in a Racine County district court allowing Halter to continue competing in the 2019 WIAA postseason, where he won the 2019 individual state title in the 120-pound class.
Title later revoked but restored on appeal
The battle to defend his title had just begun for Halter, however, as the WIAA appealed the Racine County District Court ruling. After an evidentiary hearing in May 2021, a district court ruling in favor of the WIAA overturned the 2019 injunction ruling. The ruling stripped Halter of his 2019 state singles title, as well as all regional tournament matches, places, points and results through the end of the season.
The Halters appealed that 2021 ruling to the Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in February 2024 to restore Halter’s title. A statement accompanying the ruling states that Halter’s registration and suspension of a Badger Invitational Junior Varsity/Varsity Reserve meet held on February 5, 2019, between the conference meet on February 2 and the regional meet on February 9, was sufficient for him to serve his suspension.
“The Court further concludes that Halter is entitled to a permanent injunction reinstating his 2019 WIAA Division 1 national wrestling title, as well as all wins and points (for himself and his team) and all related records and benefits,” the decision states.
Five aspects to consider in the state Supreme Court review
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will address five issues raised in the case, according to the court’s press release:
- Is the WIAA a state actor?
- Are the Halters entitled to a judicial review of the WIAA’s decision to disqualify Hayden Halter from the 2019 regional university event and deny him an internal appeal to the association’s governing body?
- Are the owners entitled to a certiorari (review of a lower court’s judgment)?
- Are the Halters entitled to a declaratory judgment that would allow Hayden Halter to regain his state title and points from 2019?
- Are the owners entitled to an injunction?
