Laufenberg v. Cosmetology Examining Board

274 N.W.2d 618, 87 Wis. 2d 175, 1979 Wisc. LEXIS 1995
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 2, 1979
Docket76-191, 76-192
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 274 N.W.2d 618 (Laufenberg v. Cosmetology Examining Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Laufenberg v. Cosmetology Examining Board, 274 N.W.2d 618, 87 Wis. 2d 175, 1979 Wisc. LEXIS 1995 (Wis. 1979).

Opinions

CONNOR T. HANSEN, J.

In both cases the parties filed stipulations of facts with their respective licensing boards. The result was that no hearing was held and no testimony or evidence was otherwise presented. Review on appeal is thus limited to the facts set forth in the stipulations.

In the proceeding before the Cosmetology Examining Board, Laufenberg and the board entered into the following stipulation of facts :

1. That Patricia A. Laufenberg at all times pertinent hereto is duly licensed as a cosmetologist under ch. 159 of the Wisconsin statutes.

2. That from November 29,1974, to the present (April 28, 1975), Patricia A. Laufenberg has been employed as a cosmetologist at a business establishment known as the Captain’s Chair Barber Shop, 199 Cottage Grove Road, Madison, Wisconsin, which establishment has been approved as a barber shop under ch. 158, Wisconsin statutes.

3. That the Captain’s Chair Barber Shop is not licensed as a beauty salon under ch. 159.

4. That the manager of the Captain’s Chair Barber Shop, William Morrill, is a licensed master barber under ch. 158 and further that he is a licensed cosmetologist under ch. 159.

5. That William Morrill at all times pertinent hereto is not licensed as a managing cosmetologist.

[179]*179Based upon this stipulation, the Cosmetology Board found that Laufenberg practiced cosmetology and thus operated a “beauty salon” as defined by sec. 159.01(3), Stats., on a premise not licensed as a beauty salon under ch. 159 and in violation of sec. 159.09(1); that she was practicing cosmetology outside of a licensed beauty salon in violation of the provisions of sec. H11.04, Wisconsin Administrative Code; and that she practiced cosmetology while not under the supervision and direction of a manager licensed pursuant to ch. 159, in violation of sec. 159.12(2).

In the proceeding before the Barber’s Examining Board, Morrill and the board entered into the following stipulation of facts:

1. That William Morrill at all times pertinent hereto was duly licensed as a master barber who in addition thereto holds a shop manager’s license under sec. 158.12, Stats., for the premises located at 199 Cottage Grove Road, Madison, Wisconsin.

2. That William Morrill does not hold a manager’s license as a practicing cosmetologist under sec. 159.08 (2), Stats.,1 nor is the barber shop licensed as a beauty salon under sec. 159.09.

3. That William Morrill has permitted the employment of a licensed cosmetologist, Patricia Laufenberg, to cut hair of male patrons at the barber shop from October 29, 1974, until the present (April 28,1975), even though said Patricia Laufenberg is not licensed as a barber as defined in sec. 158.04, Stats.

4. William Morrill at all times pertinent hereto was duly licensed as a cosmetologist under ch. 159, Wisconsin Statutes.

Based upon these stipulated facts the Barber’s Examining Board found that Morrill was duly licensed as a master barber; that he held a barber shop manager’s li[180]*180cense issued pursuant to sec. 158.12, Stats.; that he was not licensed as a managing cosmetologist pursuant to ch. 159; that his barber shop was not licensed as a beauty-salon pursuant to sec. 159.09; that he employed Laufen-berg, a licensed cosmetologist, at his barber shop; that he permitted her to cut hair at his barber shop; that Laufenberg did not hold a master barber’s license or an apprentice permit card issued pursuant to eh. 158.

Considering the facts presented to the respective boards by the stipulations, their findings were inescapable.

On appeal the petitioners, Laufenberg and Morrill, raise the following issues:

1. Whether sec. 159.09(1), Stats., and Wisconsin Administrative Code H11.04 (now C1.08(l)), which limit the practice of cosmetology to licensed beauty salons, are unreasonable regulations violative of the due process and equal protection clauses of the state or federal constitutions ?

2. Whether sec. 159.12(2), Stats., which requires that a licensed cosmetologist practice only under the supervision of a licensed managing cosmetologist, is an unreasonable regulation violative of the due process and equal protection clauses ?2

3. Whether sec. 158.04(2), Stats., which prohibits a barber shop manager from employing a person who is not a licensed barber to cut hair, is an unreasonable regulation violative of the due process and equal protection clauses ?

4. Whether the three-year barber apprenticeship required by sec. 158.09, Stats., as a condition for a jour[181]*181neyman’s barber’s license and sec. 158.10 are unreasonable regulations violative of the due process and equal protection clauses ?

In a ch. 227, Wisconsin Statutes, review case, this court is to review the judgment of the circuit court. The only issue is whether the circuit court erred in that review. Sec. 227.21, Stats.; Clintonville Transfer Line v. Public Service Comm., 248 Wis. 59, 76, 77, 21 N.W.2d 5 (1945).

“. . . If the trial court applied correct principles of law and accorded the findings of the commission the weight to which they were entitled under the statute, the determination of the trial court must be upheld unless it is clearly wrong. This court determines questions of law for itself.” Wisconsin Telephone Co. v. Public Service Comm., 232 Wis. 274, 321, 287 N.W. 122 (1939).

A question of law, therefore, is reviewable by both the circuit court and the Supreme Court. Pabst v. Department of Taxation, 19 Wis.2d 313, 324, 120 N.W.2d 77 (1963).

Statutes are presumed to be constitutional. To overcome this presumption a challenger must bear the heavy burden of proving that no basis exists for the classification made by the legislature. State ex rel. Real Est. Exam. Bd. v. Gerhardt, 39 Wis.2d 701, 711, 159 N.W.2d 622 (1968).

The petitioners here must prove the statute is unconstitutional beyond a reasonable doubt. We will not weigh the relative merits of the legislation. Courts are not concerned with the overall merits or wisdom of legislative enactments, but become judicially concerned where it has been shown that a statute “clearly contravenes some constitutional provision.” Chicago & N. W. R. Co. v. La Follette, 27 Wis.2d 505, 521, 522, 135 N.W.2d 269 (1965).

[182]*182The licensing and regulation of occupations is within the police power of the state.

“. . . ‘. . . in the exercise of its police power to require licenses, a state may make any reasonable classification which it deems necessary to the police purpose intended to be attained by the legislation. ‘. . .

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Opinion No.
Texas Attorney General Reports, 2000
Professional Guardianships, Inc. v. Ruth E. J.
540 N.W.2d 213 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1995)
Gandhi v. State Medical Examining Board
483 N.W.2d 295 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1992)
Davis Ex Rel. Davis v. Grover
480 N.W.2d 460 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1992)
Peppies Courtesy Cab Co. v. City of Kenosha
475 N.W.2d 156 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1991)
W.W.W. v. M.C.S.
468 N.W.2d 719 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1991)
State v. Whitrock
468 N.W.2d 696 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1991)
In Re Paternity of CAS
468 N.W.2d 719 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1991)
American Family Mutual Insurance v. City of Milwaukee
435 N.W.2d 280 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1988)
City of Brookfield v. Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
426 N.W.2d 591 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1988)
Brooks v. Labor & Industry Review Commission
405 N.W.2d 705 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1987)
State v. Stoehr
396 N.W.2d 177 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1986)
Gilbert v. State, Medical Examining Board
349 N.W.2d 68 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1984)
In Interest of Baby Girl K.
335 N.W.2d 846 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1983)
State v. Popanz
332 N.W.2d 750 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1983)
Marriage of Tischendorf v. Tischendorf
321 N.W.2d 405 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1982)
Bence v. City of Milwaukee
320 N.W.2d 199 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1982)
State v. Holmes
315 N.W.2d 703 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1982)
State v. Yellow Freight System, Inc.
303 N.W.2d 834 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1981)
Kahn v. McCormack
299 N.W.2d 279 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1980)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
274 N.W.2d 618, 87 Wis. 2d 175, 1979 Wisc. LEXIS 1995, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/laufenberg-v-cosmetology-examining-board-wis-1979.