Michael Burton v. Karl Evald Auleciems

CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedApril 15, 2025
Docket2022AP001795
StatusUnpublished

This text of Michael Burton v. Karl Evald Auleciems (Michael Burton v. Karl Evald Auleciems) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Michael Burton v. Karl Evald Auleciems, (Wis. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

COURT OF APPEALS DECISION NOTICE DATED AND FILED This opinion is subject to further editing. If published, the official version will appear in the bound volume of the Official Reports. April 15, 2025 A party may file with the Supreme Court a Samuel A. Christensen petition to review an adverse decision by the Clerk of Court of Appeals Court of Appeals. See WIS. STAT. § 808.10 and RULE 809.62.

Appeal No. 2022AP1795 Cir. Ct. No. 2021SC179

STATE OF WISCONSIN IN COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT III

MICHAEL BURTON AND JOANNE BURTON,

PLAINTIFFS-RESPONDENTS,

V.

KARL EVALD AULECIEMS,

DEFENDANT-APPELLANT,

SUSANNE M. BESKAR,

DEFENDANT.

APPEAL from orders of the circuit court for Burnett County: MELISSIA R. MOGEN, Judge. Order affirmed; order reversed and cause remanded for further proceedings. No. 2022AP1795

¶1 GILL, J.1 Karl Evald Auleciems, pro se, appeals orders of the circuit court allowing Michael and JoAnne Burton to recover pecuniary losses that they suffered as a result of renting a lake property owned by Auleciems, allowing the Burtons to recover attorney fees, and denying Auleciems’ motion for reconsideration.2 Auleciems argues that the Burtons failed to prove at a bench trial that he fraudulently misrepresented the property because he did not intend to deceive anyone with his description of the premises. He also argues that the court’s award of attorney fees was erroneous. As to the latter issue, Auleciems specifically argues that the amount of attorney fees that the court could award was capped at $300, or in the alternative, that the total judgment, including attorney fees, could not exceed $10,000. Auleciems further argues that even if there were no cap, the amount of attorney fees awarded was unreasonable.

¶2 We conclude that the circuit court correctly determined that the Burtons were not required to prove that Auleciems intended to defraud them when inducing them to rent Auleciems’ lake property with false and misleading statements. Accordingly, we affirm the court’s order finding that Auleciems fraudulently misrepresented his property.

¶3 We further conclude that the Burtons’ recoverable attorney fees were not capped at $300, nor the aggregate cost of litigation at $10,000. However, we

1 This appeal is decided by one judge pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 752.31(2) (2023-24). All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2023-24 version unless otherwise noted. 2 In its written order after the trial, the circuit court noted that “[t]here was no testimony, evidence or information provided to the [c]ourt regarding the advertising, rental, cleaning or maintaining of the property related to Susanne” Beskar, formerly known as Susanne Auleciems. As such, the court dismissed Susanne from this action. Susanne does not appeal, and neither the Burtons nor Auleciems raise any issue regarding the court dismissing Susanne. Thus, we do not mention her further.

2 No. 2022AP1795

also conclude that the court did not use a demonstrated rational process to reach a reasonable conclusion regarding the Burtons’ attorney fees, as it did not explicitly consider all of the statutorily required factors when it determined the reasonableness of the fees. Accordingly, we reverse the order awarding attorney fees and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

BACKGROUND

¶4 In August 2020, the Burtons were searching for a property to rent for a family vacation with their children and grandchild. The Burtons ultimately decided to rent a cabin and the surrounding property located on Birch Lake in Danbury, Wisconsin, from Auleciems for one week through the Airbnb website. The Burtons also rented motorboats from Auleciems through Airbnb. The Burtons chose to rent Auleciems’ property based on the cabin’s size and the description of the property provided in the rental listing. Specifically appealing to the Burtons was the description of the rental property as having a “sugar sand beach” and being located on a private island. The Burtons were particularly interested in the property’s beach, as their granddaughter liked to play in the sand and they thought that the beach would provide her with “something she could do.”

¶5 Before the Burtons arrived at the property, they received a call from Auleciems informing them that there was a bat inside the house and asking the Burtons if they would remove the bat. When the Burtons arrived, they “dealt with” the bat, found that the television on the property was not working, and

3 No. 2022AP1795

discovered an “extremely horrid smell of … mildew” in the basement.3 The Burtons also found a video camera “pointed right at [their] bed.”

¶6 Upon exploring the property further, the Burtons learned that the property did not have a beach. Further, in the shallow water where the beach was supposed to be, the Burtons discovered what they believed to be a live electrical wire. The Burtons attempted to take one of the boats they rented with the property out to the water, but they discovered that the boat was “in disrepair.” The Burtons then chose to “upgrade” the rental to include a new pontoon boat that Auleciems provided. However, the Burtons consistently had difficulties starting that boat.4

¶7 The Burtons stayed at the property for the entire week, although some of their family members left the property after the second night. The Burtons contacted Auleciems multiple times via telephone and text messages during their stay to complain about the condition of the property, but they did not contact Airbnb during their stay because they believed that they needed Internet access to contact Airbnb, which was not working on the property.

¶8 Approximately one week after their stay at Auleciems’ property, the Burtons contacted Airbnb to file a complaint. The Burtons corresponded with Airbnb “back and forth,” but Airbnb decided that it “couldn’t do anything.” The Burtons then contacted Auleciems requesting a refund. Auleciems declined to do

3 The basement was advertised as having two guest bedrooms. The Burtons were particularly disappointed in the condition of the basement because their granddaughter “sleeps really lightly, and she needed to be away from the main floor where any loud noises were,” so the Burtons had planned on having her sleep in one of the basement guest bedrooms. 4 The Burtons later discovered that their difficulties in starting the pontoon boat were due to it having a motor from an old pontoon boat that had sunk in a storm, completely submerging the motor.

4 No. 2022AP1795

so. In total, the Burtons paid $5,312.57 to Auleciems for costs related to the rental of the property.5 The Burtons also paid a total of $763.29 for costs related to traveling to the property.6

¶9 The Burtons filed a small claims complaint, seeking to recover $10,000 in damages claiming that Auleciems engaged in false advertising and made fraudulent representations in violation of WIS. STAT. § 100.18. The matter was heard by a court commissioner, who entered a judgment in favor of the Burtons. Auleciems sought a de novo trial in the circuit court, pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 799.207(2)(b).

¶10 At the trial before the circuit court, the Burtons testified to the facts set forth above. See supra ¶¶4-8. Auleciems testified that he owned the property for twenty-six years and that, according to a survey of the property, the area that he designated as a beach had been “dry for 100 years.” However, in 2020, the water level rose “significantly,” causing the beach to get “covered with water.” Auleciems further stated that he “never received any type of complaint from Mr. Burton about cleanliness [or] about bats.” Auleciems argued that the Burtons did not follow Airbnb’s refund policy regarding “travel issues,” which include false listings and unclean conditions.

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

Related

Covelli v. Covelli
2006 WI App 121 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2006)
Pritchard v. Madison Metropolitan School District
2001 WI App 62 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2001)
Phelps v. Physicians Insurance
2009 WI 74 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2009)
Reusch v. Roob
2000 WI App 76 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2000)
Peil v. Kohnke
184 N.W.2d 433 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1971)
Turner v. Taylor
2003 WI App 256 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2003)
Milwaukee Teacher's Education Ass'n v. Milwaukee Board of School Directors
433 N.W.2d 669 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 1988)
Lynch v. Crossroads Counseling Center, Inc.
2004 WI App 114 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2004)
Kailin v. Armstrong
2002 WI App 70 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2002)
Borreson v. Yunto
2006 WI App 63 (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, 2006)
Louis Pagoudis v. Marcus Keidl
2023 WI 27 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2023)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Michael Burton v. Karl Evald Auleciems, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/michael-burton-v-karl-evald-auleciems-wisctapp-2025.