WIAA petitions State Supreme Court to review Hayden Halter title

MADISON − The Wisconsin State Supreme Court announced Wednesday it has accepted a petition by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association to review a lower Circuit Court decision reinstating the 2019 wrestling title of then-Waterford wrestler Hayden Halter.

Halter v. Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association will be the sole case the Court will review out of more than 40 cases submitted from across the state, according to a Court press release. The Supreme Court next convenes in September for oral arguments.

The development represents the latest turn in a five-plus year court battle between the Halter family and the WIAA, stemming from an issue that began with two controversial unsportsmanlike conduct penalties assessed in 2019.

Halter initially suspended in 2019

In the Southern Lakes Conference tournament on Feb. 2, 2019, Halter received two unsportsmanlike penalties – the validity of which has been the subject of significant scrutiny – in a victory by decision. The first was levied on the then-sophomore for questioning an official's call. The latter came for flexing his muscles and shouting at an opposing crowd from Burlington, where Halter was enrolled and wrestled as a freshman.

Journal Sentinel reporting at the time stated the official involved, Michael Arendt, claimed Halter responded to a call at the end of the match with profanity before making the flexing gesture to the crowd. WIAA rules mandated a one-match suspension for Halter for the assessed infractions, which would have made him ineligible for the regional tournament that followed and ended his season.

Halter's family sought and received a restraining order from a Racine County Circuit Court that allowed Halter to continue to compete in the 2019 WIAA postseason, where he went on to win the 2019 individual state title at 120 pounds.

Title later stripped, but reinstated on appeal

The fight to retain that title was just beginning for Halter however, as the WIAA appealed the Racine County Circuit Court ruling. After a May 2021 evidentiary hearing, a Circuit Court ruling in the WIAA's favor overturned the 2019 restraining order ruling. The judgment stripped Halter of his 2019 individual state title, as well as all matches, places, points and scores from the regional tournament through the end of the season.

That 2021 ruling was appealed by the Halters to the Circuit Court of Appeals, who ruled in February of 2024 to reinstate Halter's title. A declaration included in the ruling said Halter's registration and sitting out of a Badger Invitational junior varsity/varsity reserve meet held Feb. 5, 2019, between the Feb. 2 conference meet and the Feb. 9 regional meet, satisfied the serving of his suspension.

"This court further concludes that Halter is entitled to a permanent injunction reinstating his 2019 WIAA Division 1 state wrestling title, as well as all wins and points (to him and to his team) and all accompanying records and benefits therefrom," the ruling stated.

Five issues to be considered in State Supreme Court review

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will consider five issues presented in the case, according to the Court's release:

1. Is the WIAA a state actor?
2. Are the Halters entitled to judicial review of the WIAA's decision to suspend Hayden Halter from the 2019 varsity regional event and to deny him an internal appeal to the body's Board of Control?
3. Are the Halters entitled to certiorari relief (review of a lower court's judgment)?
4. Are the Halters entitled to declaratory relief reinstating Hayden Halter's 2019 state title and points?
5. Are the Halters entitled to a permanent injunction?

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WIAA petitions State Supreme Court to review Hayden Halter title