Shorewood beach walker loses trespassing case; plans to fight decision

Shorewood resident Paul Florsheim was ticketed for trespassing for walking along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Florsheim was walking north of the public Atwater Beach where residential homes meet the shore.

Florsheim took the case to court, arguing it’s everyone’s right under Wisconsin’s public trust doctrine to walk along the lakeshore. But last week a municipal judge found Florsheim guilty. He plans to appeal.

Rob Lee is a staff attorney at Midwest Environmental Advocates. He says his team is following the case because it could go to the court of appeals or the state supreme court. Lee joins WUWM’s environmental reporter Susan Bence to talk about the ruling and the implications.