Section 425.107. Unconscionability.

 

(1)  With respect to a consumer credit transaction, if the court as a matter of law finds that any aspect of the transaction, any conduct directed against the customer by a party to the transaction, or any result of the transaction is unconscionable, the court shall, in addition to the remedy and penalty authorized in sub. (5) , either refuse to enforce the transaction against the customer, or so limit the application of any unconscionable aspect or conduct to avoid any unconscionable result.

(2)  Specific practices forbidden by the administrator in rules promulgated pursuant to s. 426.108 shall be presumed to be unconscionable.

(3)  Without limiting the scope of sub. (1) , the court may consider, among other things, the following as pertinent to the issue of unconscionability:

(a) That the practice unfairly takes advantage of the lack of knowledge, ability, experience or capacity of customers;

(b) That those engaging in the practice know of the inability of customers to receive benefits properly anticipated from the goods or services involved;

(c) That there exists a gross disparity between the price of goods or services and their value as measured by the price at which similar goods or services are readily obtainable by other customers, or by other tests of true value;

(d) That the practice may enable merchants to take advantage of the inability of customers reasonably to protect their interests by reason of physical or mental infirmities, illiteracy or inability to understand the language of the agreement, ignorance or lack of education or similar factors;

(e) That the terms of the transaction require customers to waive legal rights;

(f) That the terms of the transaction require customers to unreasonably jeopardize money or property beyond the money or property immediately at issue in the transaction;

(g) That the natural effect of the practice would reasonably cause or aid in causing customers to misunderstand the true nature of the transaction or their rights and duties thereunder;

(h) That the writing purporting to evidence the obligation of the customer in the transaction contains terms or provisions or authorizes practices prohibited by law; and

(i) Definitions of unconscionability in statutes, regulations, rulings and decisions of legislative, administrative or judicial bodies.

(4)  Any charge or practice expressly permitted by chs. 421 to 427 and 429 is not in itself unconscionable but even though a practice or charge is authorized by chs. 421 to 427 and 429 , the totality of a creditor's conduct may show that such practice or charge is part of an unconscionable course of conduct.

(5)  In addition to the protections afforded in sub. (1) , the customer shall be entitled upon a finding of unconscionability to recover from the creditor or the person responsible for the unconscionable conduct a remedy and penalty in accordance with s. 425.303 .

1971 c. 239 ; 1979 c. 89 ; 1995 a. 329 . When a lender was promptly informed that a borrower had a valid disability insurance claim that would cover payments, it was an unconscionable practice to include an unpaid monthly charge that would be covered by the disability insurance in computing the unpaid balance for purposes of establishing default. Bank One Milwaukee, N.A. v. Harris, 209 Wis. 2d 412 , 563 N.W.2d 543 (Ct. App. 1997), 96-0903 .