Executive Summary
- Rick Roundy’s estate has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Brent Hofman in Waupaca County.
- The civil suit alleges Hofman acted with malice during the fatal shooting in Germania last November.
- Hofman faces separate criminal charges, with a court appearance scheduled for next month.
WAUPACA, Wis. — The estate of Rick Roundy, a Greenleaf man who was fatally shot in Shawano County, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the man accused of his murder. The civil action was lodged this week against Brent Hofman in Waupaca County, where the defendant currently resides.
According to the court filings, the lawsuit accuses Hofman of acting in a “willful” and “malicious” manner. The estate is formally requesting a jury trial to address the claims. Prosecutors state that Roundy was shot by Hofman at a residence in Germania last November. Authorities noted that the two men knew each other, as they owned neighboring hunting land in the area.
Parallel to the civil litigation, criminal proceedings against Hofman are ongoing. The court found probable cause last month for Hofman to face trial on the criminal charges. He is scheduled to appear in court regarding the criminal case next month.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law regarding criminal charges.
Judicial Implications
The initiation of a civil wrongful death suit while criminal charges are pending creates a dual-track legal process. In the United States judicial system, civil liability and criminal guilt are determined in separate courts with different standards of proof. While the criminal trial will focus on the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the civil case will rely on a preponderance of the evidence. Often, evidence presented in the criminal phase can impact the proceedings of the civil suit, though the outcomes remain legally distinct.
