The right and title of the person against whom the execution was issued, to any real estate which shall be sold thereby, shall not be divested by such sale until the expiration of fifteen months from the time of sale; and if such real estate shall not have been redeemed and a deed shall be executed in pursuance of a sale the grantee shall be vested with the legal estate from the time of the sale for the purpose of an action for an injury to such real estate.
815.54.Execution sale, title when divested, action for injury to premises.
Ch. 815: Executions · Last amended 1975 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceSection 815.54 keeps title to land sold on execution with the original debtor for fifteen months after the sale, and only once that period runs without redemption and a deed issues does the buyer’s legal estate reach back to the sale date for purposes of suing over injury to the property.
Full Text of Section 815.54
Plain-English Summary
An execution sale does not immediately strip the judgment debtor of ownership. Section 815.54 holds the debtor’s right and title to the sold real estate in place for fifteen months from the time of sale, giving the debtor a window to redeem the property before losing it for good.
If that fifteen-month period passes without redemption and a deed is later executed under the sale, the section gives the grantee a form of retroactive protection: the grantee’s legal estate is treated as running from the original sale date, but only for the purpose of bringing an action for injury to the real estate. That lets a grantee who ends up with the property pursue a claim for damage that occurred during the redemption period, even though legal ownership was not settled until later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a debtor have to redeem real estate sold at a Wisconsin execution sale?
Section 815.54 says the debtor’s right and title is not divested until fifteen months from the time of the sale.
What happens to ownership if the property is never redeemed?
If the real estate is not redeemed and a deed is executed under the sale, the grantee is vested with the legal estate, though section 815.54 ties that vesting back to the sale date only for a specific purpose.
Can the grantee sue for damage to the property that happened before the deed issued?
Yes, for that purpose. Section 815.54 treats the grantee as vested with the legal estate from the time of sale specifically for an action for injury to the real estate.
Does the fifteen-month period apply to personal property sold on execution?
The text of section 815.54 speaks to real estate sold on execution, not personal property.
What triggers a deed being executed after the fifteen months run?
Section 815.54 refers to a deed executed in pursuance of a sale once the real estate has not been redeemed within the fifteen-month period; section 815.55 sets out how that deed issues.
Amendment History
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 761 (1975); Stats. 1975 s. 815.54.
Source & verification. Section text and official notes are
reproduced verbatim from the Wisconsin Statutes, published by the
Wisconsin Legislature (Legislative Reference Bureau). Last verified July 15, 2026.
· Official source
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