C.D. Smith Construction, Inc. v. The Edison SPE LLC (Milwaukee Mass-Timber Tower Construction-Lien Foreclosure)
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glenn H. Yamahiro entered a default judgment of more than $11.3 million on June 29, 2026 in favor of general contractor C.D. Smith Construction against The Edison SPE LLC, a Neutral affiliate, clearing the way to foreclose on a construction lien against the stalled 31-story Edison mass-timber tower site in downtown Milwaukee. The default arose after Neutral CEO Nate Helbach filed a pro se mediation/arbitration request the court struck because a corporation cannot represent itself in litigation.
Why it matters
The ruling gives C.D. Smith a direct path to force a sale of the Edison site via lien foreclosure rather than standing as an unsecured creditor, and is a reminder that developers must respond to litigation through licensed counsel or risk default judgment on the full amount claimed regardless of the underlying merits.
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