Martha Bablitch

Martha Bablitch (née Virtue; October 28, 1944 – April 4, 2007) was a judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Biography

Martha Jean Virtue was born on October 28, 1944 in Lawrence, Kansas to John and Maxine (nee Boord) Virtue.[1] Martha grew up in Ypsilanti, Michigan where her mother was a lawyer and her father an English professor at Eastern Michigan University.[2] She moved to Wisconsin to attend Lawrence University and later graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Career

Bablitch practiced private law with the firm Bablitch & Bablitch in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. In the 1970's she was a board member for the Wisconsin state Council on Criminal Justice.[3] She was elected to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for district 4 when it was created in 1978 and re-elected in 1982. She retired in 1985.

Personal life and death

She was married to William A. Bablitch, who was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and Wisconsin Supreme Court.[4] They divorced in 1978.

After her retirement, Bablitch devoted her time to the alcohol recovery community in Madison, focusing on other women and lawyers working towards recovery. In April 1986, Bablitch was interviewed in Milwaukee Magazine where she discussed her struggles with depression and alcoholism.[5] On March 17, 2004 her portrait, along with 14 other Wisconsin Women Jurists, was exhibited at the Wisconsin state house of representatives.[6]

She died from lung cancer on April 4, 2007 at her home in Waunakee, Wisconsin.[7]

References
  1. "Martha Bablitch". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved 2011-11-26.
  2. "John B. Virtue papers 010.JV". caine.emich.edu. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
  3. "Criminal Justice Improvement Plan Summary" (PDF). Wisconsin Council on Criminal Justice. March 1976.
  4. "Martha Bablitch obituary". The Portage County Gazette. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
  5. Vukelich, George (April 1986). "The Search for Normal". Milwaukee Magazine. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  6. Baldwin, Tammy (March 2, 2004). "Remarks: Celebrating Wisconsin's Legal History Hon Tammy Baldwin". Vote Smart. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  7. Wineke, William (April 6, 2007). "Martha Bablitch, former judge, dies". Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wisconsin). Retrieved 14 October 2020.
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