Wisconsin circuit courts

The Wisconsin circuit courts are the general trial courts in the state of Wisconsin. There are currently 69 circuits in the state, divided into 10 judicial administrative districts. Circuit court judges hear and decide both civil and criminal cases. Each of the 249 circuit court judges are elected and serve six-year terms.[1]

Wisconsin Circuit Court System
EstablishedAugust 1848
Jurisdiction Wisconsin
Location
Composition methodNonpartisan election from within judicial circuit
Authorized by
Appeals toWisconsin Court of Appeals
Judge term lengthSix years, no term limit
Number of positions261
Annual budget$203,586,400
WebsiteOfficial site
Division map

On March 6, 2020, Governor Tony Evers signed bipartisan legislation to create 12 new circuit court branches, with four seats to be added each year from 2021 to 2023.[2]

Structure of the circuit courts

The circuit court system is composed of 69 circuits, with 66 circuits serving a single county, and three circuits serving two counties each.[3] Buffalo and Pepin counties share a circuit, as do Florence and Forest counties, and Shawano and Menominee counties.[3] 26 circuit courts are served by a single judge.[3] For those circuits with more than one judge, each is elected to a particular seat, or "branch" within the court. The Milwaukee County Circuit Court has the greatest number of branches with 47.

The circuit courts are organized into 10 geographical administrative districts. Within each district the Wisconsin Supreme Court will appoint a chief judge, a deputy chief judge, and a professional district court administrator.[3] With the exception of Milwaukee County, chief judges and their deputies continue to hear cases while serving. Chief judges assign judges to hear only a specific type of case (e.g. civil, criminal, juvenile), equalize the flow of cases, establish court policies and rules, and supervise the finances of the courts they administer. They also work closely with county boards on security, facility, and staffing issues. The chief judges and district court administration meet regularly with the director of state courts to discuss current issues and to advise the Supreme court and the director on matters of statewide concern.

In 2017, Wisconsin's Supreme Court created a new Business Court, the Commercial Docket Pilot Project,[4] located in the Waukesha County Circuit Court and the Eighth Judicial Administrative District.[5] On April 1, 2019, the Supreme Court expanded the Commercial Docket's geographic jurisdiction to encompass the entire state.[6]

Jurisdiction

The Wisconsin circuit courts have original jurisdiction to hear all civil and criminal matters within the state. The court's jurisdiction is conferred by Article VII, Section 8 of the Wisconsin Constitution and is quite broad. Since the court's subject matter jurisdiction is constitutional rather than statutory, the Wisconsin Legislature cannot limit it by statute. By comparison, the United States Congress is empowered to limit the subject matter jurisdiction of federal District Courts if it so chooses.

The geographic limitations of the circuit court's authority are referred to as "personal jurisdiction." In a civil case, the requirements for personal jurisdiction are governed by chapter 801.05 of the Wisconsin Statutes. Generally speaking, a defendant must either be present in the state, or have sufficient contacts with the state, and the pleadings must have been properly served on the defendant. Personal jurisdiction requirements in a civil case are driven by policy considerations, such as fairness to the defendant, comity, and principals of federalism.

The circuit court has personal jurisdiction over a defendant in a criminal case if the defendant violates a Wisconsin law while physically present in Wisconsin. Wisconsin courts also have personal jurisdiction over a defendant who commits an act while out of state that contributes to a crime, the consequences of which occur in Wisconsin.[7]

Limits on exercise of power to decide cases

There are, however, limits on what cases the circuit courts will hear. They will not hear a case if the parties lack standing, or if the case is moot or is not ripe. Additionally, the circuit court will not hear a case in which it lacks competency. State law distinguishes between the court's jurisdiction (power to hear a case) and its competency (ability to arrive at a valid judgment in a case). A court lacks competency if certain statutory requirements are not satisfied, for example, time limits for filing suit, or requirements as to which circuit should decide a case.

In addition, the courts are constrained from taking action that will encroach on the powers of the legislative or executive branches. Under the separation of powers doctrine, no branch of government may exercise a power of government assigned exclusively to another branch. The purpose of separating powers among the branches of government is to avoid concentration of governmental power in the hands of a new and to give the various branches the ability to check actions by the other branches.

In reviewing the validity of state laws, the courts are limited to determining whether the law violates any provision of the constitution. The courts may invalidate a law that violates individual rights, such as the right to equal protection or due process, or a law that is not enacted according to the process established in the constitution, for example, a bill that was not passed by a majority of the members of each house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. However, a court may not invalidate a law because the court finds that the legislature's method for addressing a problem was not the most efficient. Nor may the court substitute its determination of what is in the public interest for the determination of the legislature.

While the separation of powers doctrine limits the ability of the courts to act, it also protects the courts from encroachment by the legislature of governor. The Wisconsin Supreme Court established its judicial power in the three-branch system soon after Wisconsin became a state by deciding Bashford v. Barstow (1856), an election case that resulted in the ouster of an incumbent governor.[8]

Commencing a civil case

Civil cases start the same way regardless of the issues or parties involved and regardless of whether the case ultimately goes to trial. A case begins with pleadings, in which the parties state basic claims and responses. The parties then have an opportunity to investigate the claims and gather evidence through a process called discovery. The court generally has little direct involvement in a case until shortly before trial, though the court is available to resolve preliminary matters and disputes.

Pleadings

The plaintiff starts a civil case by filing a summons, and generally a complaint, with the clerk of circuit court and paying a filing fee. A summons provides the defendant notice that a suit has been filed against him or her and notifies the defendant that he or she must answer the complaint. The complaint sets forth the plaintiff's allegations against the defendant. It must contain a short and plain statement of the plaintiff's claim, identify the events out of which the claim arises, and demand relief to satisfy the plaintiff's claim. The plaintiff must serve an authenticated copy of the summons and complaint on the defendant. The favored method for serving the defendant is to personally hand a copy of the summons to him or her. Alternatively, the server may hand the summons to another responsible adult at the defendant's residence or, in some cases, it is sufficient for the plaintiff to publish the summons in a newspaper and send it to the defendant's address. Any adult who is not a party to the lawsuit may serve the summons. The person who serves the summons must sign the summons at the time of service and note the date, time, place, and manner of service and upon whom the summons is served. The plaintiff then files proof of service with the court.

A plaintiff must commence a suit by serving the defendant with a summons within a certain time period established by a statute of limitation, or lose the right to sue. Statutes of limitation differ according to the type of suit. For example, a suit for breach of a sales contract must be commenced within six years; a suit for medical malpractice must be commenced within three years of the injury or within one year of discovery of the injury; and a suit to collect child support must be commenced within 20 years after the youngest child for whom support is due turns 18.

The defendant responds to the plaintiff's allegations in a document called an answer, in which the defendant must admit or deny an allegation or state that he or she does not know if the allegation is true, in which case the allegation is taken as denied. The defendant may also raise affirmative defenses (defenses that defeat the plaintiff's claims even if the plaintiff's allegations are true), for example, that the time period for filing the suit has expired, that the service of the summons and complaint was invalid, or that the complaint has already been settled in previous litigation. The defendant may also file a counterclaim against the plaintiff, or a cross-claim against a fellow defendant.

The complaint and the answer together constitute the "pleadings" in a case. The purpose of the pleadings is to provide notice of the claims and defenses. The issues of the case generally are not narrowed until later in the proceedings.

Discovery

After an action is commenced, the parties begin discovery, which is intended to provide the parties mutual knowledge of facts relevant to a case before trial so that the trial is limited to resolving disputed facts and issues. Discovery also allows the parties to formulate and narrow the issues for trial and obtain and preserve evidence. A recipient of a discovery request generally must provide the information or material requested unless it is readily available from another source or is privileged. The scope of permitted discovery in a civil case is quite broad. A party may use discovery to obtain material that will be inadmissible as evidence at trial as long as the material is reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence. Methods of discovery include depositions (recorded interviews with witnesses under oath), interrogatories (written questions), requests for production of documents or things, medical examinations, and requests for admissions.

Ideally and usually, discovery takes place without direct involvement by the court. Except for medical examinations and inspection of medical records, discovery requests need not be authorized by the court. The recipient of a discovery request may seek a protective order denying certain discovery or limiting its scope if the discovery requested will cause annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, or will inquire into privileged or irrelevant matters, and the party requesting discovery may request that the court intervene and order compliance.

Pretrial activities in court

After the pleadings are filed, the court may hold a scheduling conference with the parties and issue a scheduling order to manage the progress of the case. The scheduling order generally assigns dates for filing motions, amending pleadings, completing discovery, pretrial conferences between the judge and parties, and for trial. Some judges also use the scheduling conference to advise the parties to attempt to settle the case without going to trial.

In civil cases, parties often file a variety of pretrial motions with the court seeking court orders affecting the trial. For example, a defendant may seek dismissal of a whole case or certain issues in the case because the plaintiff has not stated a valid claim. Or, a party may seek an order compelling the opposing party to comply with a discovery request or a ruling on admissibility of certain pieces of evidence at trial. If the court requires additional information before ruling on a motion, the court may hold a hearing and may direct the parties to submit briefs, written materials that state the facts and present each side's position.

The courts resolve motions by order, often directing the prevailing party to prepare the order and submit it to the judge for his or her signature. The resolution of pretrial motions often dictates the future of a case. If a party wins a pretrial motion for summary judgment, the case is dismissed. Sometimes a party who loses important pretrial motions is more likely to agree to a settlement. A settlement must be accepted by a judge. Judges usually accept settlement agreements in civil cases with minimal review, although they look more closely at settlement agreements in divorce cases. If the parties do not settle, the case proceeds to trial.

Commencing a criminal case

Only the state may bring a criminal case. Generally a prosecutor starts a criminal case by filing a complaint. The court is directly involved in a criminal case from the beginning to protect the rights of the defendant. Parties have a right to discovery in a criminal case, but discovery is not as extensive in a criminal case as in a civil case because the state must have completed most of its investigation before bringing criminal charges.

The criminal complaint

Most criminal cases are started when a prosecutor, either a district attorney (who represents a county) or the attorney general (who represents the state), files a complaint with the court. The complaint states the crime charged, names the defendant, and gives the date, approximate time, and location of the crime. In a complaint, the district attorney also presents sufficient facts to show why the defendant is being charged, identifies the source of the information contained in the complaint, and provides reasons why the source should be believed.

Prosecution of most crimes must be commenced within a certain time period that is established by a statute of limitation. The state generally has six years to commence prosecution of a felony (a crime for which a person may be sentenced to one year or more in prison) and three years for a misdemeanor (a crime for which the maximum penalty is a year in jail). However, there is no time limit for the prosecution of homicide. The main purpose of time limits is to ensure that criminal cases are tried while the evidence is still available and witnesses' memories are fresh. A case is commenced when a warrant, summons, or indictment is issued or an information is filed.

Pretrial court appearances

The defendant's first court date is called the initial appearance. The court informs the defendant of the charges filed against him or her and gives the defendant a copy of the complaint. The court also informs the defendant of his or her right to have an attorney and that if the defendant is indigent and requests counsel, the court will appoint an attorney. If the defendant is in custody, the court determines whether to release the defendant on bail, and if the defendant is released, imposes conditions for bail. In a misdemeanor case, the court may set the trial date at the initial appearance. The next court action in a misdemeanor case is the arraignment. Further steps are required in a felony case. At the initial appearance, the court informs a felony defendant that he or she is entitled to a preliminary examination before the criminal case may go forward.

The purpose of a preliminary examination is to determine in a felony case whether the district attorney can show probable cause to believe that the defendant committed a felony. If not, the court must dismiss the felony complaint. At the preliminary examination the district attorney and defendant may call witnesses and present evidence. If the court determines that the district attorney has shown probable cause or if the defendant waives his or her right to a preliminary examination, the case goes forward. The prosecutor files a pleading called an "information," which informs the court of the crime with which the defendant is charged and states the date and place of the crime.

An arraignment is held in both misdemeanor and felony cases. At the arraignment, the complaint or information is read out loud unless the defendant waives reading, and in a felony case the district attorney gives the defendant a copy of the information. The court then asks the defendant to submit a plea. The defendant may plead "guilty", "no contest", "not guilty", or "not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect". A plea of no contest has the same effect in a criminal case as a guilty plea, except it cannot be used as an admission of criminal action in a civil case. The defendant may not enter a plea of no contest without approval from the court. If the defendant pleads guilty or no contest, the court sentences the defendant or places the defendant on probation. If the defendant pleads not guilty or not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, the case proceeds to trial.

Grand jury and John Doe proceedings

Although the vast majority of criminal cases in Wisconsin are begun by a district attorney filing a criminal complaint, some cases are commenced as the result of a grand jury or John Doe investigation. Grand jury and John Doe investigations are secret proceedings for which witnesses may be subpoenaed. Grand jury and John Doe proceedings are generally used when investigators need to take testimony under oath or compel a witness to testify in order to gather sufficient evidence to issue a criminal complaint.

A judge, usually upon the request of a district attorney, may assemble a grand jury to investigate suspected criminal activity. A grand jury consists of 17 people selected for jury service. The grand jury may request that the prosecutor subpoena and examine witnesses. Upon completing an investigation, a grand jury may by the vote of at least 14 members return an indictment, which is a written accusation that a person committed a crime. If the grand jury returns an indictment, the court issues a summons or warrant for the defendant.

A judge initiates a John Doe proceeding upon receiving a complaint about criminal activity from any person, including the district attorney. The judge must question the person who makes the complaint under oath and may subpoena and examine other witnesses (usually with the assistance of the district attorney). If the judge finds probable cause to believe that a person has committed a crime, a written complaint is filed and the judge issues a warrant for the arrest of the defendant named in the complaint.

Discovery

Discovery in a criminal case is generally less extensive than in a civil case. Discovery allows the parties to obtain certain information known by the opposing party. Upon request, the prosecution and defense must provide a list of witnesses it intends to call at trial, as well as statements of the witnesses, reports of expert witnesses, and any known criminal record of a witness. The parties must also disclose any physical evidence they intend to introduce at trial. A party may obtain a court order allowing scientific testing of evidence held by the opposing party. The prosecution must disclose statements made by the defendant that pertain to the crime or that the prosecution intends to introduce at trial. The prosecution is obligated to disclose exculpatory evidence (evidence that might weigh in the defendant's favor) to the defendant even if the defendant does not specifically request the information or material.

Pretrial motions and plea bargains

Parties in a criminal case often file pretrial motions. Common motions include motions to exclude physical evidence, a defendant's confession, or an eyewitness identification of the defendant. The court may require the attorneys to submit briefs on the motions, but briefing is less common on pretrial motions in criminal cases than civil cases.

Most criminal cases do not go to trial. Instead the prosecution and defense negotiate a settlement. The parties may agree upon the crimes to which a defendant will plead guilty and a sentence recommendation, or may only agree on the plea. The judge must review the agreement on the plea before accepting it to ensure that there is sufficient reason to believe that the defendant is guilty of the crime. If the parties agree on a sentence recommendation, the judge must review it to determine if it is appropriate. The judge is not bound by the sentence agreement.

Trial of a civil or criminal case

The proceedings in a trial of a civil or criminal case are similar. Both may be to a jury or judge. Both start with opening statements, proceed to presentation of evidence followed by closing statements, and culminate with a decision. Depending on the result of the trial, a civil case may end with the awarding of damages and a criminal trial may end with sentencing. During the trial, the role of the judge is similar – determining the admissibility of evidence, guiding the jury, if there is one, and refereeing the actions of the attorneys.

Current Judges

Circuit judges are elected to a six year term in the spring non-partisan election, currently Wisconsin holds a non-partisan primary election in February and a general election in April. New judicial terms start on the first day of August in the year of the election.

In the event of a vacancy, the Governor can appoint an interim judge to hold office until the next spring election.

District 1

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Milwaukee 1 Jack Dávila 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers[9]
2 Milton L. Childs 2019 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers
3 Clare L. Fiorenza 1996 2021
4 Michael J. Hanrahan 2017 2023
5 Brett Blomme 2020 2026
6 Ellen Brostrom 2008 2021 Appointed by Jim Doyle
7 Thomas J. McAdams 2014 2026
8 William Sosnay 2000 2024
9 Paul R. Van Grunsven 2004 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
10 Michelle Ackerman Havas 2017 2023
11 Dave Swanson 2013 2025
12 David L. Borowski 2003 2021
13 Mary Triggiano 2004 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
14 Christopher R. Foley 1986 2022
15 J. D. Watts 2009 2021
16 Brittany Grayson 2019 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers
17 Carolina Maria Stark 2012 2024
18 Pedro Colón 2010 2023
19 Dennis R. Cimpl 2005 2023
20 Joseph Wall 2018 2024
21 Cynthia M. Davis 2015 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
22 Timothy M. Witkowiak 2002 2021 Appointed by Scott McCallum
23 Lindsey Grady 2012 2024
24 Janet C. Protasiewicz 2014 2026
25 Stephanie Rothstein 2010 2022
26 William Pocan 2006 2025 Appointed by Jim Doyle
27 Kevin E. Martens 2001 2026 Appointed by Scott McCallum
28 Mark A. Sanders 2012 2024
29 Rebecca Kiefer 2020 2026
30 Jonathan D. Richards 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers[10]
31 Hannah C. Dugan 2016 2022
32 Laura Gramling Perez 2014 2026
33 Carl Ashley 1999 2023
34 Glenn H. Yamahiro 2004 2022
35 Frederick C. Rosa 2004 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
36 Laura Crivello 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
37 T. Christopher Dee 2014 2021 Appointed by Scott Walker
38 Jeffrey A. Wagner 1988 2024
39 Jane Carroll 2006 2024
40 Danielle Shelton 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
41 Audrey Skwierawski 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
42 Reyna Morales 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers[10]
43 Marshall B. Murray 1999 2024 Appointed by Tommy Thompson
44 Gwen Connolly 2016 2022
45 Jean Marie Kies 2016 2022
46 David Feiss 2015 2021
47 Kristy Yang 2017 2023

District 2

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Kenosha 1 Larisa V. Benitez-Morgan 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers
2 Jason A. Rossell 2011 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Bruce E. Schroeder 1984 2026
4 Anthony Milisauskas 2005 2023
5 David P. Wilk 2014 2021 Appointed by Scott Walker
6 Mary K. Wagner 1991 2021 Retiring in 2021
7 Jodi L. Meier 2016 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
8 Chad G. Kerkman 2009 2021
Racine 1 Wynne P. Laufenberg 2016 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
2 Eugene Gasiorkiewicz 2010 2022
3 Maureen Martinez 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
4 Mark Nielsen 2016 2022
5 Mike Piontek 2012 2024
6 David W. Paulson 2015 2021
7 Jon E. Fredrickson 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
8 Faye M. Flancher 2002 2021 Appointed by Scott McCallum
9 Robert S. Repischak 2017 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
10 Timothy D. Boyle 2012 2024
Walworth 1 Phillip A. Koss 2012 2024
2 Daniel S. Johnson 2016 2022
3 Kristine E. Drettwan 2014 2021 Appointed by Scott Walker
4 David M. Reddy 2010 2022

District 3

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Dodge 1 Brian A. Pfitzinger 2008 2026
2 Martin J. De Vries 2016 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Joseph G. Sciascia 2013 2025
4 Kristine A. Snow 2020 2026
Jefferson 1 William V. Gruber 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
2 William F. Hue 1995 2024
3 Robert F. Dehring, Jr. 2016 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
4 Bennett J. Brantmeier 2017 2023
Ozaukee 1 Paul V. Malloy 2002 2021 Appointed by Scott McCallum
2 Steve Cain 2019 2025
3 Sandy A. Williams 2009 2021 Appointed by Jim Doyle after election
Washington 1 James Pouros 2010 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
2 James K. Muehlbauer 2007 2026 Appointed by Jim Doyle
3 Todd K. Martens 2010 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
4 Andrew T. Gonring 2000 2024
Waukesha 1 Michael O. Bohren 2000 2025 Appointed by Tommy Thompson
2 Jennifer Dorow 2011 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Ralph M. Ramirez 1999 2023
4 Lloyd V. Carter 2011 2023
5 Jack Melvin 2020 2026
6 Brad Schimel 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
7 Maria S. Lazar 2015 2021
8 Michael P. Maxwell 2015 2021
9 Michael Aprahamian 2014 2021 Appointed by Scott Walker
10 Paul Bugenhagen, Jr. 2015 2021
11 William Domina 2010 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
12 Laura Lau 2018 2024

District 4

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Calumet 1 Jeffrey S. Froehlich 2012 2024
2 --Vacant-- 2021 New seat 2021
Fond du Lac 1 Dale L. English 1996 2026
2 Peter L. Grimm 1992 2022
3 Richard J. Nuss 2003 2021
4 Gary R. Sharpe 2010 2022
5 Robert J. Wirtz 1999 2023
Green Lake Mark Slate 2011 2023
Manitowoc 1 Mark R. Rohrer 2013 2025
2 Jerilyn M. Dietz 2018 2024
3 Bob Dewane 2017 2023
Marquette Chad A. Hendee 2019 2025
Sheboygan 1 L. Edward Stengel 1985 2021
2 Kent Hoffman 2016 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Angela Sutkiewicz 2010 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
4 Rebecca Persick 2015 2021
5 Daniel J. Borowski 2016 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
Waushara Guy Dutcher 2005 2023
Winnebago 1 Teresa S. Basiliere 2018 2024
2 Scott C. Woldt 2004 2023 Appointed by Jim Doyle
3 Barbara Hart Key 1998 2022
4 Karen L. Seifert 2006 2024
5 John Jorgensen 2010 2022
6 Daniel J. Bissett 2011 2023

District 5

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Columbia 1 Todd J. Hepler 2015 2021
2 W. Andrew Voigt 2011 2023
3 Troy D. Cross 2018 2024
Dane 1 Susan M. Crawford 2018 2024
2 Josann M. Reynolds 2014 2021 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Valerie L. Bailey-Rihn 2016 2022
4 Everett Mitchell 2016 2022
5 Nicholas J. McNamara 2009 2022 Appointed by Jim Doyle
6 Nia Trammell 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers
7 Mario D. White 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers
8 Frank D. Remington 2012 2024
9 Jacob B. Frost 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers
10 Juan B. Colas 2008 2021 Appointed by Jim Doyle
11 Ellen K. Berz 2012 2024
12 Chris Taylor 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers
13 Julie Genovese 2009 2021
14 John D. Hyland 2016 2022
15 Stephen Ehlke 2009 2022 Appointed by Jim Doyle
16 Rhonda L. Lanford 2013 2025
17 David D. Conway 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers
Green 1 James R. Beer 1996 2021 Appointed by Tommy Thompson
2 Thomas J. Vale 2009 2021
Lafayette Duane M. Jorgenson 2015 2021
Rock 1 Karl R. Hanson 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
2 Derrick A. Grubb 2018 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Jeffrey S. Kuglitsch 2017 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
4 Daniel T. Dillon 2000 2025 Appointed by Tommy Thompson
5 Mike Haakenson 2015 2021
6 John M. Wood 2016 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
7 Barbara W. McCrory 2012 2024
Sauk 1 Michael P. Screnock 2015 2022 Appointed by Scott Walker
2 Wendy J. N. Klicko 2016 2022
3 Pat Barrett 2018 2024

District 6

Eliminated by order of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, effective July 31, 2018.[11]

District 7

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Adams Daniel Glen Wood 2015 2021
BuffaloPepin Thomas W. Clark 2018 2024
Clark Lyndsey Boon Brunette 2018 2024
Crawford Lynn Marie Ryder 2016 2022
Grant 1 Robert P. VanDeHey 1999 2023
2 Craig R. Day 2009 2021
Iowa Margaret M. Koehler 2016 2022
Jackson 1 Anna L. Becker 2014 2021 Appointed by Scott Walker
2 --Vacant-- 2021 New seat 2021
Juneau 1 Stacy A. Smith 2018 2024
2 Paul S. Curran 2008 2026
La Crosse 1 Ramona A. Gonzalez 1995 2025
2 Elliott Levine 2007 2025
3 Todd Bjerke 2007 2025
4 Scott L. Horne 2007 2025
5 Gloria L. Doyle 2015 2021
Monroe 1 Todd L. Ziegler 2007 2025
2 Mark L. Goodman 2010 2022
3 Rick Radcliffe 2017 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
Pierce Joseph D. Boles 2010 2022
Richland W. Andrew Sharp 2011 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
Trempealeau Rian W. Radtke 2017 2023
Vernon Darcy Rood 2017 2023

District 8

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Brown 1 Donald R. Zuidmulder 1997 2021
2 Tom Walsh 2012 2024
3 Tammy Jo Hock 2012 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
4 Kendall M. Kelley 2002 2021 Appointed by Scott McCallum
5 Marc A. Hammer 2008 2021 Appointed by Jim Doyle
6 John P. Zakowski 2012 2024
7 Timothy A. Hinkfuss 2007 2025
8 Beau G. Liegeois 2019 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers
Door 1 D. Todd Ehlers 2000 2024
2 David L. Weber 2016 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
Kewaunee Keith A. Mehn 2016 2022
Marinette 1 Jane Kopish Sequin 2020 2026
2 James A. Morrison 2012 2025 Appointed by Scott Walker
Oconto 1 Michael T. Judge 2007 2023
2 Jay N. Conley 2010 2022
Outagamie 1 Mark McGinnis 2005 2023
2 Emily I. Lonergan 2020 2026
3 Mitchell J. Metropulos 2007 2026 Appointed by Jim Doyle
4 Gregory B. Gill, Jr. 2011 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
5 Carrie Schneider 2017 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
6 Vincent Biskupic 2014 2021 Appointed by Scott Walker
7 John A. Des Jardins 1994 2024
Waupaca 1 Troy L. Nielsen 2017 2023
2 Vicki Taggatz Clussman 2014 2026
3 Raymond S. Huber 2000 2024

District 9

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
FlorenceForest Leon D. Stenz 2008 2026
Iron Anthony J. Stella Jr. 2019 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers
Langlade John Rhode 2015 2021
Lincoln 1 Jay R. Tlusty 2004 2022
2 Robert Russell 2013 2025
Marathon 1 Jill N. Falstad 2009 2021
2 Gregory Huber 2004 2022 Appointed by Jim Doyle
3 Lamont K. Jacobson 2013 2026 Appointed by Scott Walker
4 Gregory J. Strasser 2016 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker
5 Mike Moran 2011 2023
6 --Vacant-- 2021 New seat 2021
MenomineeShawano 1 Katie Sloma[12][note 1] 2020 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers
2 William F. Kussel Jr. 2011 2024
Oneida 1 Patrick F. O'Melia 2007 2026 Appointed by Jim Doyle
2 Michael H. Bloom 2012 2024
Portage 1 Thomas B. Eagon 2012 2024
2 Robert J. Shannon 2015 2022 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Thomas T. Flugaur 1994 2024
Price Kevin G. Klein 2017 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
Taylor Ann Knox-Bauer 2008 2021 Appointed by Jim Doyle
Vilas Neal A. Nielsen III 2003 2022 Appointed by Jim Doyle
Wood 1 Gregory J. Potter 2001 2026 Appointed by Scott McCallum
2 Nicholas J. Brazeau Jr. 2011 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
3 Todd P. Wolf 2009 2021

District 10

Circuit Branch Judge Entered office Next election Notes
Ashland Kelly J. McKnight 2018 2024
Barron 1 James C . Babler 2004 2022
2 J. Michael Bitney 2014 2026
3 Maureen D. Boyle 2014 2026
Bayfield John P. Anderson 2004 2021 Appointed by Jim Doyle
Burnett Melissia R. Christianson Mogen 2017 2023
Chippewa 1 Steven H. Gibbs 2017 2024
2 James Isaacson 2009 2021
3 Benjamin Lane 2020 2026
Douglas 1 Kelly J. Thimm 2009 2021
2 George L. Glonek 2002 2021 Appointed by Scott McCallum
Dunn 1 James M. Peterson 2014 2026
2 Rod W. Smeltzer 1997 2021 Retiring in 2021
3 --Vacant-- 2021 New seat 2021
Eau Claire 1 John F. Manydeeds 2016 2022
2 Michael Schumacher 2008 2026
3 Emily M. Long 2018 2024
4 Jon M. Theisen 2011 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker
5 Sarah Harless 2018 2024
Polk 1 Daniel J. Tolan 2016 2023
2 Jeff Anderson 2011 2023
Rusk Steven P. Anderson 2010 2022
Sawyer John Martin Yackel 2015 2021
St. Croix 1 Scott J. Nordstrand 2019 2026 Appointed by Scott Walker
2 Edward F. Vlack III 2001 2025
3 Scott R. Needham 1994 2024
4 R. Michael Waterman 2015 2022 Appointed by Scott Walker
Washburn Angeline E. Winton 2020 2026

See also

References

  1. "The Judiciary". Wisconsin Blue Book 2019-2020 (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 2019. pp. 268–271. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  2. Vetterkind, Riley (March 6, 2020). "Tony Evers signs bill adding 12 circuit court branches". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  3. "Wisconsin Court System - Circuit courts". wicourts.gov.
  4. "Wisconsin Court System - Commercial Docket Pilot Project". www.wicourts.gov. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  5. "Solutions The Need for Speed: Commercial Court Open for Business". WisBar. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  6. "Wisconsin Expands the Commercial Docket Pilot Project to All Wisconsin Counties – Business Courts Blog". Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  7. "Wisconsin Court System - Circuit court forms". www.wicourts.gov.
  8. "Wisconsin Court System -". www.wicourts.gov.
  9. "Gov. Evers appoints Jack Dávila as circuit judge in Milwaukee County". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. April 9, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  10. Vielmetti, Bruce (September 22, 2020). "Evers appoints a former legislator and a public defender as judges in Milwaukee County". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  11. "Judiciary". Wisconsin Blue Book 2019-2020 (PDF) (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 2019. p. 268. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  12. "Sloma named circuit court judge for Shawano-Menominee counties". Wisconsin Law Journal. July 6, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.

Notes

  1. Tony A. Kordus was elected in the 2020 election but declined to serve.
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