May 8, 2015 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed Judge Lisa Neubauer to serve as chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, effective Aug. 2, 2015. Judge Neubauer replaces outgoing Chief Judge Richard Brown, who is retiring.
Judge Lisa Neubauer
Chief Judge Brown has served on the appeals court since it was established in 1978 and as chief judge since 2007. Judge Neubauer (U.W. 1987) was first appointed to the District II Appeals Court in 2007, elected in 2008, and has served as presiding judge since 2009. She was reelected in 2014. She’ll serve a three-year term as chief judge.
Before joining the appeals court, Judge Neubauer worked in private practice and clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb, of the Western District of Wisconsin. She serves on the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s Planning and Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC) and is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Bench and Bar Committee, serving as chair of a that group’s subcommittee on judicial funding.
In addition to maintaining a caseload, the appeals court’s chief judge handles a variety of management duties for the four-district, 16-judge court of appeals. The chief judge works with court staff on budget and administrative matters, and case management.
Supreme Court Appoints White as Chief Circuit Court Judge for District One
The supreme court appointed Judge Maxine White, of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, to serve as chief judge of District One, which encompasses Milwaukee County. Judge White replaces outgoing District One Chief Judge Jeffrey Kremers.
White joins nine other Wisconsin circuit court judges on the Committee of Chief Judges, which consists one judge from each of the state’s 10 judicial administrative districts. White has served as deputy chief judge of District One since 2008.
District chief judges manage the flow of cases, supervise personnel, develop budgets, and meet monthly as a committee to work on issues of statewide importance.
Supreme Court Reappoints other District Chief Judges
The supreme court has reappointed circuit four circuit court judges to two-year terms as chief judges of their respective judicial administrative districts, effective Aug. 1, 2015.
· Chief Judge Robert Wirtz, of the Fond du Lac Circuit Court, continues as chief judge of District Four, which encompasses Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, and Winnebago counties.
· Chief Judge James Daley, of the Rock County Circuit Court, continues as a chief judge of District Five, which encompasses Dane, Green, Lafayette, and Rock counties.
· Chief Judge James Duvall, of the Buffalo and Pepin (combined) circuit courts, continues as chief judge for District Seven, which encompasses Buffalo, Crawford, Grant, Iowa, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.
· Chief Judge Scott Needham, of the St. Croix County Circuit Court, continues as chief judge for District Ten, which encompasses Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer, and Washburn counties.
Other chief judges currently serving on the Committee of Chief Judges include:
· Chief Judge Allan (Pat) Torhorst, Racine County Circiut Court, District Two;
· Chief Judge Randy Koschnick, Jefferson County Circuit Court, District Three;
· Chief Judge Gregory Potter, Wood County Circuit Court, District Six;
· Chief Judge Donald Zuidmulder, Brown County Circuit Court, District Eight;
· Chief Judge Neal Nielsen, Vilas County Circuit Court, District Nine.
Justice Roggensack Elected Supreme Court’s Chief Judge
A four-justice majority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court voted to elect Justice Patience Roggensack to the position of chief judge, following certification of a constitutional amendment allowing the supreme court justices to elect a chief judge every two years.
A federal lawsuit challenging the effective date of the constitutional amendment is pending in federal court. The lawsuit was filed by Shirley Abrahamson, chief judge since 1996, and other plaintiffs. A federal judge is expected to rule on the case this summer.
