Dec. 14, 2023 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court has named Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Audrey Skwierawski as the Director of State Courts.
Skwierawski has served as Interim Director of State Courts since August 3. Her permanent appointment takes effect on December 31.
“I’m grateful to have the trust of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin to carry out this critical role, and I look forward to working with the justices, judges, and court system staff across the state,” Judge Skwierawski said in a written statement.
Skwierawski, who was first appointed to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court by then-Gov. Scott Walker in 2018 (and was elected in 2019), is the first woman to serve as Director of State Courts. The position oversees the management of Wisconsin’s court system, which is divided into nine judicial administrative districts.
Judge Skwierawski will also advise the Supreme Court on a variety of matters. She will step down from the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. Her term was set to end in 2025.
“The State Bar of Wisconsin has always maintained a positive working relationship with the Director of State Courts,” State Bar Executive Director Larry J. Martin. “We look forward to continuing that relationship with Judge Skwierawski.”
About Judge Skwierawski
According to the court’s press release, Judge Skwierawski served in the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office for fourteen years, supervising the domestic violence unit. In 2008, she took a position as the coordinator for the City of Milwaukee's Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
In 2011, she joined the Wisconsin Department of Justice and served as the Violence Against Women Resource Prosecutor under Attorneys General Van Hollen and Schimel. In that role, she provided training and direct litigation assistance to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, victim service providers, health care professionals and community advocates throughout the state.
In the Attorney General’s office, Judge Skwierawski also co-led a statewide effort to develop protocols for processing Wisconsin’s untested sexual assault kits. Skwierawski received a B.S. from Northwestern University in 1989 and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1992, and worked as an attorney with a private law firm before entering public service.
