Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley gives remarks during an Admissions ceremony on Jan. 23, 2024, in the Supreme Court Hearing Room.
April 11, 2024 – Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley announced today that she will retire from the court when her term ends in July 2025. When she retires next year, she will have served 30 years as a justice, 40 years total on the bench.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of this state and to know that when I am sitting down at the bench, I am standing up for them,” Justice A.W. Bradley said in a
statement released this morning.
“I know I can do the job and do it well,” Justice Bradley said in her statement. “But, it’s just time to pass the torch, bringing fresh perspectives to the court.”
State Bar of Wisconsin President Dean R. Dietrich said he has always admired Justice Ann Walsh Bradley as a leader and fixture of the Wisconsin judiciary.
“Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s leadership on programs such as iCivics, as well as her knowledge and longevity on the bench has been extraordinary” Dietrich said.
“I personally want to thank Justice Ann Walsh Bradley for her tireless contributions to the development of law in Wisconsin, over 30 years. She is a trailblazer and great legal mind. Her many years of service is extraordinary and much appreciated. Her retirement is well-deserved.”
Jeff M. Brown, Willamette Univ. School of Law 1997, is a legal writer for the State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison. He can be reached by
email or by phone at (608) 250-6126.
State Bar Executive Director Larry J. Martin added: “Justice Ann Walsh Bradley has stood as a pillar for justice and fairness in the law. She is a strong and relentless advocate and defender of an independent judiciary and for our democratic norms. She will leave a lasting and indelible legacy on the law, the legal profession and on the great State of Wisconsin. I personally wish her, and her husband Mark well as they embark on their next chapter.”
Justice Bradley, who grew up in Richland Center, obtained her law degree from U.W. Law School. She began her judicial career as judge for the Marathon County Circuit Court.
She was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1995 and re-elected in 2005 and 2015. She was the first woman to be elected, versus appointed.
During her tenure on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Bradley has served as the vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the International Judicial Academy (IJA) and as an international lecturer for IJA, the American Bar Association’s Asia Law Initiative, the U.S. Department of State, and the International Law Development Organization.
She also served as a member of the American Law Institute and other organizations, such as the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Bench and Bar Committee.
She also helps coordinate and promote iCivics, a civics education established by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner to help elementary and secondary school students about the role of courts. Bradley plans to “redouble” her efforts when her term concludes.
Justice Bradley said her decision to retire was not made lightly. “It was made after careful consideration and reflection,” she said. “I believe strongly in the rule of law, the foundational principles of our democracy and a judicial system that advances justice for all.”
“My professional life has embraced a steadfast commitment to those ideals and I will continue that commitment. However, it will take a different path in the future.”
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s 30-year tenure on the Supreme Court is the fifth-longest term in the court’s 177-year history.
“I look forward to embarking upon a new chapter in my life, which will include public service that is guided by the same principles of justice, fairness, and dedication that have defined my tenure on the court,” Justice Bradley said in her statement.
