Please provide a brief description of your professional background and your legislative district.
I graduated from UW-Madison Law School in December 1994. Shortly thereafter, I served as a staff attorney for Federal District Court Judge Rudolph Randa, in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, from 1995-1996. After leaving Judge Randa's office, I worked as an associate at Kasdorf, Lewis, & Swietlik, S.C. in Milwaukee until 1999. I worked in general practice with Dean & McKoy, S.C. in Waukesha beginning in 1999. I joined the Army Reserve in 2000 and have served as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps since then, currently serving as a Captain. In this capacity, I served on active duty in Iraq for the majority of 2008. I have practiced law with the Waukesha firm of Hippenmeyer, Reilly, Moodie & Blum, S.C. since 2003.
On the elected public service front, I served as a village trustee on the Hales Corners Village Board from 1995-1999. I was elected to the State Assembly in 1998 and re-elected since. My district currently includes all of New Berlin and Hales Corners and portions of the Town and City of Waukesha.
How has your legal career/legal studies shaped your experience in the state legislature?
Without a doubt my legal education and experience has proven very beneficial to my service in the legislature. This background assists me in recognizing legal issues and concerns that many non-lawyers do not readily see, and affords me the ability to draft legislation and amendments directly, rather than just defer to legislative staff.
What current pieces of legislation are you working on that might be of interest to the State Bar of Wisconsin?
Assembly Bill 78: This bill would reform the John Doe process in Wisconsin so that, while people would still have access to the John Doe system, the system cannot be abused to harass state correctional workers.
Assembly Bill 129: This bill increases penalties for battering or threatening to harm a victim or witness in a criminal case and makes it easier for prosecutors to hold criminals responsible for these crimes. These concerns are particularly prevalent in domestic violence cases.
Assembly Bill 130: This bill would require that a person convicted of drunk driving reimburse the local police department for the cost of the blood draw related to his/her drunk driving violation.
What would you identify as the major issues/challenges facing the justice system?
In recent years, there has been increased activity by the Wisconsin Supreme Court usurping the role of the Legislature, not only through legal decisions, but also rules promulgated by the Court. I think this is a concern and that the court system needs to be restrained and focused on the role of the courts, rather than giving in to the temptation to legislate from the bench.
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