Jan. 13, 2010

It was one of the closest judicial elections in Milwaukee history. 55,205 votes for long-serving, law-and-order Circuit Judge Christ T. Seraphim on April 1, 1986. 55,580 electors cast their vote for former Circuit Judge Frederick P. Kessler. Undefeated for re-election since he took the bench, Seraphim had confidently stated that he would hold his Judgeship despite a three-year suspension by the Supreme Court for misconduct.

At age 20, while a UW Madison student, Fred Kessler and his friends and classmates Dave Obey and Bill Steiger ventured into electoral politics. In 1960, Kessler became the youngest person (up to that time) ever elected to the Wisconsin Legislature. He was sworn in on his 21st birthday. He attended UW Law School while in the legislature and became interested in court reform, civil rights, juvenile and criminal justice issues. He also developed an expertise on redistricting. He practiced law and served in the legislature until 1972.

In 1972 Judge Seraphim was overwhelmingly elected to the Circuit Court, vacating his seat as the County Court Misdemeanor Judge. Governor Pat Lucey wanted to appoint a progressive to succeed him in County Court Branch 4, the Misdemeanor Branch, and appointed Kessler, then a member of Milwaukee Board of the ACLU.

He served on the 1978 Court Reorganization Committee, pushing for appointed Chief Judges, rotation of assignments, the single level trial court and a revised Judicial Commission. His impact on court structure and efficiency was substantial.

During his eleven years on the bench, Kessler served 18 months as one of the Juvenile Court Judges. He fought for more resources for both children adjudicated as delinquent and Children in need of Protection or Services.

“I feel that lowering the age of adult jurisdiction to 17 years was one of the worst mistakes made during the 1990s,” said Kessler. “It is a mistake that must be corrected if we believe in a humane society.”

Kessler resigned to run unsuccessfully for the US Congress in 1982. After he left the bench, Kessler worked as a Labor Arbitrator and Reserve Judge. In 2004, when his wife, former US Attorney Joan Kessler, was elected to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, he decided to run again for the State Assembly. He was re-elected without opposition in 2006 and 2008. In 2008 Kessler received the Eunice Z. Edgar Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin ACLU. He continues to serve in the Legislature trying to reform juvenile law and protect the civil rights and liberties of Wisconsin’s citizens.

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