Hon. Patrick T. Sheedy
Oct. 31, 1921 - Jan. 13, 2012
Jan. 19, 2012 – Patrick T. Sheedy, retired Milwaukee Chief Judge and former State Bar president, passed away on Jan. 13. He was 90.
From lawyer and court commissioner to chief judge
Sheedy started his legal career in private practice and worked as a litigator from 1948 to 1980. During those years he also acted as a Milwaukee court commissioner and public administrator.
Retired Wisconsin Supreme Court Louis J. Ceci recalls Sheedy as great negotiator, an extremely effective court commissioner, and a very persuasive fellow. “Rarely, if ever, were any of Pat’s decisions overturned. I know that because I appeared before him when I was practicing. Pat even convinced me to become a trial judge within days of my retirement from the supreme court.”
At the age of 58, Sheedy began his second career as a Milwaukee circuit court judge, where he spent the next 18-plus years. He was elected to the bench in 1979, served as chief judge from 1990 to 1998. Upon his retirement, Sheedy took reserve judge status.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser recalled, “Pat was a delightful colleague and a great chief judge. He was a furious defender of the interest of the independent judiciary.”
Sheedy left his mark on the Milwaukee court
During his tenure on the bench, Sheedy worked to resolve jail overcrowding and was an ardent supporter of fair and efficient judicial caseload distribution and adequate funding for the judiciary. He was most proud of his role in the reorganization of the court, which managed to reduce the felony calendar from more than 300 days to 90 days.
As chief judge, Sheedy was a great mentor and a good friend, “He always had time to listen and he never rushed you," said Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Christopher Foley. "He shepherded me through my early years, and I always knew I had to plan an extra half hour for family catch-up when scheduling a meeting with him.”
State Bar presidency marked by changes
During his term as State Bar president (1974-75), Sheedy faced many of the same issues before the State Bar and the profession today.
State Bar Senior Lawyers Division President Tom Ragatz remembered his old friend, “I was on the Board of Governors when Pat was president and was fortunate to also serve as the Finance Committee chair, so we got to know each other quite well. I liked Pat a lot. He had a very practical mind. He had wit, good judgment, and common sense. Pat was very fond of the Bar, and he was highly respected by members of the bar from far and wide."
In his closing President’s Message, Sheedy spoke of what a “traumatic and exhausting experience” it was to serve as president for a year. Noting the miles of travel, the wave of speaking invitations, and the pressure of handling State Bar decisions with the necessary dispatch and firmness, he said, “I wouldn’t have missed it for anything but I wouldn’t want to do it again.”
Sheedy referred to his year as president as a “year of change,” and indeed it was. Phil Habermann stepped down after 25 years as Executive Director of the State Bar, the bar hired its first CLE director (then called Advanced Training Seminar division), the Young Lawyers Division was created, fees for assigned counsel were raised to $30 per hour, State Bar membership reached 10,000, and 600 new lawyers were admitted to the bar.
In Sheedy’s final farewell as president he paraphrased Francis Bacon – “The success of law is the happiness of the people. This is also true of lawyers. We have a public trust. Thanks for helping me.”
Sheedy’s service to the State Bar also included six terms on the Board of Governors.
Other professional contributions
A long-time State Bar ABA Delegate, Sheedy served on the ABA Section on Judicial Administration and he was active with the Milwaukee Bar Association. Sheedy also served as the public administrator for Milwaukee County and Marquette University Law School Alumni Association president.
Service to his community and his country
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson said, “Pat Sheedy was an officer and a gentleman. He could command a room with his dignified presence – a testament to his many years in the U.S. Army and the Judge Advocate General's Department. As Chief Judge in Milwaukee County, Pat was strong and decisive, but always willing to listen to many diverse points of view. He recognized early on the value of information technology in the courts, both to improve efficiency and to ensure that the many disparate players in the justice system were communicating effectively. And above all, Judge Sheedy never forgot that the courts exist to serve the public. The people who depend upon the courts to solve their disputes fairly and impartially always had Pat Sheedy in their corner. He will be dearly missed.”
His civic contributions included judge advocate for the Cudworth Post American Legion, and various positions with the Exchange Club of Milwaukee, Reserve Officers Association, Association of the U.S. Army, and the Milwaukee Athletic Club.
Sheedy was born in Green Bay on Oct. 31, 1921. He interrupted his undergraduate studies at Marquette University in 1943 to enlist in the Army, where he served both in the United States and the Far East from 1943 to 1946. Proud to be a member of the 84th Reserve Division, he served as a Military Judge from 1965 to retirement, when he was awarded the Legion of Merit. He retired as a Colonel in the JAG Corps.
Upon returning home, he earned his J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 1948, and his LL.M in taxation from John Marshall Law School in 1972.
Sheedy was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret. He leaves six children and 17 grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. Monica Parish, Marquette University Law School, 1215 N. Michigan Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53233, or to the charity of your choice.
