William A. Bablitch (1941- )

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice (1983-2003)

William A. Bablitch was born on March 1, 1941, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He studied at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1963. He served in the Peace Corps for two years before earning a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1968 and a master of law degree in the appellate process from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1987.

Justice Bablitch was Portage County district attorney from 1969 to 1972 and served in the Wisconsin senate from 1972 to 1983. During his tenure in the senate, he served as president pro tempore and majority leader. He was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1983 and reelected in 1993. Justice Bablitch retired at the end of his term July 31, 2003. Less than a week after retiring, he was made a part-time partner at the law firm of Michael, Best & Friedrich in Madison.

While on the court, Justice Bablitch served on the Board of Visitors of the University of Wisconsin Law School and the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. He was on the faculty at the New York University Law School Institute of Judicial Administration and is a frequent guest lecturer to various groups around the country, including the Arizona, Florida, Indiana, and Kentucky Supreme Courts.

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