Diane S. Sykes (1957- )

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice (1999-2004)

Justice Sykes was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1999 and elected to a 10-year term in April 2000.

Born and raised in the Milwaukee area, Justice Sykes received her bachelor’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in 1980, and her law degree from Marquette University Law School in 1984. Between college and law school, Justice Sykes worked as a reporter for The Milwaukee Journal.

Justice Sykes was elected to the bench in Milwaukee County in 1992, and served there in the misdemeanor, felony and civil divisions until her appointment to the Supreme Court in September 1999. Prior to her election to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, Justice Sykes practiced law with the Milwaukee law firm of Whyte & Hirschboeck S.C., and served as law clerk to Federal Judge Terence T. Evans.

In 2004, President George W. Bush appointed Justice Sykes to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, replacing Judge John Coffey – former justice of the supreme court – who moved into “senior” status.

Justice Sykes is the mother of two sons.

Back to former justices