Supreme Court asks public for comments on Judicial Elections/Ethics Report

Madison, Wisconsin - November 22, 1999

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is requesting comments from the public on the final report of the Commission on Judicial Elections and Ethics. The Commission was appointed by the Supreme Court to examine judicial campaign ethics and judges' participation in partisan politics; it submitted a 26-page report to the Court, along with proposed wording for a Supreme Court Rule. These and other materials related to the report may be found on the Supreme Court home page, www.courts.state.wi.us, in the section entitled, "Reports filed with the Supreme Court." Hard copies of the report are available through the Supreme Court Clerk's Office at (608) 266-1880.

"The Court intends to use comments and suggestions from judges, lawyers, educators, public interest groups and the general public to help us focus any future public hearings on the Commission's report," said Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson.

The Supreme Court appointed the Commission on Judicial Elections and Ethics in March 1997. It was charged with studying political activity and the campaign conduct of candidates for judicial office and reporting back to the Court with recommendations for a new rule to govern these areas. Senior Circuit Judge Thomas E. Fairchild, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, chaired the Commission, and Professor Charles D. Clausen, Marquette University Law School, served as reporter.

The Court requests that comments be sent to: Clerk of the Supreme Court, PO Box 1688, Madison, WI 53701-1688 or faxed to (608) 267-0640 by March 1, 2000.

For more information contact:
Amanda Todd
Court Information Officer
(608) 264-6256

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