Nowakowski is ‘chief of chiefs’

Madison, Wisconsin - August 11, 2006

Wisconsin’s Committee of Chief Judges unanimously elected Chief Judge Michael N. Nowakowski, Dane County Circuit Court, as ‘chief of the chiefs’ at its August meeting. In this capacity, Nowakowski will serve as chair of the group. He replaces Chief Judge Joseph M. Troy of Outagamie County Circuit Court, who continues to serve as a judge but completed his service on the committee.

The Committee of Chief Judges is comprised of Wisconsin’s 10 chief judges. These judges are selected by the Supreme Court to handle administrative matters for the court system. Working as a team with a deputy chief judge and a professional court administrator, they manage the flow of cases, supervise personnel, develop budgets, and meet bimonthly as a committee to work on issues of statewide importance.

“I believe the work of the chief judges is incredibly valuable to the entire system, and so I am honored to lead this body and grateful to my colleagues for having selected me,” Nowakowski said. “This is the only statewide group of judges that meets on a monthly basis, and so we play a vital role in sharing information, developing ideas, and addressing problems. The array of initiatives and improvements to court operations that have emerged through the work of the chief judges is truly impressive.”

Nowakowski is chief judge of the Fifth Judicial Administrative District, which encompasses Dane, Green, Lafayette, and Rock counties. He has been a Dane County Circuit Court judge since 1985, and will continue to handle a caseload in that county.

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

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