Third Branch eNews

Justice Ann Walsh Bradley has been elected by her colleagues on the Wisconsin Supreme Court to serve as its next chief justice. Her term will begin May 1, 2025. She succeeds Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler, who has served in the role since 2021.

Justice Bradley was first elected to the Court in 1995 and will leave the Court after serving three full 10-year terms on July 31, 2025. Justice Bradley has indicated she will step down as chief on June 30, 2025, after two months in the role. Justice Bradley will become the fourth woman in Wisconsin history to hold the position.

Under Article VII, Section 4(3) of the Wisconsin Constitution, the justices of the Supreme Court elect a member of the Court to serve as chief justice for a two-year term. The chief justice serves as the administrative head of the state court system and presides over the Court's administrative and decision-making conferences.

Justice Bradley said she is honored by the confidence her colleagues have placed in her.

"It has been my life's goal to honor the rule of law, enhance access to justice, and serve the 5.9 million people who call Wisconsin home. Serving as Chief Justice enables me to further those goals," said Bradley. "The court system is full of wonderful staff and justices, from the circuit court to the appellate Court to our Supreme Court. So I deeply appreciate the opportunity to serve as the administrative head of this august institution."

Justice Bradley is currently the longest-serving member of the Supreme Court. Before joining the state's highest Court, she served as a circuit court judge in Marathon County for ten years. She began her legal career in private practice and previously worked as a high school teacher.

In anticipation of Justice Bradley's retirement, the Court elected Justice Jill J. Karofsky to become Chief Justice as of July 1, 2025. Justice Karofsky was elected to the Court in 2020 and will serve the remainder of the two-year Chief Justice term until April 30, 2027.

"I deeply appreciate the confidence my colleagues have placed in me, and I will continue to work respectfully with every member of this Court to ensure the administration of Court business is conducted in a fair and efficient manner," said Justice Karofsky. "The people of Wisconsin have great faith in this Court, and I intend to be a Chief that increases the people's confidence even further. I hope to be someone that every judge and staff person in the judicial system finds approachable, so we can continue to improve the service we provide in all 72 counties, keeping each of us safe and ensuring access to justice."

Karofsky was elected to the Supreme Court in 2020 and previously served as a Dane County Circuit Court judge and executive director of the Wisconsin Office of Crime Victim Services.

Chief Justice Ziegler will continue to serve will continue to serve on the Supreme Court, with her current term running through July 31, 2027. "I wish my colleagues all the best. It has been my honor to serve as chief justice for the last four years," Chief Justice Ziegler said.

Chief Justice Ziegler was elected to the Supreme Court in 2007 and re-elected in 2017. During her term as chief justice, she oversaw court system operations during the pandemic recovery period, supported judicial education initiatives, and oversaw technology modernization efforts across the courts.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court consists of seven justices elected to ten-year terms. The Court is the state's highest appellate authority and oversees the administration.