Third Branch eNews

District I Court of Appeals Chief Judge Maxine Aldridge White retired April 3, capping a distinguished judicial career in Milwaukee County Circuit Court and the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

“It has been an honor to serve the people of Wisconsin at every stage of my career,” Judge White said. “I have always viewed this work as an opportunity to do what I could, where I was, with the tools I had, and to leave the system stronger than I found it.”

White joined the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in 2020 after nearly two decades on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, serving as both deputy chief judge and chief judge of the First Judicial Administrative District. In 2023, she became the first African American to serve as chief judge of the Court of Appeals.

Judge White’s path to the judiciary began in rural Mississippi, where she was one of 11 children born to parents who worked as sharecroppers. Her family later moved north, though she returned to Mississippi to attend Alcorn State University, where she earned her undergraduate degree. She went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of Southern California before returning to Wisconsin to attend Marquette University Law School, graduating in 1985.

She began her legal career as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, becoming the first African American woman to serve in that role. In 1992, she was appointed to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, where she was subsequently elected and reelected to the bench five times.

Over the course of her career, Judge White served under both Republican and Democratic governors, holding appointments at multiple levels of the judiciary. In 2020, she became the first African American woman to serve on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Judge White’s career has been defined by longstanding public service, spanning more than 40 years from her work as a federal prosecutor to her leadership roles in Wisconsin’s courts.

Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley noted Judge White’s work advancing fairness and representation within the legal system.

“Judge White’s commitment to justice has reshaped the legal landscape, leaving a legacy that extends beyond her tenure on the bench,” Ashley said. “Her work has not only transformed lives but has also laid a foundation for a more inclusive future in the judiciary.”

Court of Appeals Judge Pedro Colón reflected on her lasting contributions across the judicial branch.

“From my first appearance in front of her when I started practicing law, to becoming my chief judge in the circuit court and a great colleague and friend in the court of appeals, Judge White’s work for the third branch has been impactful and always driven by justice,” he said.

Judge White’s retirement concludes a career defined by a series of historic firsts and more than four decades of public service in Wisconsin’s justice system.