Adams County Jury Room
On July 6, Adams County held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a courthouse renovation project that will accommodate an additional circuit court branch, effective Aug. 1.
In remarks at the ceremony, Director of State Courts Hon. Randy R. Koschnick said county government support and preparation made the new judgeship possible.
Adams had long been on a list of counties with demonstrated need for an additional judgeship. However, not all of the other counties were able to demonstrate the support necessary to make a project happen as timely as Adams, Koschnick said.
“This renovation and new judgeship will prove over time to be a smart investment and will greatly improve the efficiency and security of the courthouse,” Koschnick told the group gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In March 2020, after legislative approval, the Gov. Tony Evers signed 2019 Act 184 into law. The law authorized the Director to select 12 counties for new circuit court branches to be created over a three-year period. Other counties with new judgeships opening Aug. 1 are Eau Claire, Vilas and Waushara.
The law requires demonstrated judicial need, a county board resolution, and the necessary infrastructure to support an additional circuit court branch.
In Adams County, the process started in earnest in 2017, when the county board adopted a resolution in support of adding a circuit court branch. The building committee worked on project options during the next two years, and in 2019, the county approved funding for the renovation, which also includes a new jury room.
Koschnick also credited Adams County Circuit Court Judge Daniel G. Wood for providing vision and helping coordinate the project with county government.
District Attorney Tania M. Bonnett, who was uncontested in the April election, will take the new Branch 2 bench Aug. 1.