Hon. James T. Bayorgeon
Outagamie County Circuit Court
Former Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge James “Jim” T. Bayorgeon, who served 21 years on the bench, died June 8. He was 91.
Judge Bayorgeon served in Branch 1 of the Outagamie County Circuit Court from 1983 until his retirement in 2004. During his years on the bench, he handled a broad circuit court docket and contributed to statewide court-system planning efforts, including service on a Planning and Policy Advisory Committee subcommittee.
Before joining the bench, Judge Bayorgeon served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps and taught at the University of Virginia Law School. After leaving the Army, he returned to Appleton, where he became the city’s first public defender and also worked in private practice.
Judge Bayorgeon earned his law degree from Marquette University Law School in 1958.
Outside of the courtroom, Judge Bayorgeon was known for his wide-ranging interests, including wildflowers, birds, and trout fishing. Family members often sent him photos of flowers and birds they encountered in the wild, knowing he could help identify them.
Hon. Emmanuel J. (Butch) Vuvunas
Racine County Circuit Court
Former Racine County Circuit Court Judge Emmanuel J. “Butch” Vuvunas, who served 25 years on the bench, died June 2 at his home in Green Valley, Arizona. He was 84.
Judge Vuvunas served in Branch 4 of the Racine County Circuit Court from 1979 until his retirement in 2004. He later continued serving the Wisconsin Court System as a reserve judge.
Before joining the bench, Judge Vuvunas served as a Racine County assistant district attorney and deputy family court commissioner. He earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1967.
Judge Vuvunas was known for his long service to the Racine County courts and his pride in the work of the judiciary.
Outside of the courtroom, Judge Vuvunas was an avid bridge player and earned the rank of Sapphire Life Master through the American Contract Bridge League. His obituary noted that he played several times a week and played his final game the day before his death.
Judge Vuvunas and his wife, Janet, were married for 44 years. They enjoyed traveling together, including a trip to Greece and the island of Samos, where his father was born.
Hon. Michael W. Brennan
Clark County Circuit Court
Former Clark County Circuit Court Judge Michael W. Brennan, who served nearly three decades on the bench, died April 19 at House of the Dove in Marshfield. He was 89.
Judge Brennan began his legal career in Neillsville after earning his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1964. He practiced with the firm of Johnson and Brennan before Gov. Patrick Lucey appointed him to the Clark County bench in 1971.
Judge Brennan continued as a circuit court judge after court reorganization and served until his retirement in 1999. During his judicial career, he served as associate dean of the Wisconsin Judicial College and as a faculty advisor at the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada.
His work also extended beyond the courtroom. Judge Brennan and former Eau Claire County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Barland helped rewrite the Wisconsin Juvenile Code. After retiring from the bench, Judge Brennan was appointed to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and later served as chair.
Outside of the courtroom, Judge Brennan was known for his curiosity and wide-ranging interests, including cooking, wine, music, art, travel, ham radio, trap shooting, and Wisconsin Badgers athletics. His obituary noted that he taught cooking for many years at Mid-State Technical College and built a cookbook collection numbering more than 700.
Judge Brennan and his wife, Carol, shared 25 years together, with Marshfield as their home base. They traveled widely, hosted dinners for charities and friends, and made regular visits to American Players Theatre, Door County, and Chautauqua Institution.
Third Branch eNews is an online monthly newsletter of the Director of State Courts Office. If you are interested in contributing an article about your department’s programs or accomplishments, contact your department head. Information about judicial retirements and judicial obituaries may be submitted to: Sara.Foster@wicourts.gov