On April 5, voters will decide competitive races for the District II Court of Appeals and nine circuit court branches, including a newly created branch in Vilas County. New judges will also be elected uncontested to new branches in Adams, Eau Claire and Waushara counties, and in five counties where the incumbent chose not to run for office. Winners of the Spring Election start their new six-year terms on the first of August.
Court of Appeals
Incumbent Court of Appeals Judge Lori S. Kornblum faces a challenge from Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Maria S. Lazar for the District II Court of Appeals. Kornblum was appointed by Gov. Tony Evers effective Jan. 4 to fill a vacancy created by the departure of Judge Paul F. Reilly. Kornblum was in private practice at the time of her appointment. Lazar, a former Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General, was first elected to the Waukesha County bench in 2015 and was re-elected in 2021. Reilly, who did not seek re-election, had served District II since 2010. Court of Appeals judges Thomas M. Hruz, District III, and Brian W. Blanchard, District IV, are uncontested on the April 5 ballot.
Contested Circuit Court races
Iowa County
Iowa County District Attorney Matt Allen of Dodgeville and family law attorney Rhonda R. Hazen of Barneveld compete for the Iowa County Circuit Court seat now held by Judge Margaret M. Koehler. Koehler, who was first elected in 2016, did not seek re-election.
Kewaunee County
Brown County Assistant District Attorney Kimberly A. Hardtke of Luxemburg and Kewaunee County Corporation Counsel Jeffrey R. Wisnicky of Kewaunee seek the seat previously held by Kewaunee County Circuit Court Judge Keith A. Mehn. Mehn died of cancer in December 2021, after declaring he would not seek re-election. Mehn was first elected in 2016. Hardtke and Wisnicky outpolled private practice attorney John Peterson of Luxemburg in the Feb. 15 primary.
Marathon County
Attorneys Ricky T. Cveykus and William A. Harris, both of Wausau, vie for the Branch 2 bench now held by Marathon County Circuit Court Judge Gregory B. Huber. Huber, who was first elected in 2004 and twice re-elected, did not seek re-election.
Oconto County
Oconto County District Attorney Ed Burke of Oconto is challenging incumbent Oconto County Circuit Court Judge Jay N. Conley for the Branch 2 bench. Conley was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016; Burke has been district attorney for nine years.
Portage County
Portage County District Attorney Louis J. Molepske, Jr. and Atty. Stephen W. Sawyer, both of Stevens Point, compete for the Branch 2 bench now held by Portage County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Shannon. Shannon, who was first appointed in 2015 and elected in 2016, did not seek re-election.
Sauk County
Incumbent Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Michael P. Screnock faces a challenge for the Branch 1 bench from Atty. Blake J. Duren, currently of Madison. Screnock was first appointed in 2015 and elected in 2016. Duren has a private practice in Reedsburg.
Vilas County (new branch)
Atty. Meg Colleen O’Marro, an Eagle River native, and Daniel Overbey of Woodruff, compete for the newly created Vilas County Circuit Court Branch 2 bench. O’Marro is listed as an attorney in the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office; Overbey in private practice in Wausau.
Winnebago County
Court commissioners Bryan D. Keberlein and Lisa Krueger, both of Neenah, compete for the Branch 3 seat currently held by Chief Judge Barbara Hart Key. Key, who was first elected in 1998 and re-elected three times, did not seek re-election. Keberlein is a judicial court commissioner; Krueger is a family court commissioner. Keberlein and Krueger outpolled Assistant State Public Defender Ben Szilagyi in the Feb. 15 primary.
Incumbent Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge LaKeisha Haase faces a challenge from Atty. Mike Gibbs of Oshkosh. Haase, a former private practice attorney and assistant state public defender, was appointed to the bench in 2021. Gibbs is in private practice in Fond du Lac.
Uncontested new branches
New judges will take the bench uncontested in three other newly created circuit court branches as a result of 2019 Wisconsin Act 184. The Act authorized the Director of State Courts to select four counties for new branches each year in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Adams County
Adams County District Attorney Tania M. Bonnett of Oxford is the only name on the ballot for the new Branch 2 bench.
Eau Claire County
Private practice attorney Beverly Wickstrom of Eau Claire is unopposed for the new Branch 6 bench.
Waushara County
Atty. Scott C. Blader is uncontested for the new Branch 2 bench. Blader is a former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin and former Waushara County District Attorney.
Uncontested new candidates
Six new judicial candidates are uncontested in five counties, where incumbents decided not to run for office.
Dane County
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin Diane Schlipper of Madison is uncontested for the Branch 3 bench now held by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn. Bailey-Rihn, who was first elected in 2016, did not seek re-election.
Fond du Lac County
Private practice Atty. Laura Lavey is uncontested in her bid for the Branch 2 seat held by Fond du Lac County Circuit Court Judge Peter L. Grimm, who did not seek re-election. Grimm was first appointed in 1991; elected in 1992 and re-elected four times.
Fond du Lac County District Attorney Douglas R. Edelstein is uncontested for the Branch 5 seat now held by Fond du Lac County Circuit Court Judge Paul G. Czisny. Czisny, who did not seek to return to the office, was appointed in 2021.
Lincoln County
Lincoln County District Attorney Galen Bayne-Allison is uncontested for the Branch 1 bench now held by Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Jay R. Tlusty. Tlusty, who did not seek re-election, was first elected in 2004 and twice re-elected..
Milwaukee County
Milwaukee County Family Court Commissioner Nidhi Kashyap is uncontested for the Branch 25 bench now held by Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Stephanie Rothstein. Rothstein was first appointed in 2009; elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016.
Rusk County
Rusk County District Attorney Annette Barna is uncontested in her bid to take the seat of Rusk County Circuit Court Judge Steven P. Anderson. Anderson, who did not seek re-election, was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016.
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