Former District Court Administrator Kerry M. Connelly, who spent more than two decades helping guide court operations in southeastern Wisconsin, died April 23 after a long battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 76.
Connelly served as district court administrator for the Second Judicial Administrative District, which includes Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties. He was hired by the Director of State Courts Office in late 1987 and served until 2009.
Before becoming district court administrator, Connelly worked in juvenile probation at Social Services. In 1977, he was hired by Judge John Malloy to start a juvenile intake department for the court. He also helped establish juvenile restitution and community service programming.
During his career with the Wisconsin Court System, Connelly was involved in a range of court administration and improvement efforts, including treatment court development and jury bailiff training. He also took part in short-term international court improvement projects involving records management and case flow.
Connelly helped steer a variety of projects in the Second Judicial Administrative District, including development of a drug and alcohol treatment court in Racine and early work toward a drug treatment court in Kenosha. Prior Third Branch coverage also noted his participation in court improvement and modernization projects in Gaza and the Philippines.
A Kenosha native, Connelly was known outside of work for his wide-ranging interests, including martial arts, Irish history and culture, music, cooking, gardening, and travel. His obituary noted that his happiest times were spent with his family.
Connelly graduated from the National Center for State Courts’ Institute for Court Management and was a member of both the National Association for Court Management and the International Association for Court Administration.
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