Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley announced she will not seek re-election in 2026, concluding a judicial career that has spanned service on the circuit court, court of appeals, and supreme court.
Volume 4 | Issue 9 | September 2025
The Wisconsin Historical Society has honored Nancy Kopp and Colleen Ball with its 2025 Board of Curators Public Program Award for their work sharing the legacy of Lavinia Goodell, Wisconsin’s first woman lawyer.
September saw the Wisconsin Supreme Court review arguments in several significant cases. Use the links below to watch the recordings.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
- 23AP2319-CR: State v. Michael Joseph Gasper
- 24AP469-CR: State v. Andreas W. Rauch Sharak
Thursday, September 4, 2025
- 23AP722-CR: State v. N.K.B
- 24AP1195: Sheboygan County v. N.A.L.
Monday, September 8, 2025
- 23AP715-CR: State v. J.D.B.
- 22AP723: Estate of Carol Lorbiecki v. Pabst Brewing
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
The Wisconsin Supreme Court Hearing Room welcomed 68 new attorneys on September 16 as part of the Court’s fall admission ceremonies.
Family and friends filled the chamber for two sessions, where Chief Justice Jill J. Karofsky presided and candidates took the oath of attorney administered by Justices Janet C. Protasiewicz and Brian K. Hagedorn. Board of Bar Examiners Director Jacquelynn B. Rothstein certified the candidates for admission, and Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler and State Bar representative Dan Gartzke offered remarks to the new lawyers.
Judges from around Wisconsin gathered in Green Lake for the 2025 Judicial College, a week of training, discussion, and professional development designed to strengthen the courts statewide.
Community leaders in Jefferson County recently took part in a Sequential Intercept Model mapping workshop. The two-day program, facilitated by a state team trained through the National Center for State Courts, focused on improving services for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders who interact with the justice system.
Judges, court commissioners, and reserve judges from Districts 7 and 8 participated in a September 4 training in Wisconsin Dells on forensic and evidentiary issues in domestic and child abuse cases. The Children’s Court Improvement Program hosted the event with support from a VAWA STOP Grant.
District 7 judges gather September 5 in Wisconsin Dells for their fall business meeting, where nearly 90 percent of the district’s current and reserve judges attended sessions on probate, competency restoration, case management data, and Fourth Amendment issues.
The Office of Lawyer Regulation will host its annual trust account update on October 10, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This free online seminar, approved for 4.0 CLE/EPR credits, offers practical guidance and timely updates for attorneys who handle trust accounts.
The program features a wide range of topics: the essentials of managing a trust account, record-keeping and closing procedures, fraud prevention, and how trust accounts support access to justice. Speakers include Attorney Travis Stieren and Attorney Emily Kokie of OLR, Attorney Kathleen J. Selzler Lippert of the Kansas Office of the Disciplinary Administrator, Kari Kronenberg of PaymentsFirst, and Tehmina Islam of the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation.
Attorneys will come away with practice tips and tools to strengthen compliance and protect both clients and themselves. Registration is available online: https://lnkd.in/g8vdNWsn.
Barron County jurors will see their first pay increase in nearly 20 years, after the Barron County Board unanimously approved raising the daily rate.
This month’s issue continues our new feature celebrating Wisconsin Court System employees for their years of service. Click to find out who is celebrating an anniversary this month.
Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Mark McGinnis, who has served on the bench since 2005, announced he will retire on February 1, 2026, after more than two decades of judicial service.
The Wisconsin Court System is always looking for talented professionals to join our team. Each month, we spotlight job openings across the state.
The Honorable Stuart A. Schwartz, former Dane County Circuit Court judge, passed away on July 23, 2025. He is remembered for his role in establishing Wisconsin’s first drug court in Dane County.
