Third Branch eNews

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.

Judge Schwartz graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1971 and began his career with Wisconsin Indian Legal Services as a trial staff attorney. In 1973, he joined the Dane County Probate Court, and three years later became a judicial court commissioner. He was elected to the Dane County Circuit Court in 1992, where he served for 17 years.

Soon after his election, Judge Schwartz helped create the Dane County Drug Court. The program’s mission included breaking the cycle of drug use and crime, integrating comprehensive treatment, and strengthening personal, academic, and employment opportunities for participants. Judge Schwartz presided over the court for a decade, offering a model that has since been replicated across Wisconsin.

Reflecting on his impact, his successor, Judge Sarah O’Brien, noted, “The difference he has made through his hard work and dedication to the Drug Court has improved our community immeasurably and has given new hope to people who might otherwise have been lost forever.”

Judge Schwartz retired from the bench in 2009 with the intention of, in his words, “letting life go by slowly.” Outside of his judicial service, he was a strong advocate for mental health initiatives, served on the Board of Directors of Temple Beth El in Madison, and was known as an energetic sports fan and coach. Above all, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He will be deeply missed by colleagues, students, friends, and the many individuals whose lives were changed by his commitment to justice and rehabilitation.