Third Branch eNews

Judges from across Wisconsin gathered in Eau Claire September 14 through 18 for the 2026 Wisconsin Judicial College, one of the Court System’s signature judicial education programs.

Held this year at the Pablo Center, the five-day College brought new and experienced judges together for intensive instruction, practical discussion, and an exchange of ideas that judges can take back to courtrooms throughout the state.

The Wisconsin Judicial College has been part of judicial education in the state since 1968. Newly elected and appointed circuit court judges attend the College early in their time on the bench, while experienced circuit court judges are required to return at least once during each six-year term. The result is a program that puts judges at different stages of their careers in the same room, learning from faculty and from one another.

This year’s curriculum reflected the range of decisions and responsibilities judges encounter in their courtrooms. Sessions covered case management, criminal pretrial matters, judicial ethics, evidence, mental health, judicial decision-making, jury trial practices, competency, commitments and guardianships, creating the court record, and sentencing.

Much of the instruction came from judges themselves. Circuit court and Court of Appeals judges served as faculty throughout the week, sharing experience gained on the bench and working through issues their colleagues regularly face. Judges Wendy Klicko of Sauk County and Guy Dutcher of Waushara County served as Judicial College deans, with a group of associate deans and other faculty helping lead the program.

That peer-to-peer model is a central part of the College. New judges arrive with the legal experience that brought them to the bench, but judging presents a different set of responsibilities, from managing a courtroom and making a clear record to handling difficult decisions in real time. Experienced judges, meanwhile, return to the College with years of their own experiences to contribute and an opportunity to revisit core parts of the job alongside colleagues from around Wisconsin.

The week also provided opportunities for judges to connect outside formal classroom sessions, strengthening professional relationships that continue well beyond the College.

The Office of Judicial Education organizes the annual College in cooperation with the Wisconsin Judicial College Committee and seminar faculty. The College is part of a broader judicial education program intended to support judges throughout their careers and strengthen the administration of justice across Wisconsin.