Third Branch, srping 2010 - Wisconsin Court System

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18Spring2010THE THIRD BRANCHPEOPLEWhen a group ofhigh schoolexchange studentsfrom around the worldstopped in the Capitolfor a visit, SupremeCourt Justice DavidT. Prosser Jr. was onhand to meet withthem and explain a bitabout the workings ofthe justice system.Prosser met withstudents from Egypt,India, Germany,Indonesia andThailand who werestudying in Wisconsin as part of American Field Service(AFS) Milwaukee.“Waukesha County’s pioneering alcohol court to see100th graduate” headlined an article in The Freeman(Waukesha) on March 9. The article noted that theWaukesha program — Wisconsin’s first alcohol-treatmentcourt – has saved nearly 14,000 jail days by divertingoffenders into intensive treatment. The program began in2006 under the leadership of Judge Kathryn Foster. JudgeJames R. Kieffer now presides in the court.An original play by David Schanker, clerk of theSupreme Court and Court of Appeals, was performed atMadison’s Overture Center in March. The audienceincluded Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson. Kiritsis isbased on the true story of real estate developer AnthonyKiritsis who, in 1977, abducted a mortgage broker whoforeclosed on his property and held the man hostage forthree days. The play explores the relationship between thetwo men – one volatile and anti-religious, the otherconservative and devout – in the pressure cooker of thehostage situation.Twenty-four Milwaukee County Circuit Court judgesbraved rain and cold to continue their 10-year tradition ofmarching in the annual downtown St. Patrick’s Day Paradeon Saturday, March13. The judges’float featured aleprechaun (JudgeDennis R. Cimpl)and was organizedby Judge Mary M.Kuhnmuench.After the parade,the judges gatheredat a nearby Irishpub to celebratethree birthdays:Kuhnmuench,Deputy Chiefstory in the MilwaukeeJournal Sentinel,featured JudgeWilliam D. Johnston,who is handling a caseinvolving a major bondinsurer. The story, byreporter Rick Romell,begins like this:“In the comingmonths, this city of2,200 – too small for aWal-Mart and with aSuper 8 as its mainlodging – will be a bitof an outpost of WallStreet.And Johnston, a southwestern Wisconsin native whoattended a one-room elementary school and hired out as afarmhand in hisyouth, will be thecommandingofficer. Noproblem. He’s beendoing this sort ofthing for 20 years.”The case involves$64 billion of whatthe newspaper calls“shaky policiesJustice David T. Prosser Jr. explains oral argument to a group of internationalvisitors in the Wisconsin Supreme Court Hearing Room.insuring mortgagebackedsecuritiesand other troubledJudge William D. Johnston, who has beenLafayette County’s only judge for 25 years,assets.”was recently featured in a front-page, When JudgeSunday story in the Milwaukee Journal James D. Babbitt,Sentinel.Barron CountyCircuit Court, wasan assistant district attorney, he began a Polar Plungetradition in Eau Claire as a fundraiser for the SpecialOlympics. “I have plunged dressed as Elvis (the olderElvis), Brett Favre, Randy Moss (lots of Viking fans uphere), and sometimes just as a generic overweight old guy,”he wrote.After taking thebench, Babbittasked for an ethicsopinion on thefrigid jump, andwas told that hecould continue.The JudicialConduct AdvisoryCommittee wrote:We conclude that,Judge David A. even if someContinuing a 10-year tradition, 24Barron County Circuit Court JudgeMilwaukee judges marched in the city’s Hansher and Judge members of the James D. Babbitt is one of Wisconsin’sSt. Patrick’s Day parade. Among them, Mel Flanagan. public may question intrepid Polar Plungers.left to right, were Judges Jane V. “In good hands,” why a person wouldCarroll, Mary M. Kuhnmuench, MaryTriggiano, and Stephanie G. Rothstein.a front-page,Sunday, April 18see People on page 19Photo credit: Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
PEOPLE continued from page 18voluntarily subject himself or herself to such extremeconditions, the public participation in a polar plunge doesnot demean the judicial office within the meaning of thecode.“Short answer,” said Babbitt, “it may be crazy, but it is notunethical.” However, Babbitt was restricted in hisfundraising: the committee told him to stick to fellow judges– and that has worked just fine. This year’s solicitationbrought in more than $1,000 from his colleagues across thestate, although noneof them took himup on the offer tojoin in the fun. Alltold, the Eau ClairePolar Plungeincluded 900plungers and raisedmore than $100,000for SpecialOlympics.After a 22-yeareffort by sixsuccessive chiefjudges and fourdistrict courtadministrators withthe support ofLincoln CountyAfter 22 years of debate, the LincolnCounty Courthouse – one ofWisconsin’s historic gems – will beexpanded.Circuit Courtjudges, the NinthJudicial District iscelebrating thedecision by theLincoln County Board to remodel the courthouse in Merrill.According to the Foto News (Merrill), prior to the 18-4vote, “Building Committee Chair Richard Simon told theboard that if the plan was not approved, the District Courtwas prepared to force the county into either using temporarycourt facilities and/or hold trials in other counties until anew court house could be built. The costs of complying withthose directives would far outweigh the additions to theexpansion plan.”One-hundred-fifty miles to the northwest, Ashland Countyhas just finished its own courthouse renovation – and theresults are impressive. Bayfield County Circuit Court JudgeJohn P. Anderson shared his impressions after a recent tripto the county.“I took a tour this morning of the Ashland CountyCourtroom with the new technology upgrades, and I mustsay, I was very impressed,” Anderson wrote. “I know Clerkof Court Katie Colgrove and Judge (Robert E.) Eaton donot like to blow their own horn, so I will do it for them.”The Ashland County Courthouse now features anintegrated video system for videoconferencing andpresentation of evidence on large-screen monitors, similar toinstallations in Barron, Bayfield and Taylor counties.“What is remarkable about Ashland County, which hasone of the most beautiful old courtrooms in the north,”Anderson wrote, “is they were able to upgrade within theirexisting facilities without losing the charm and elegance ofthe old courtroom…. I can honestly say Ashland County isa model for integrating new technology with old traditions.They should be proud.”Sawyer County is also ready to take the constructionplunge. The Sawyer County Record reported that the CountyBoard approved a plan to remodel and expand court-relatedoffices in the courthouse. A larger jury room and securedoors are part of the project. The newspaper quoted JudgeGerald L. Wright, who responded to critics of the planwho questioned the need for beefed up security: “It’s not thecriminal situations where security is an issue,” Wright wasquoted as saying. “The issue is in family law actions, whenyou’re trying to take children away from someone. That’swhen people will snap….”Director of State Courts A. John Voelker was amongWisconsin justice system employees who attended the 2010National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) MidwestRegional Workshop in Minneapolis on March 17. Theworkshop provided for the exchange of ideas on promisingevidence-based practices aimed at improving public safetyand reducing expenses and recidivism rates.Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson has named a newleadership team at the state Judicial College. SucceedingJudge RobertMawdsley, whoran the Collegefrom 1998 untilhis retirementfrom the bench in2009, is JudgeLisa K. Stark,Eau ClaireCounty CircuitCourt.Abrahamsonalso appointedthree newassociate deans.One will fill theseat left open byStark’sappointment asDirector of State Courts A. John Voelker, left,and Tony Streveler, an executive policyadvisor at the state Department ofCorrections, discuss Wisconsin initiatives ata workshop hosted by the National CriminalJustice Association.dean; the other two will fill seats of judges who have servedthe maximum number of terms at the College. The departingassociate deans, in addition to Stark, are Chief Judge JohnR. Storck, Dodge County Circuit Court, and Judge Mark A.Warpinski, Brown County Circuit Court. The new associatedeans are circuit court Judges Charles H. Constantine,Racine County; Edward F. Vlack III, St. Croix County;and Patrick L. Willis, Manitowoc County.Attys. Colleen D. Ball and William J. Tyroler, both ofthe Appellate Division of the State Public Defender’s Office,have developed a new blog, On Point, designed for SPDstaff, private bar lawyers, judges, court staff and othersinterested in criminal law, termination of parental rightscases, civil commitments, Chapter 980 cases, and more.When a citable opinion is released, Tyroler summarizes itand adds colorful commentary. Cases pending in theWisconsin Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court are alsotracked. The blog is at http://www.wisconsinappeals.net/. •THE THIRD BRANCHWinter201019
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Page 3 and 4: District Eight welcomes new managem
Page 5 and 6: Elect continued from page 4David Ri
Page 7 and 8: Effective justice strategies resear
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Page 11 and 12: AWARDS continued from page 10ABOTA
Page 13 and 14: Milwaukee Foreclosure Mediation Pro
Page 15 and 16: RETIREMENTS continued from page 14s
Page 17: Courts across Wisconsin celebrate L
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Third Branch, srping 2010 - Wisconsin Court System

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