Third Branch, srping 2010 - Wisconsin Court System

4Spring2010THE THIRD BRANCHElect continued from front pageAfter law school, Blanchard clerked for the late JudgeWalter J. Cummings Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals,Seventh Circuit. He also served as an assistant U.S. attorneyfor eight years in Illinois before accepting a position at theMadison office of Quarles & Brady. Blanchard was electedDane County district attorney in 2000, and was re-elected tothat post four times.Blanchard and his wife, Mary, who works for a renewableenergy company, have three children, ages 14, 12 and 10.Gary ShermanCourt of Appeals, District IVState Rep. Gary Sherman, a Democrat from the BayfieldCounty community of Port Wing, was appointed to fill thevacancy created by Judge Burnie L. Bridge’s retirementfrom the District IV Court ofAppeals.Gov. Jim Doyle appointed Shermaneffective May 10. His term runsthrough July 31, 2014.Sherman has served in the stateLegislature for 12 years. During histenure, he has served on the StateSuperintendent’s Advisory Councilon Rural Schools, Libraries andCommunities; the Group InsuranceBoard; the Employee Trust FundBoard; the Governor’s Council onRep. Gary Sherman Military and State Relations; theState Tribal Justice Forum; and more.A graduate of UW-Madison and the UW Law School,Sherman is a member of the American Law Institute andformer president of the State Bar of Wisconsin. He is also aveteran who served in the U.S. Air Force in the early 1970s.James P. CzajkowskiCrawford County Circuit CourtAtty. James P. Czajkowski ran unopposed to succeedJudge Michael Kirchman, who retired from CrawfordCounty Circuit Court in December after 33 years on thebench (see The Third Branch, winter2010).Czajkowski began his law career inthe U.S. Air Force Judge AdvocateCorps during the Vietnam War from1971-75. He continued his service asa judge advocate in the ActiveReserves for several years followingthe war, while practicing law inPrairie du Chien. Czajkowski hasworked in private practice for 34years. He has also served as a courtcommissioner since 1999.Atty. James P. Czajkowski A graduate of UW-Madison and theUW Law School, Czajkowski hasbeen an active member of his community, serving aspresident of the Prairie du Chien Rotary Club and presidentof the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce. Healso has been very active in conservation groups includingTrout Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy.Gary R. SharpeFond du Lac County Circuit CourtAtty. Gary R. Sharpe defeatedAssistant District Atty. ScotMortier to succeed Judge StevenW. Weinke, who is retiring after24 years on the bench (aretirement story will appear in thesummer edition).A graduate of Ripon Collegeand the UW Law School, Sharpehas practiced law in Fond du Lacfor more than 33 years. He alsohas served four terms on the Fonddu Lac School Board. Since2001, he has been a volunteer onthe State Bar Fee ArbitrationPanel.Sharpe also has been active in civic organizations. He hasbeen a member of the board of directors of the local RedCross, the Fond du Lac Community Theater and the Fond duLac Oratorio Chorus.Sharpe and his wife, Gail, have three daughters. Hishobbies include reading, yard work, boating and “attemptingto train the family’s 7-month-old St. Bernard puppy Louie.”William D. DykeIowa County Circuit CourtChief Judge William D. Dyke, who has served on thebench in Iowa County for 13years, won election to a new termin April. He defeated challengerRhonda R. Hazen, a municipaljudge and volunteer mediator whopractices with a Madison lawfirm.During his tenure on the bench,Dyke has won accolades as aleader in a couple of key areas.He began the Iowa County TeenCourt, which has been running for13 years, and was the first in thestate to offer mediation inforeclosure actions.Atty. Gary R. SharpeJudge William D. DykeDyke is a former Madison mayor (1969-73) who has alsoserved as a family law mediator and consultant to severalfederal agencies.Mark L. GoodmanMonroe County Circuit CourtAtty. Mark L. Goodman defeated Monroe CountyCorporation Counsel Kerry Sullivan Flock in the race tosucceed Judge Michael J. McAlpine in Monroe CountyCircuit Court. McAlpine is retiring after 18 years on thebench, and will be profiled in the summer edition.McAlpine’s retirement and the creation of an additionalbranch in Monroe County mean big changes in this threebranchcircuit. Two of the three judges – Goodman and J.see Elect on page 5