Richard S. Brown

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Richard S. Brown
Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
In office
August 1, 2007 – July 31, 2015
Preceded byThomas Cane
Succeeded byLisa Neubauer
Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for the 2nd district
In office
August 1, 1978 – July 31, 2015
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byBrian Hagedorn
Personal details
Born (1946-03-31) March 31, 1946 (age 78)
Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.
Spouse
Nancy Lynn Cory
(m. 1969)
Children4
Parent
Education
ProfessionLawyer, judge

Richard Searle Brown (born March 31, 1946) is an American jurist and the retired chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. Brown served as a Court of Appeals judge from 1978 to 2015 and as chief judge from 2007; his service on the court concluded on July 31, 2015.[1] His father, Manny S. Brown, served four terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Life and career[edit]

Richard Brown was born in Racine, Wisconsin;[2] he graduated from Miami University in 1968 and the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1971.[2] He served as an assistant district attorney in Racine County from 1971 until 1973, when he entered private practice in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, specializing in commercial litigation.[3] In 1978, Brown was elected to a judgeship on the newly created Wisconsin Court of Appeals, serving in the court's Waukesha-based District II.[4] At the time of his election, Brown was the youngest judge serving in Wisconsin's courts.[3] In 1983, Brown was appointed presiding judge of District II.[5] Also in 1983, Brown, who is hearing-impaired, became the first judge to use a real-time, computerized transcription system in a Wisconsin courtroom.[6]

In 1990, Brown challenged Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Donald Steinmetz, a conservative incumbent, in his reelection bid.[4] After a contentious campaign, Brown was defeated in the April general election, despite receiving considerable support and the endorsement of the Milwaukee Journal.[7][8] Brown continued to serve on the Court of Appeals; in May 2007, he was named the court's chief judge and assumed that office on August 1.[9]

On February 2, 2015, Brown announced his retirement from the Court of Appeals, effective August 2.[10]

Personal life and family[edit]

Richard Brown is a son of Manny S. Brown and his wife Jeanne (née Levin). Manny Brown was an attorney in Racine and served four terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 1960s.

Richard Brown married Nancy Lynn Cory in August 1969.[11] They have four adult children.[10]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Neubauer Appointed Chief Judge of Appeals Court, District Chiefs Appointed". State Bar of Wisconsin. Retrieved 2015-05-08.
  2. ^ a b "Chief Judge Richard S. Brown". Wisconsin Court System. Archived from the original on 2011-11-22. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
  3. ^ a b Forward, Joe. "Chief Appeals Court Judge Richard Brown Says Fare Thee Well". Inside Track. State Bar of Wisconsin. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Brown files for high court race". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 14 October 1989. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Fabyan to seek Appeals Court seat". The Milwaukee Journal. 3 October 1983. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  6. ^ "Hard-of-hearing judge gives computer a trial". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 16 September 1983. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Best choices on Tuesday's ballot". The Milwaukee Journal. 2 April 1990. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  8. ^ Lamke, Kenneth R. (6 April 1990). "Incumbency, endorsements, and negative ads all work". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Brown picked to lead state appeals court". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  10. ^ a b Vielmetti, Bruce (February 2, 2015). "After 37 years, Chief Judge Brown to retire from Court of Appeals". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  11. ^ "Cory-Brown Engagement". Racine Journal Times. March 4, 1969. p. 8. Retrieved April 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
Legal offices
New court established Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for the 2nd district
August 1, 1978 – August 2, 2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
August 1, 2007 – August 2, 2015
Succeeded by