Donald W. Steinmetz

The Honorable Donald W. Steinmetz
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office August 1, 1980 – September 1999
Preceded by	Connor Hansen
Succeeded by	Diane S. Sykes
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 27
In office August 1, 1978 – August 1, 1980
Preceded by	Transitioned from County Court
Succeeded by	Thomas P. Doherty
County Judge for Milwaukee County, Branch 8
In office January 1, 1966 – July 31, 1978
Preceded by	Herbert A. Schultz
Succeeded by	Transitioned to Circuit Court
Personal details
Born	(1924-09-19)September 19, 1924 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died	August 31, 2013(2013-08-31) (aged 88) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Resting place	Holy Cross Cemetery Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Spouses	Marjorie M. Olejniczak (m. 1944)
Children	Mary Christine (Bird) Kathleen Marie (Boer) Christian George Steinmetz Susan Kathryn (Leverson) James Martin Steinmetz
Parents	Christian Steinmetz (father) Bessie (Engel) Steinmetz (mother)
Education	University of Wisconsin–Madison University of Wisconsin Law School
Profession	lawyer, judge
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Army Air Corps
Years of service	1943–1945
Battles/wars	World War II

Donald Walter Steinmetz (September 19, 1924 – August 31, 2013) was an American lawyer and judge. He served as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court for 19 years, and before that was a trial judge in Milwaukee County for 14 years.

Background

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Steinmetz served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Steinmetz then graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Steinmetz was a claims attorney before his service in government. Between 1958 and 1966, he worked as an assistant Milwaukee city attorney, an assistant district attorney in Milwaukee County, and an assistant Wisconsin Attorney General. In 1964, he was the preferred candidate of Democratic leaders, including Governor John W. Reynolds, Jr., to replace deceased Milwaukee County District Attorney William McCauley, but the post went to Hugh O'Connell. He was a Wisconsin county judge and later a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge for Milwaukee County after the county courts were combined into the circuit courts. He was also a teacher at the Wisconsin Judicial College. He was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1980 and re-elected in 1990.

He died on August 31, 2013, in Milwaukee.