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List of justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court

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This is a list of justices who have served or are currently serving on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Territorial judges

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Judge Term as justice Term as chief Succeeded Notes
Start End Start End
Charles Dunn 1836 1848 1836 1848 New seat Appointed by Andrew Jackson.[1][2]
William C. Frazer 1836 1838 New seat Appointed by Andrew Jackson.[2] Died in office.
David Irvin 1836 1848 New seat Appointed by Andrew Jackson.[2]
Andrew G. Miller 1838 1848 William C. Frazer Appointed by Martin Van Buren.[3]

Circuit justices serving as Supreme Court justices

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Initially, Wisconsin's Supreme Court was just composed of the five judges of the five state judicial circuits. A sixth circuit was added in 1850.[4]

Judge Term as justice Term as chief Succeeded Notes
Start End Start End
Alexander W. Stow 1848 1851 1848 1851 New seat Elected in 4th circuit.[5]
Levi Hubbell 1848 1853 1851 1851 New seat Elected in 2nd circuit.[6]
Edward V. Whiton 1848 1853 1852 1853 New seat Elected in 1st circuit.[7]
Charles H. Larrabee 1848 1853 New seat Elected in 3rd circuit.[8]
Mortimer M. Jackson 1848 1853 New seat Elected in 5th circuit.[9]
Wiram Knowlton 1850 1853 New seat Elected in 6th circuit.[10]
Timothy O. Howe 1851 1853 Alexander W. Stow Elected in 4th circuit.[11]

Justices since 1853

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In 1853, a separate Wisconsin Supreme Court was created with all members elected state-wide. Initially the court was three members; it grew to five justices in 1878, and to its current size of seven seats in 1907. Initially, the chief justice and associate justices were separate offices elected by the public, but a constitutional amendment ratified in 1889 converted all members of the court to "justices" and deemed that the "chief justice" would always be the justice who had served longest on the court (seniority). 126 years later, another constitutional amendment changed the selection rules for chief justice, abolishing the "seniority" rule, and instead mandating that the justices of the court would elect a chief justice from their members every two years.[4]

Judge Term as justice Term as chief Succeeded Notes
Start End Start End
Edward V. Whiton 1853 1859 1853 1859 New seat Elected (as chief justice) 1852, 1857.
Died in office.[7]
Samuel Crawford 1853 1855 New seat Elected 1852. Lost re-election 1855.[12]
Abram D. Smith 1853 1859 New seat Elected 1852.[13]
Orsamus Cole 1855 1892 1880 1892 S. Crawford Elected 1855.
Appointed chief justice by William E. Smith
Elected (as chief justice) 1881.[14]
Luther S. Dixon 1859 1874 1859 1874 E. V. Whiton Appointed chief justice by Alexander Randall.
Elected (as chief justice) 1860,[15] 1863,[16] 1868,[17] 1869.[18]
Resigned.[19]
Byron Paine 1859 1864 A. D. Smith Elected 1859.
Resigned.[20]
Jason Downer 1864 1867 B. Paine Appointed by James T. Lewis.
Elected 1865.
Resigned.[21]
Byron Paine 1867 1871 J. Downer Appointed by Lucius Fairchild. Elected 1868.
Died in office.[20]
William P. Lyon 1871 1894 1892 1894 B. Paine Appointed by Lucius Fairchild.
Elected 1872, 1877, 1883.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Edward George Ryan 1874 1880 1874 1880 L. S. Dixon Appointed chief justice by William Robert Taylor.
Elected (as chief justice) 1875. Died in office.
David Taylor 1878 1891 New seat Elected 1878, 1885.
Harlow S. Orton 1878 1895 1894 1895 New seat Elected 1878, 1887.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Died in office.
John B. Cassoday 1880 1907 1895 1907 E. G. Ryan Appointed by William E. Smith.
Elected 1881, 1889, 1899.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Died in office.
John B. Winslow 1891 1920 1907 1920 D. Taylor Appointed by George Wilbur Peck.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Died in office.
Silas U. Pinney 1892 1898 O. Cole Elected 1891. Resigned.
Alfred W. Newman 1894 1898 W. P. Lyon Elected 1893. Died in office.
Roujet D. Marshall 1895 1918 H. S. Orton Appointed by William H. Upham.
Charles V. Bardeen 1898 1903 A. W. Newman Appointed by Edward Scofield. Died in office.
Joshua Eric Dodge 1898 1910 S. U. Pinney Appointed by Edward Scofield. Resigned.
Robert G. Siebecker 1903 1922 1920 1922 C. V. Bardeen Appointed by Robert M. La Follette.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Died in office.
James C. Kerwin 1905 1921 New seat Elected. Died in office.
William H. Timlin 1907 1916 New seat Elected. Died in office.
Robert McKee Bashford 1908 1908 J. B. Cassoday Appointed by James O. Davidson. Lost election.
John Barnes 1908 1916 R. M. Bashford Elected. Resigned.
Aad J. Vinje 1910 1929 1922 1929 J. E. Dodge Appointed by James O. Davidson.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Died in office.
Marvin B. Rosenberry 1916 1950 1929 1950 J. Barnes Appointed by Emanuel L. Philipp.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Franz C. Eschweiler 1916 1929 W. H. Timlin Elected 1916; appointed to begin early.
Died in office.
Walter C. Owen 1918 1934 R. D. Marshall Elected. Died in office.
Burr W. Jones 1920 1926 J. B. Winslow Appointed by Emanuel L. Philipp.
Christian Doerfler 1921 1929 J. C. Kerwin Appointed by John J. Blaine. Resigned.
Charles H. Crownhart 1922 1930 R. G. Siebecker Appointed by John J. Blaine. Elected 1923.
Died in office.
E. Ray Stevens 1926 1930 B. W. Jones Elected. Died in office.
Chester A. Fowler 1929 1948 A. J. Vinje Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Died in office.
Oscar M. Fritz 1929 1954 1950 1954 C. Doerfler Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Resigned.
Edward T. Fairchild 1929 1957 1954 1957 F. C. Eschweiler Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
John D. Wickhem 1930 1949 C. H. Crownhart Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Sr. Died in office.
George B. Nelson 1930 1942 E. R. Stevens Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Sr.
Theodore G. Lewis 1934 1934 W. C. Owen Appointed by Albert G. Schmedeman. Died in office.
Joseph Martin 1934 1946 T. G. Lewis Appointed by Albert G. Schmedeman. Died in office.
Elmer E. Barlow 1942 1948 G. B. Nelson Elected. Died in office.
James Ward Rector 1946 1947 J. Martin Appointed by Walter Samuel Goodland. Lost election.
Henry P. Hughes 1948 1951 J. W. Rector Elected. Resigned.
John E. Martin 1948 1962 1957 1962 C. A. Fowler Appointed by Oscar Rennebohm.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Grover L. Broadfoot 1948 1962 1962 1962 E. E. Barlow Appointed by Oscar Rennebohm.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Died in office.
Timothy Brown 1949 1964 1962 1964 J. D. Wickhem Appointed by Oscar Rennebohm.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Edward J. Gehl 1950 1956 M. B. Rosenberry Elected. Died in office.
George R. Currie 1951 1968 1964 1968 H. P. Hughes Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Jr.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Lost re-election.
Roland J. Steinle 1954 1958 O. M. Fritz Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Jr. Resigned.
Emmert L. Wingert 1956 1959 E. J. Gehl Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Jr. Lost election.
Thomas E. Fairchild 1957 1966 E. T. Fairchild Elected.
Resigned; appointed judge, U.S. 7th Circuit.
E. Harold Hallows 1958 1974 1968 1974 R. J. Steinle Appointed by Vernon Wallace Thomson.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Resigned.
William H. Dieterich 1959 1964 E. L. Wingert Elected. Died in office.
Myron L. Gordon 1962 1967 J. E. Martin Elected.
Resigned; appointed U.S. dist. judge, E.D.Wis.
Horace W. Wilkie 1962 1976 1974 1976 G. L. Broadfoot Appointed by Gaylord Nelson.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Died in office.
Bruce F. Beilfuss 1964 1983 1976 1983 T. Brown Elected.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Nathan S. Heffernan 1964 1995 1983 1995 W. H. Dieterich Appointed by John W. Reynolds Jr.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Leo B. Hanley 1966 1978 T. E. Fairchild Appointed by Warren P. Knowles. Elected 1968.
Connor Hansen 1967 1980 M. L. Gordon Appointed by Warren P. Knowles. Elected 1970.
Robert W. Hansen 1967 1977 G. R. Currie Elected 1967.
Roland B. Day 1974 1996 1995 1996 E. H. Hallows Appointed by Patrick Lucey.
Elected 1976, 1986.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
Shirley S. Abrahamson 1976 2019 1996 2015 H. W. Wilkie Appointed by Patrick Lucey.
Elected 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009.
Chief justice by seniority rule.
William G. Callow 1977 1992 R. W. Hansen Elected 1977. Resigned.
John L. Coffey 1978 1982 L. B. Hanley Elected 1978.
Resigned; appointed judge, U.S. 7th circuit
Donald W. Steinmetz 1980 1999 C. Hansen Elected 1980, 1990. Resigned.
Louis J. Ceci 1982 1993 J. L. Coffey Appointed by Lee S. Dreyfus.
William A. Bablitch 1983 2003 B. F. Beilfuss Elected 1983, 1993.
Jon P. Wilcox 1992 2007 W. G. Callow Appointed by Tommy Thompson. Elected 1997.
Janine P. Geske 1993 1998 L. J. Ceci Appointed by Tommy Thompson. Resigned.
Ann Walsh Bradley 1995 Current N. Heffernan Elected 1995, 2005, 2015.
N. Patrick Crooks 1996 2015 R. B. Day Elected 1996, 2006. Died in office.
David T. Prosser 1998 2016 J. P. Geske Appointed by Tommy Thompson.
Elected 2001, 2011. Resigned.
Diane S. Sykes 1999 2004 D. W. Steinmetz Appointed by Tommy Thompson.
Resigned; appointed judge, U.S. 7th circuit
Patience D. Roggensack 2003 2023 2015 2021 W. A. Bablitch Elected 2003, 2013.
Chief justice by court majority.
Louis B. Butler 2004 2008 D. S. Sykes Appointed by Jim Doyle. Lost election.
Annette Ziegler 2007 Current 2021 Current J. P. Wilcox Elected 2007, 2017.
Chief justice by court majority.
Michael Gableman 2008 2018 L. B. Butler Elected 2008.
Rebecca Bradley 2015 Current N. P. Crooks Appointed by Scott Walker. Elected 2016.
Daniel Kelly 2016 2020 D. T. Prosser Appointed by Scott Walker. Lost election.
Rebecca Dallet 2018 Current M. Gableman Elected 2018.
Brian Hagedorn 2019 Current S. Abrahamson Elected 2019.
Jill Karofsky 2020 Current D. Kelly Elected 2020.
Janet Protasiewicz 2023 Current P. Roggensack Elected 2023.

Sources

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References

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  1. ^ "Dunn, Charles 1799 - 1872". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Timeline of Wisconsin history, 1836-1899". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  3. ^ "Miller, Andrew Galbraith". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "History of the courts". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  5. ^ "Former justices - Justice Alexander W. Stow". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  6. ^ "Former justices - Justice Levi Hubbell". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Former justices - Justice Edward V. Whiton". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  8. ^ "Former justices - Justice Charles H. Larrabee". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  9. ^ "Former justices - Justice Mortimer M. Jackson". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  10. ^ "Former justices - Justice Wiram Knowlton". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  11. ^ "Former justices - Justice Timothy O. Howe". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  12. ^ "Former Justices - Justice Samuel Crawford". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Former Justices - Justice Abram D. Smith". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  14. ^ "Former Justices - Justice Orsamus Cole". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  15. ^ "Official Canvass". Wisconsin State Journal. May 9, 1860. p. 2. Retrieved December 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Tabular Statement of Votes Polled for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court". Wisconsin State Journal. May 23, 1863. p. 2. Retrieved December 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Official Vote". Manitowoc Pilot. June 19, 1868. p. 2. Retrieved December 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Election of Chief Justice". Wisconsin State Journal. April 9, 1869. p. 2. Retrieved December 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Former Justices - Justice Luther S. Dixon". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Former Justices - Justice Byron Paine". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  21. ^ "Former Justices - Justice Jason Downer". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
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