The Third Branch
The Third Branch is a quarterly publication of the Director of State Courts Office, providing news of interest to the Wisconsin Court System. Comments and suggestions may be directed to Amanda Todd.
Current issue - Winter 2013
Use the links below to navigate the current issue or view the PDF version 
(printable version)
Featured stories
Court greets new legislators, committee members
Supreme Court Justices met during January with members of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee as part of the Court's inter-branch relations program. Several justices also met with new legislators in the Supreme Court Hearing Room during a new legislators orientation session hosted by the Wisconsin Legislative Council.
Roggensack, Fallone advance to spring election
The Feb. 19 primary narrowed the field for several judicial elections, including the Supreme Court race between Justice Patience Drake Roggensack and Marquette University Law Professor Ed Fallone.
Statewide approach to coordinating problem-solving courts taking hold
New staff and a grant award will help the Director of State Courts Office to implement recommendations made by the National Center for State Courts regarding effective justice strategies. The new problem-solving court coordinator will serve as a resource for problem-solving courts across the state.
Director's column: Budget lapse would hamper courts
Director of State Courts A. John Voelker discusses the negative impact a proposed lapse requirement in the governor's 2013-15 budget proposal would have on the court system.
Stark appointed to Court of Appeals
Eau Claire County Circuit Court Judge Lisa K. Stark has been named to replace former District III Court of Appeals Judge Gregory A. Peterson, who retired from the bench.
CCAP upgrades call center phone system
Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP) announces the roll-out of its new call center phone system.
Leadership
The annual Wisconsin Judicial College provides a hands-on learning environment where new and experienced judges are able to interact.
State Bar seeks volunteers for Law Day
The State Bar's Young Lawyers Divisions is looking for lawyers and judges to participate in local school Law Day activities on May 1.
Funding, access among PPAC priorities
The Planning and Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC) identified four main priorities and several other issues to be considered by the court system for 2012-14.
Milwaukee clerk begins scanning project
The Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court's office has begun a massive scanning project in the interest of preserving hundreds of thousands of court files in a digital archive.
Milwaukee opens Veterans Court Treatment Initiative
The new Milwaukee County Veterans Treatment Initiative and Treatment Court opened last December. The initiative is a collaboration of the courts with several agencies to address the needs of veterans within the criminal justice system.
Grants boost First District partnership on supervised visitation and safe exchange
A grant from the Office of Violence Against Women will help the First Judicial District and its partners open a safe exchange/visitation program in Milwaukee by the fall of 2013, with the hopes of replicating the service in other parts of Milwaukee County.
Crawford County Courthouse remodel reveals deep history of local justice
The historic Crawford County Courthouse recently underwent a remodel to bring the building, originally constructed in 1867, up-to-date to meet the needs of the civil and criminal justice system.
Wisconsin Connects
Several Milwaukee County Circuit Court judges helped honor Opus Prize humanitarian award winners, which recognized individuals who have combatted social ills around the world. The celebrations took place as part of Marquette University's Mission Week.
Grant helps Milwaukee move ahead with evidence-based practices
The Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded the Milwaukee County Community Justice Council (MCCJC) a grant for technical assistance for use in the continued development of evidence-based practices. The MCCJC has recognized four key areas in need of improvement.
Jackson County targets effective-justice strategies
Teen Court, Small Claims Mediation, and the new Jackson County Collaborative Justice Coordinating Council are just a few of the ways the county is incorporating effective justice strategies to handle the number of criminal offenders and address family court issues.
Court clerks and jurors alike to appreciate new Jury Management software
New software developed by CCAP will assist court staff in managing, organizing and communicating with jurors in a more streamlined fashion.
Legislative study committees complete work
Four study committees have made recommendations for bills to be drafted that would affect the court system. The new bills introduced will address permanency in the child welfare system, legal intervention for people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, release and discharge of sexually violent offenders, and reporting child abuse and child neglect.
Couples head to courthouses for easy-to-remember anniversary dates
Dec. 12, 2012 saw record numbers of couples tying the knot in county courthouses.
In every issue:
Awards
New faces
Obituaries
People
Retirements