News

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has re-appointed a Court of Appeals judge and five circuit court judges to serve respectively in the top administrative posts for the Court of Appeals and five of the state’s 10 judicial administrative districts.

Chief Judge Richard S. Brown, District II Court of Appeals (headquartered in Waukesha), was re-appointed chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. In addition to maintaining a caseload, the Court of Appeals chief judge handles a variety of management duties for the four-district, 16-judge court. Brown has served on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals since 1978, and was appointed to his first three-year term as chief judge of the Court of Appeals in 2007.

Chief Judge J. Mac Davis, Waukesha County Circuit Court, was re-appointed chief judge of the Third Judicial Administrative District. Davis also serves as chair of the Committee of Chief Judges. Davis has served on the bench in Waukesha County since first being elected in 1990. He was re-elected in 1997, 2003 and 2009. He previously worked in private practice and served as a state senator from 1983-90. He has been chief judge of the Third Judicial District since 2006. The Third District encompasses Jefferson, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.

Chief Judge Mary K. Wagner, Kenosha County Circuit Court, was re-appointed chief judge of the Second Judicial Administrative District. Wagner was first elected to the Kenosha County bench in 1991, and re-elected in 1997, 2003 and 2009. She served in the state Assembly from 1978-82 and as Kenosha County clerk from 1976-78. She also has served as a deputy chief judge in the Second District and was a teacher from 1971-76. District Two encompasses Kenosha, Racine and Walworth Counties.

Chief Judge John R. Storck, Dodge County Circuit Court, was re-appointed chief judge of the Sixth Judicial Administrative District. Storck has been a Dodge County Circuit Court judge since being appointed in 1994. He was elected in 1995, 2001 and 2007. He worked in private practice from 1979-94 and served previously as a deputy chief judge. The Sixth District encompasses Adams, Clark, Columbia, Dodge, Green Lake, Juneau, Marquette, Portage, Sauk, Waushara and Wood counties.

Chief Judge Donald R. Zuidmulder, Brown County Circuit Court, was re-appointed chief judge of the Eight Judicial Administrative District. Zuidmulder was elected to the bench in 1997 after a 22-year career in private practice. He was re-elected in 2003 and 2009. Zuidmulder also served as Brown County district attorney, and as an assistant attorney general. He was appointed chief judge earlier this year to fill out the remaining term of former Chief Judge Sue E. Bischel. The Eighth District encompasses Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie and Waupaca counties.

Chief Judge Gregory E. Grau, Marathon County Circuit Court, was re-appointed chief judge of the Ninth Judicial District. Grau was first elected in 1995 and re-elected in 2001 and 2007. He was appointed chief judge Sept. 8, 2008 to fill out the remaining term of former Chief Judge Dorothy L. Bain. Grau is a former district attorney and deputy chief judge. The Ninth District encompasses Florence, Forest, Iron, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Menominee, Oneida, Price, Shawano, Taylor and Vilas counties.

Wisconsin circuit courts are divided into 10 judicial administrative districts for purposes of administration. Each district has a management team consisting of a chief judge, a deputy chief judge, and a district court administrator. Chief judges manage the flow of cases, supervise personnel, develop budgets, and meet monthly as a committee to work on issues of statewide importance. With the exception of Milwaukee, where the chief judge is a full-time administrator, chief judges and their deputies maintain court calendars in addition to handling administrative matters.

The chief judges begin their new terms on Aug. 1. They are eligible to serve up to three two-year terms.

Contact:
Tom Sheehan
Court Information Officer
(608) 261-6640