News

Wisconsin's Committee of Chief Judges has elected Chief Judge C. William Foust, Dane County Circuit Court, as "chief of the chiefs." In this capacity, Foust serves as chair of the group of 10 chief judges, each of whom is selected by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to help oversee a judicial administrative district.

Foust has served on the Dane County bench since first being appointed in 1997. He was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2004 and 2010. He is chief judge of the Fifth Judicial Administrative District, which encompasses Dane, Green, Lafayette and Rock counties.

Working as a team with a deputy chief judge and a professional 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.

 "Chief judges play a key role in improving the administration of justice in Wisconsin courts. I’m proud to have been selected to help lead this dedicated group," Foust said. 

Foust served as Dane County District Attorney from 1989 to 1997 and as presiding judge of the Dane County Circuit Court’s criminal division from 2001 to 2005. He is a member of the Dane County Criminal Justice Group and the Coordinated Community Response Task Force. He also is a member of the Criminal Benchbook Committee, which he chaired from 2001 to 2008.

His term as chair of the committee of chief judges began Aug. 12, 2011 and runs until a successor is named by the committee. Foust succeeds Chief Judge John R. Stork, Dodge County Circuit Court, as chair of the committee of chief judges.

In May, the Wisconsin Supreme Court re-appointed Foust to his third term as District Five chief judge. A chief judge can serve up to three, two-year terms on the committee.