News

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is celebrating Constitution Day in Lancaster, Wisconsin by taking its work on the road as part of the Justice on Wheels public outreach program.

More than 130 people are expected to attend three sessions of oral argument before the Court today at the Grant County Courthouse—the 26th location visited since Justice on Wheels began in 1993.

Justice on Wheels offers people outside of Madison a more convenient opportunity to observe the Supreme Court in person. During oral argument, lawyers on each side of a case present the legal reasons they feel the Court should decide a case in their favor. Presentations are carefully timed, and justices have an opportunity to respond or ask questions of the lawyers.

Today’s Justice on Wheels visit is particularly special because September 17 is Constitution Day, marking 228 years since the U.S. Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, said Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack during a brief opening ceremony at the courthouse.

"It may be that there is no more significant day in American legal history. We, as justices, take very seriously our oath to uphold the United States Constitution and the Wisconsin Constitution. They are the foundation of our fair and impartial judicial system,” Roggensack said.

To date, the Supreme Court has conducted proceedings in the following counties: Brown, Eau Claire, Marathon, Milwaukee, La Crosse, Douglas, Rock, Kenosha, Sauk, Dodge, Oneida, Outagamie, Portage, Racine, Fond du Lac, Walworth, Waushara, St. Croix, Winnebago, Iowa, Washington, Columbia, Green, Sheboygan, and Waukesha.

Educational materials for teachers and others interested in learning about the Supreme Court and the judicial branch of government can be found in the Outreach and Educational Resources section of the website.

More than 10,000 people have witnessed or participated in Justice on Wheels. The proceedings attract a standing-room-only crowd. Before each argument, local attorneys provide the audience, including students and teachers, with an explanation of the case to be heard and how a case is decided.

Tom Sheehan
Court Information Officer
(608) 261-6640