After serving for the past fifteen years in the Wisconsin judiciary, District IV Court of Appeals Judge Michael R. Fitzpatrick will “semi-retire” at the end of his current term on July 31. He plans to work as a reserve judge and referee, in mediation and arbitration, and continue to teach at the Wisconsin Judicial College, as well as serve on the Civil Jury Instruction Committee.
Fitzpatrick has spent the past six years on the Court of Appeals after being elected in 2017. He had previously served nine years on the Rock County Circuit Court. Prior to taking the bench, he worked in private practice and as a law clerk for U.S. Magistrate Judge R. James Groh.
“On the appellate court, in our opinions, our aim is to make the applicable principles of law clear-cut, and we often decide issues of state-wide importance,” Fitzpatrick explained about his two judicial roles.
“The work of circuit court judges is no less important and has an equal place in the court system. In the circuit court, there is an immediacy that allows a judge to correct a problem or a wrong quickly, and there is a certain satisfaction in that.”
While Fitzpatrick said every case that came before him at the circuit and appellate courts was important, some of the more memorable cases include an appeal concerning a defamation claim regarding the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and a commercial dispute concerning assets in the U.S. and Europe that resulted in a 138-page opinion.
Fitzpatrick said he is proud of the time and patience he has put into listening to attorneys, parties and victims in considering cases. He takes pride in the opinions that he and his colleagues have written intently with clarity for judges, attorneys, the parties and the public, while not straying from the firmly held beliefs about the analysis or results. He is also proud of the judicial education work he has been involved in.
“The fact that our intelligent and hard-working colleagues would listen to me at a seminar was something that I always took seriously in terms of preparation and presentation, and I hope that everyone found the presentations interesting and informative,” he said.
Being able to teach at the judicial seminars is something Fitzpatrick said he will miss, along with the people in the court system, particularly his judicial assistant, Amanda Wesley, who has worked with him in private practice, the circuit court, and the Court of Appeals.
“Her professionalism, abilities, and patience have been invaluable and extremely important to our work,” he said.
While Fitzpatrick looks forward to continuing to work and connect with colleagues, he also plans to travel and spend more time with his family.
Third Branch eNews is an online monthly newsletter of the Director of State Courts Office. If you are interested in contributing an article about your department’s programs or accomplishments, contact your department head. Information about judicial retirements and judicial obituaries may be submitted to: Sara.Foster@wicourts.gov