On April 20, 2023, the Planning and Policy Advisory Committee, or PPAC, held its annual joint meeting with the Supreme Court in Madison. The meeting included presentations from several PPAC subcommittees, including the Court Security Subcommittee, chaired by Judge Michael O. Bohren, Waukesha County Circuit Court. Judge Bohren described the increase in security incidents and threats against the judiciary in recent years. He also gave an update on the March 2023 Court Safety and Security Conference in Appleton, which was attended by several judges and other court staff and security personnel.
The Planning Subcommittee, headed by Judge Scott Horne, La Crosse County Circuit Court, presented on the current strategic priorities outlined in the current PPAC Critical Issues report. Judge Horne also described the upcoming activities of the Planning Subcommittee to support the development of the next Critical Issues report, including a statewide survey and a review of state and national trends impacting the court system. Chief Judge Carl Ashley, Milwaukee County Circuit Court, described the activities of the Effective Justice Strategies Subcommittee and discussed the court system’s ongoing focus on training and support for the state’s problem-solving court and specialty court programs.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler, Chair of PPAC, thanked the subcommittee chairs for their ongoing efforts. She also praised the judges, court reporters, clerks, and other court staff, reiterating how important, and how appreciated, their work is to the court system as a whole.
In addition to PPAC subcommittee reports, the group heard a presentation on circuit court case statistics by Tyler Brandt, business analyst in the Office of Court Operations. While the overall number of cases filed in Wisconsin’s circuit courts has declined between 2016 and 2022, there has been an overall increase in felony cases filed during the same period. This is reflective of case filing trends at the circuit court level across the nation.
PPAC also discussed several legislative proposals that the Legislative Committee of the Judicial Conference has reviewed. Atty. Karley Downing, Chief Legal Counsel for the Director of State Courts Office, provided a summary of proposed legislative measures that may impact the court system. The meeting concluded with an update on the Supreme Court’s budget request by Deputy Director for Management Services Caitlin Frederick. The budget request strengthens cybersecurity protections and provides for the continued expansion of digital audio recording, or DAR, technology in the circuit courts, Frederick said. Director of State Courts Randy R. Koschnick emphasized the importance of ensuring the security of the court system’s digital infrastructure. He also stressed the importance of working with the court system’s justice partners in seeking solutions to statewide challenges stemming from prosecutorial and defense attorney shortages.
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