Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s highest court is the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The court has six associate justices and one chief justice, who is chosen by members of the court to serve a two-year term. (Source: Wisconsin Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Justices run for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in nonpartisan elections, and they can seek additional terms through nonpartisan elections. To fill an interim vacancy, the governor appoints a candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission, but the governor is not required to select a candidate from the list. The appointed justice holds office until Wisconsin’s next spring election when no other justice is to be elected. If the vacancy occurs between December 1 and the date of the spring election, the appointed justice stands for election in the second succeeding spring election (or later if another justice is to be elected) instead. There are no term limits, nor is there a mandatory retirement age.
State Constitution
Wisconsin’s first and only constitution was adopted in 1848. As of January 1, 2024, it had 150 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s Plummeting Productivity
The state high court will issue fewer than 20 opinions this term — less than a fifth of its average output two decades ago.
Scholarship Roundup: End of Semester Edition
Recent articles address states taking policy questions away from courts, standing in election cases, and state shadow dockets.
Arizona Highlights Risk of “Zombie” Laws
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling has breathed new life into long-unenforced abortion laws.
Wisconsin’s Legislative Vetoes Go to Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is set to decide whether a legislative committee can override executive branch decisions.
State Supreme Court Oral Arguments to Watch for in April
Issues on the dockets include voting rights, abortion rights, and separation of powers.
Wisconsin to Vote on Proposed Amendments That Could Make Running Elections Harder
If approved, the changes could leave election administration underfunded and understaffed.
All Law Students Should be Educated About State Constitutions
Fortunately, there is a resource that makes it easy to incorporate state constitutions into the first-year constitutional law course.
The Sorry State of Disclosure for State Supreme Court Justices
A new study reveals that disclosures by state supreme court justices are frequently hard to access and lack relevant financial information.