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
Three U.S. Supreme Court Cases that Transformed State Judicial Elections
Judicial elections have become major political battlegrounds — complete with dark money, special interests, and attack ads — thanks to several U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
Every State Supreme Court Justice in One Searchable Database
A new resource from the State Law Research Initiative lets users sort the nation’s high court justices by state, professional background, party affiliation, and more.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Debates Approaches to Constitutional Interpretation
A recent opinion reminds advocates to make independent state constitutional arguments.
New Findings Highlight Lack of Diversity on State Supreme Courts
More data and further scholarship is needed to devise policies for promoting a state bench that adequately represents the varied background of the public.
State Court Oral Arguments to Watch for in May
Issues on the dockets include voting restrictions, gun regulations, and free speech rights.
State Supreme Court ‘Shadow Dockets’: More Power with Less Transparency
State supreme courts are shaping the law and resolving some of the most consequential issues facing society in ways that are almost impossible for us to see.
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.