The Wisconsin circuit courts were established by of the Constitution of Wisconsin, ratified May 8, 1848. There were originally five numbered circuit courts—each with one judge. In the first version of the constitution, and until 1853, the circuit court judges also served as the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The number of circuits was expanded via legislation as the population of the state grew, growing to 26 numbered circuits by 1965.

The modern circuit court system was established in 1977, when the Wisconsin Legislature enacted . The court reorganization was enabled by an amendment to the state constitution earlier that year. Act 187 combined the existing circuit court and county court systems to create a single level of trial courts. There are now 69 circuit courts in the state with 261 current judges. The circuit courts are organized into nine judicial administrative districts.

Chief Judges (1978–Present)

District Chief Judge Beginning Year End Year Notes 1 Michael T. Sullivan 1978 1979 Victor Manian 1979 1986 Michael J. Barron 1986 1990 Patrick T. Sheedy 1990 1999 Michael Skwierawski 1999 2003 Michael P. Sullivan 2003 2005 Kitty K. Brennan 2005 2008 Appointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Jeffrey Kremers 2008 2015 Maxine Aldridge White 2015 2020 Appointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Mary Triggiano 2020 2023 Carl Ashley 2023 Current 2 John Ahlgrimm 1978 1984 Michael Fisher 1984 1990 Stephen A. Simanek 1990 1996 Barbara A. Kluka 1996 2002 Gerald P. Ptacek 2002 2008 Mary K. Wagner 2008 2014 Allan Torhorst 2014 2017 Jason A. Rossell 2017 2024 Wynne Laufenberg2024Current 3 Harold Wollenzien 1978 1985 Patrick L. Snyder 1985 1991 James B. Schwalbach 1991 1995 Mark S. Gempeler 1995 2001 Kathryn W. Foster 2001 2007 J. Mac Davis 2007 2013 Randy R. Koschnick 2013 2017 Jennifer R. Dorow 2017 2023 Paul Bugenhagen Jr. 2023 Current 4 Allan J. Deehr 1978 1984 William E. Crane 1984 1990 Hugh F. Nelson 1990 1992 Thomas S. Williams 1992 1995 Robert A. Haase 1995 2001 L. Edward Stengel 2001 2007 Darryl W. Deets 2007 2011 Robert J. Wirtz 2011 2017 Barbara Hart Key 2017 2022 Guy D. Dutcher 2022 Current 5 Richard Bardwell 1978 1982 Angela B. Bartell 1982 1988 Robert R. Pekowsky 1988 1994 Daniel R. Moeser 1994 2001 Michael N. Nowakowski 2001 2007 C. William Foust 2007 2013 James P. Daley 2013 2019 William E. Hanrahan 2019 2020 Thomas J. Vale 20202024Julie Genovese2024Current 6 Henry G. Gergen Jr. 1978 1985 Frederick A. Fink 1985 1985 Died in office David C. Willis 1985 1986 Acting Jon P. Wilcox 1986 1992 Dennis D. Conway 1992 1998 James Evenson 1998 2006 John R. Storck 2006 2012 Gregory Potter 2012 2018 Abolished 7 Albert L. Twesme 1978 1983 James P. Fiedler 1983 1989 Peter G. Pappas 1989 1995 Robert W. Radcliffe 1995 2001 Michael J. Rosborough 2001 2007 William D. Dyke 2007 2013 James J. Duvall 2013 2017 Robert P. VanDeHey 2017 2023 Scott L. Horne 2023 Current 8 Clarence W. Nier 1978 1982 William J. Duffy 1982 1988 Harold Vernon Froehlich 1988 1994 Philip M. Kirk 1994 2000 Joseph M. Troy 2000 2006 Sue Bischel 2006 2012 Donald Zuidmulder 2012 2016 James A. Morrison 2016 2022 Carrie A. Schneider 2022 Current 9 Ronald D. Keberle 1978 1983 Daniel L. LaRocque 1983 1985 Appointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Gary L. Carlson 1985 1992 Earl W. Schmidt 1992 1998 James B. Mohr 1998 2004 Dorothy L. Bain 2004 2008 Gregory Grau 2008 2012 Neal A. Nielsen III 2012 2016 Gregory Huber 2016 2022 Ann Knox-Bauer 2022 Current 10 Arthur A. Cirilli 1978 1984 William D. O'Brien 1984 1990 Thomas J. Gallagher 1990 1996 Gregory A. Peterson 1996 1999 Appointed by Tony EarlElected to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Edward R. Brunner 1999 2005 Benjamin D. Proctor 2005 2011 Scott Needham 2011 2018 Maureen Boyle 2018 2024 John P. Anderson2024Current

Judicial Districts (1978–Present)

District 1 Judges

Circuit Branch Judge Beginning Year End Year Notes Milwaukee 1 Louis J. Ceci 1978 1982 Appointed to Wisconsin Supreme Court Charles B. Schudson 1982 1992 Appointed by Lee S. DreyfusElected to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Maxine Aldridge White 1992 2020 Chief Judge (2015–2020)Appointed by Tommy ThompsonAppointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Jack Dávila 2020 Appointed by Tony Evers 2 George A. Burns Jr. 1978 1996 M. Joseph Donald 1996 2019 Appointed by Tommy ThompsonAppointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Milton L. Childs 2019 Appointed by Tony Evers 3 Patricia S. Curley 1978 1996 Clare L. Fiorenza 1996 Appointed by Tommy Thompson 4 Leah M. Lampone 1978 1994 Mel Flanagan 1994 2018 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Michael J. Hanrahan 2018 Appointed by Scott Walker 5 Ralph J. Podell 1978 1979 Patrick T. Sheedy 1979 1998 Chief Judge (1991–1999) Mary K. Kuhnmuench 1998 2018 Paul Dedinsky 2018 2020 Appointed by Scott Walker Brett R. Blomme 2020 2021 Resigned Kristela Cervera 2021 Appointed by Tony Evers 6 Robert W. Landry 1978 1993 George W. Greene Jr. 1993 1994 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Kitty K. Brennan 1994 2008 Chief Judge (2005–2008)Appointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Ellen R. Brostrom 2008 2024 Appointed by Jim DoyleJohn Remington2024Appointed by Tony Evers 7 John F. Foley 1978 1997 Jean W. DiMotto 1997 2014 Thomas J. McAdams 2014 Appointed by Scott Walker 8 Michael J. Barron 1978 2000 Chief Judge (1987–1991) William Sosnay 2000 Appointed by Tommy Thompson 9 Robert M. Curley 1978 1983 Russell W. Stamper, Sr. 1983 1996 Appointed by Tony Earl Robert W. Crawford 1996 2002 Louis B. Butler Jr. 2002 2004 Appointed to Wisconsin Supreme Court Paul R. Van Grunsven 2004 2026 Appointed by Jim Doyle Malinda Eskra 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers 10 Ted E. Wedemeyer Jr. 1978 1982 Elected to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Rudolph T. Randa 1982 1992 Appointed by Lee S. DreyfusAppointed to U.S. District Court, E.D. Wis. Timothy Dugan 1992 2016 Appointed by Tommy ThompsonAppointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Michelle Ackerman Havas 2017 Appointed by Scott Walker 11 Christ T. Seraphim 1978 1980 Suspended for misconduct Michael T. Sullivan 1981 1984 ActingElected to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Christ T. Seraphim 1984 1986 Acting Frederick P. Kessler 1986 1988 Dominic S. Amato 1988 2013 Appointed by Tommy Thompson David C. Swanson 2013 12 Michael J. Skwierawski 1978 2003 Chief Judge (1999–2003) David L. Borowski 2003 13 Victor Manian 1978 2004 Chief Judge (1981–1987) Mary Triggiano 2004 2023 Chief Judge (2020–2023)Appointed by Jim Doyle Ana Berrios-Schroeder 2023 14 Leander J. Foley Jr. 1978 1986 Christopher R. Foley 1986 2023 Appointed by Tony Earl Amber Raffeet August 2023Appointed by Tony Evers 15 Marvin C. Holz 1978 1988 Ronald S. Goldberger 1988 2000 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Michael B. Brennan 2000 2008 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Jonathan D. Watts 2009 Appointed by Jim Doyle 16 Fred St. Clair 1978 1979 William D. Gardner 1979 1997 Michael J. Dwyer 1997 2019 Retired Brittany Grayson 2019 Appointed by Tony Evers 17 Hugh R. O'Connell 1978 1984 Francis T. Wasielewski 1984 2011 Appointed by Tony EarlNelson W. Phillips III20112012Appointed by Scott Walker Carolina Maria Stark 2012 18 Harold B. Jackson Jr. 1978 1985 Patricia D. McMahon 1986 2010 Appointed by Tony Earl Pedro Colón 2010 2023 Appointed by Jim DoyleAppointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Ronnie V. Murray II 2023 Appointed by Tony Evers 19 John E. McCormick 1978 2005 Dennis R. Cimpl 2005 2020 Appointed by Jim Doyle Kori L . Ashley 2020 Appointed by Tony Evers 20 William J. Shaughnessy 1978 1994 Dennis P. Moroney 1994 2018 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Joseph Wall 2018 21 Michael T. Sullivan 1978 1980 Chief Judge (1978–1980) Clarence R. Parrish 1981 1992 Stanley A. Miller 1992 2001 Appointed by Tommy Thompson William W. Brash III 2001 2015 Appointed by Scott McCallumAppointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Cynthia M. Davis 2015 Appointed by Scott Walker 22 Terence T. Evans 1978 1979 Appointed to U.S. District Court, E.D. Wis. William J. Haese 1979 2002 Timothy M. Witkowiak 2002 Appointed by Scott McCallum 23 Frederick P. Kessler 1978 1981 Janine P. Geske 1981 1993 Appointed by Lee S. Dreyfus Appointed to Wisconsin Supreme Court Elsa C. Lamelas 1993 2012 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Lindsey Grady 2012 2023 Jorge Fragoso 2023 Appointed by Tony Evers 24 David V. Jennings 1978 1992 Charles F. Kahn Jr. 1992 2014 Janet Protasiewicz 2014 2023 Elected to Wisconsin Supreme Court Raphael Ramos 2023Appointed by Tony Evers 25 Ralph G. Gorenstein 1978 1987 John A. Franke 1987 2010 Stephanie Rothstein 2010 2022 Appointed by Jim Doyle Nidhi Kashyap 2022 26 Michael P. Sullivan 1978 2006 Chief Judge (2003–2005) William S. Pocan 2006 Appointed by Jim Doyle 27 Donald W. Steinmetz 1978 1980 Elected to Wisconsin Supreme Court Thomas P. Doherty 1980 2000 Appointed by Lee S. Dreyfus Kevin E. Martens 2000 Appointed by Scott McCallum 28 Robert J. Miech 1978 1994 Thomas R. Cooper 1994 2012 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Mark A. Sanders 2012 29 Gary L. Gerlach 1978 1996 Richard J. Sankovitz 1996 2018 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Daniel J. Gabler 2018 2020 Appointed by Scott Walker Rebecca Kiefer 2020 30 William A. Jennaro 1978 1984 Frank T. Crivello 1984 1997 Appointed by Tony Earl Jeffrey A. Conen 1997 2020 Jonathan D. Richards 2020 Appointed by Tony Evers 31 Patrick J. Madden 1978 1996 Daniel A. Noonan 1996 2015 Paul J. Rifelj20152016Appointed by Scott Walker Hannah C. Dugan 2016 2026 Suspended, Resigned Owen Piotrowski 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers 32 Michael D. Guolee 1978 2014 Laura Gramling Perez 2014 33 Laurence C. Gram Jr. 1978 1999 Carl Ashley 1999 Chief Judge (2023–present) 34 Ralph Adam Fine 1979 1988 Elected to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Ted E. Wedemeyer Jr. 1988 1992 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Jacqueline D. Schellinger 1992 2004 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Glen H. Yamahiro 2004 2026 Appointed by Jim Doyle Jay Pucek 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers 35 Rudolph T. Randa 1979 1981 Appointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Lee E. Wells 1982 2004 Appointed by Lee S. Dreyfus Frederick C. Rosa 2004 Appointed by Jim Doyle 36 Joseph P. Callan 1979 1992 Jeffrey A. Kremers 1992 2018 Chief Judge (2008–2015)Appointed by Tommy Thompson Laura Crivello 2018 Appointed by Scott Walker 37 Arlene D. Connors 1983 1998 Karen E. Christenson 1998 2014 T. Christopher Dee 2014 Appointed by Scott Walker 38 Jeffrey A. Wagner 1988 2026 Tanner Kilander 2026 Appointed by Tony Evers 39 Michael G. Malmstadt 1988 2006 Jane Carroll 2006 Appointed by Jim Doyle 40 Louise M. Tesmer 1989 2001 Joseph R. Wall 2001 2008 Rebecca Dallet 2008 2018 Appointed by Jim DoyleElected to Wisconsin Supreme Court Andrew A. Jones 2018 2019 Appointed by Scott Walker Danielle L. Shelton 2019 41 John J. Dimotto 1990 2018 Audrey Skwierawski 2018 2024 Appointed by Scott Walker Lena Taylor 2024 Appointed by Tony Evers 42 David A. Hansher 1991 2020 Reyna Morales 2020 Appointed by Tony Evers 43 Diane S. Sykes 1992 1999 Appointed to Wisconsin Supreme Court Marshall B. Murray 1999 2024 Appointed by Tommy Thompson Marisabel Cabrera 2024 44 Daniel L. Konkol 1992 2016 Gwen Connolly 2016 45 Thomas P. Donegan 1992 2012 Rebecca Bradley 2012 2015 Appointed by Scott WalkerAppointed to Wisconsin Court of Appeals Michelle Ackerman Havas 2015 2016 Appointed by Scott Walker Jean Marie Kies 2016 46 Bonnie L. Gordon 1994 2014 David Feiss 2015 2023 Appointed by Scott Walker Anderson Gansner 2023Appointed by Tony Evers 47 John Siefert 1999 2017 Kristy Yang 2017

District 2 Judges