Listinsky keeps court on track

Listen to this article

Lucy Listinsky figures she’s doing a good job if you don’t notice her.

Since 1990, Listinsky has served as deputy court clerk for Milwaukee County Judge John DiMotto. Her duties include handling all of the court’s paperwork, including setting the calendar.

“When people ask what I do, I say I’m like Mac from ‘Night Court,’ but that show is pretty old so not many people remember,” she said of the work she does for Branch 41. “But I figure I’m doing the right thing if you don’t notice me and what I’m doing.”

Listinsky, who worked as legal secretary for several years before joining Judge DiMotto, said she’s always been interested in the legal system and how it works. During her work at the county, Listinsky had to be a quick learner. If she wasn’t, she could not have kept up with DiMotto, who worked in every court division, including criminal misdemeanor, criminal felony, criminal felony drug, criminal homicide and sexual assault, family court, civil court, juvenile court and probate court.

“Every division is different and I need to quickly learn the new system,” she said. “In civil court, there seems to be a lot more paper and a lot more processing work.”

DiMotto praised Listinsky’s flexibility to learn the new systems.

“She has had to learn each and every different system and do so quickly in order to properly process each and every case. She’s a perfectionist who takes great pride in every court entry she makes in every file and in the management of every file in Branch 41’s calendar,” he said.

DiMotto said Listinsky works well with the public and handles her stressful job with ease.

“She is the first person that everyone who enters the courtroom contacts” and she is the one to deal with problems as they come up, DiMotto said. “It can be a very tiring job, but she treats everyone with dignity and respect, even when people are upset and take out their frustrations on her.”

Listinsky said dealing with paper and files is the bane of her existence and she’s grateful for the presence of a computer in the courtroom.

“When I started out, there wasn’t a computer and you had to send someone out to look something up if you didn’t have it with you,” she said. “Being able to look up stuff on your own has made a big difference and made it more efficient and you have to be efficient in this job.”