Committee of Chief Judges selects new leader

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The Committee of Chief Judges has selected a St. Croix County Circuit Court judge to lead a group that oversees administrative matters in the circuit and municipal courts.

Judge Scott Needham will replace Judge Donald Zuidmulder as leader of the Committee of Chief Judges, according to a news release Wednesday. Zuidmulder has served the maximum six years as a chief judge, which is an administrative position appointed by the Wisconsin to Supreme Court to each of the state’s 10 administrative judicial districts.

Needham was elected to the St. Croix County bench in 1994 and was re-elected three times. He is in his third year as chief judge of the 10th Judicial Administrative District, which consists of Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer and Washburn counties.

In his new role, Needham will preside over about seven committee meetings per year and convene subcommittees as needed to consider problems the trial courts face.

Before his election to the bench, Needham worked as an attorney in private practice from 1978 to 1994.

Zuidmulder will continue as a judge on the Brown County bench, where he has worked since 1997. He has been chief judge of the Eighth Judicial District since 2o10.The Eighth Judicial District consists of Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie and Waupaca counties.