Koschnick named new Wisconsin courts director

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed Jefferson County Circuit Judge Randy Koschnick as the new state courts director.

Chief Justice Pat Roggensack announced the appointment Thursday.

Koschnick has served as chief judge of the Third Judicial Administrative District, which includes Jefferson, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties since 2012. He ran unsuccessfully against incumbent state Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson in 2009.

He was also in the running to fill Justice David Prosser’s spot after Prosser announced his retirement. Koschnick was among the 11 that applied for the position, which eventually went to Dan Kelly, a lawyer who had never been a judge.

The state courts director is the top non-judicial officer in the court system. The person in the position works with the chief judges in Wisconsin’s 10 judicial administrative districts and is responsible for personnel, budgeting and information technology. The director also advises the state Supreme Court on a wide range of matters.

Before becoming a judge, Koschnick was an assistant state public defender. He earned his law degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minn.

Koschnick will begin his new job on Aug. 1, 2017. He’ll replace interim director Denis Moran.

The Associated Press also contributed to this report.