State justices select chief judges

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court announced Friday that it has selected Rock County Circuit Court James Daley and Judge James Duvall, who serves both Buffalo and Pepin county circuit courts, as new members of the Committee of Chief Judges, effective Aug. 1.

The court also re-appointed judges from Milwaukee, Fond du Lac and St. Croix counties to continue serving on the committee, and it re-appointed Chief Judge Richard Brown, District II Court of Appeals, to continue serving as chief judge of the Court of Appeals.

Chief judges, along with the Supreme Court, help oversee administrative matters in circuit courts statewide and in the Court of Appeals’ four districts. The Committee of Chief Judges consists of 10 chief circuit court judges, one from each of the state’s 10 judicial administrative districts.

In addition to the chief judge appointments by the Supreme Court, the committee of chief judges selected Chief Judge Mary Wagner, Kenosha County Circuit Court, to serve as its chair, or “chief of the chiefs,” during the next year. Wagner was first elected to the Kenosha County bench in 1991, and re-elected in 1997, 2003 and 2009.

Daley was appointed as the new chief judge of the Fifth Judicial Administrative District, which encompasses Dane, Rock, Green and Lafayette counties. He replaces Chief Judge C. William Foust, Dane County Circuit Court, who served on the committee the maximum of three, two-year terms, including one year as its chair. Foust remains on the bench in Dane County.

Duvall, who serves on the bench for both Buffalo County and Pepin County circuit courts, was appointed as the new chief judge of the Seventh Judicial Administrative District. Duvall replaces on the committee Chief Judge William Dyke, Iowa County Circuit Court, who has served the maximum three, two-year terms on the committee, including the last year as its chair.

Chief Judge Jeffrey Kremers, Milwaukee County Circuit Court, was re-appointed to continue serving as chief judge of the First Judicial Administrative District, which encompasses Milwaukee County.

Chief Judge Robert J. Wirtz, Fond du Lac County Circuit Court, was re-appointed to continue serving as chief judge of the Fourth Judicial Administrative District, which encompasses Winnebago, Calumet, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac and Sheboygan counties.

Chief Judge Scott Needham, St. Croix County Circuit Court, was re-appointed to continue serving as the chief judge of the Tenth Judicial Administrative District. The Tenth District encompasses the circuit courts in 13 northwestern Wisconsin counties, including: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sawyer, and Washburn.