Justice Crooks won’t seek another term

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Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice Patrick Crooks has announced he will not seek re-election.

Crooks’ term ends July 31, 2016, according to a news release. He has been a state Supreme Court justice for 19 years. Crooks made the announcement Wednesday.

“Today is the 38^th anniversary of my swearing in for the Brown County bench and marks an occasion that had a dramatic effect on my life and my career in the law,” according to a statement from Crooks. “I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve as a judge and justice and to have had the support of the voters of Brown County and Wisconsin over the years.”

Crooks was appointed as a Brown County judge in 1977 by then-acting Gov. Martin Schreiber. In 1978, Crooks was elected a Brown County Circuit Court judge when the court system was formally reorganized. He was re-elected to the Brown County Circuit Court in 1985 and 1991.

Crooks was elected to his first 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1996, and he was re-elected in 2006 without opposition. His retirement date coincides with the end of his current term. His replacement will be elected in spring 2016.