Walker appoints judge to Racine County bench

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Gov. Scott Walker has appointed Wynne Laufenberg to replace Gerald Ptacek on the Racine County Circuit Court’s bench.

Laufenberg is a solo practitioner and guardian ad litem in Racine concentrating on family, guardianship and family law. Before being appointed a guardian ad litem in 1997, she had worked at the State Public Defender’s Office in Racine County for seven years. There, she did trial work related in juvenile, misdemeanor and felony courts.

She also served, from 2006 to 2007, as president of the Racine County Bar Association and, from 2007 to 2016, as an adjunct criminal justice professor at Carthage College.

The governor cited a couple of reasons for his appointment.

“Wynne has demonstrated a long history of service to the Racine County community,” Walker said in a statement. “And her dedication to fundamental Constitutional principles will serve as a great asset to both the bench and the surrounding community.”

Walker announced in August that he was looking for someone to replace Ptacek, whose resignation is scheduled to take effect Jan. 3. An election for this spot on the Racine County bench will next take place in April 2018.