Women in the Judiciary Circuit Courts, 2020

Wisconsin Women’s Council December 2020

Women as a Percentage of Judicial Seats on the Circuit Courts, 2005-2020 29% Women hold 29% of judicial seats (73 out of 249 total seats) on the Wisconsin Circuit Courts, up significantly from 17% in 2015. The large increase in the percentage of Morefemale than office 1,100 holders women between served 2015on and local2020 School puts Circuit Boards Court in 2015.Judges Still, among four the percentstate’s fastestof WI Schoolgrowing Boardselected officeshad no for women. Even so, Wisconsin lags the nation- womenal average members of 33% (samefor comparable as in 2005). state court systems (National Association of Women Judges).

Have No 52% Female Judges MoreDespite than the 1,100 higher women percentage served of judicial on localseats School filled Boardsby women, in 2015.just over Still, half four of TIMELINE Wisconsin’s 69 County Circuit Courts* (36, Wisconsin’s 4 Largest Circuit percent of WI School Boards had no Number of Female Circuit or 52%) have no female Judges, down from Courts Have Nearly Half of the womennearly threemembers-quarters (same (52, as or in73%) 2005). in 2015. Court Judges, 2005-2020 Courts’ Female Judges of Chief Judges Total Female are Female County/Circuit Judges Judges 44% 73 2020 47 22 4 of the 9 Chief Judge positions are currently held by women, compared to only one in Dane 17 8 2010 and none in 2015. The Supreme Court appoints a Chief Judge for each of the state’s Waukesha 12 3 41 2015 nine judicial administrative districts. Racine 10 2 *Each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties has at 4 Largest Circuits 84 35 least one branch of the circuit courts, except six that are paired and share judges, 2010 Rest of State 165 38 for a total of 69 circuits. Of these, 26 circuits 37 have a single judge, the rest have 2 or more, Total 249 73 with the largest being Milwaukee with 47.

Sources: Women’s Council analysis of Wisconsin Court System, “ judges, & court websites” database, 2005 www.wicourts.gov/courts/circuit/judges.htm, accessed December 13, 2020; National Association of Women 33 Judges (NAWJ), www.nawj.org/statistics/2019-us-state-court-women-judges, accessed December 13, 2020. Wisconsin County Circuit Courts Wisconsin County circuit Courts with One or More Female Judges with No Female Judges Total Female Total Female County Judges Judges County Judges Judges Milwaukee 47 22 Jefferson 4 0 Dane 17 8 St Croix 4 0 About Us Waukesha 12 3 Chippewa 3 0 The Wisconsin Women’s Council is Kenosha 8 3 Columbia 3 0 the state’s statutory commission Winnebago 6 3 Monroe 3 0 on the status of women and girls. Racine 10 2 Wood 3 0 Founded in 1983, the 15-member Outagamie 7 2 Door 2 0 Women’s Council is appointed by Eau Claire 5 2 Douglas 2 0 the Offices of the Governor, Senate La Crosse 5 2 Dunn 2 0 Sheboygan 5 2 Grant 2 0 President, Senate Majority Leader Sauk 3 2 Green 2 0 and Assembly Speaker. Brown 8 1 Juneau 2 0 Patty Cadorin Lincoln 2 0 Rock 7 1 Chair Fond du Lac 5 1 Oconto 2 0 Marathon 5 1 Oneida 2 0 Christine Lidbury Dodge 4 1 Polk 2 0 Executive Director Walworth 4 1 Adams 1 0 Kathryn Porter Washington 4 1 Ashland 1 0 Research Assistant Barron 3 1 Bayfield 1 0 Manitowoc 3 1 Buffalo/Pepin* 1 0 Ozaukee 3 1 Calumet 1 0 Portage 3 1 Florence/Forest* 1 0 Waupaca 3 1 Green Lake 1 0 Marinette 2 1 Iron 1 0 Menominee/ Kewaunee 1 0 @WIWomen Shawano* 2 1 Lafayette 1 0 Burnette 1 1 Langlade 1 0 Clark 1 1 Marquette 1 0 Crawford 1 1 Pierce 1 0 Iowa 1 1 Price 1 0 Jackson 1 1 Richland 1 0 Taylor 1 1 Rusk 1 0 Vernon 1 1 Sawyer 1 0 Trempealeau 1 0 Washburn 1 1 Vilas 1 0 Circuits: 33 189 73 Waushara 1 0 Circuits: 36 60 0 Wisconsin Women’s Council State of Wisconsin Learn more about the history and role of the circuit courts at: 101 East Wilson St. www.wicourts.gov/courts/circuit Madison, WI 53703

Disclaimer. Statements of fact and opinion are made on the responsibility of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of organizations listed or referenced in the report. No endorse- (608) 266-2219 ph. ment by such organizations is given or implied. The State of Wisconsin and the Women’s Council (608) 264-9500 fax provide this information on an "as is" basis. Statistics and analyses provided represent a point in time and subject to change, and have been produced and processed with methods and sources believed to www.womenscouncil.wi.gov be reliable. Questions or concerns? Contact the Women’s Council at [email protected].