Wisconsin voters face important decisions on April 5. They will elect local officials and also a new supreme court justice to serve until 2021. There were also contested supreme court races in 2007, 2008, and 2009. This year’s contest is between Justice David Prosser, who has served on the supreme court since his appointment in 1998, and state Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg. The candidates were the top vote-getters in a four-person February primary.
In an effort to help citizens learn more about the candidates and make an informed decision, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance sent both candidates a questionnaire asking about their background, experience, and judicial philosophy. Their answers, unedited, are published in this issue of The Wisconsin Taxpayer.
THE SUPREME COURT
The Wisconsin Constitution originally divided the state into five judicial districts. Once annually, each district’s chief judge traveled to Madison, and the five judges would sit as the supreme court. Often, the judges would rule on cases they previously presided over.
Since 1903, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has comprised seven justices—the chief justice and six associate justices. Justice Shirley Abrahamson currently serves as chief justice, as she is the court’s longest-serving member (see Table 1).
The supreme court is the state’s highest court, meaning that for state issues, the court’s ruling is final. The court receives cases from lower courts, though it also hears original actions. The majority of cases, however, are heard on appeal. In recent years, the court has been closely divided on many important issues, including tribal gaming, school finance, medical malpractice, product liability, and criminal rights.
In addition to ruling on cases, the Wisconsin Supreme Court also administers the state judicial system. The court appoints the director of state courts and directs the Board of Bar Examiners, which regulates lawyers in the state.