United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin

43°04′25″N 89°23′21″W / 43.0737°N 89.3891°W / 43.0737; -89.3891

United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
(W.D. Wis.)
LocationMadison
More locations
Appeals toSeventh Circuit
EstablishedJune 30, 1870
Judges2
Chief JudgeJames D. Peterson
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyTimothy O'Shea (acting)
U.S. MarshalKim Gaffney
www.wiwd.uscourts.gov
Robert W. Kastenmeier United States Courthouse

The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (in case citations, W.D. Wis.) is a federal court in the Seventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The district was established on June 30, 1870.[1]

As of March 1, 2021 the acting United States attorney is Timothy M. O’Shea.[2]

Organization of the court

The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin is one of two federal judicial districts in Wisconsin.[3] Court for the Western District is held at Madison.

The district comprises the following counties: Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Green, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lafayette, Lincoln, Marathon, Monroe, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, St. Croix, Sawyer, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Washburn and Wood.

Current judges

As of April 26, 2017:

#TitleJudgeDuty stationBornTerm of serviceAppointed by
ActiveChiefSenior
11Chief JudgeJames D. PetersonMadison19572014–present2017–presentObama
10District JudgeWilliam M. ConleyMadison19562010–present2010–2017Obama
8Senior JudgeBarbara Brandriff CrabbMadison19391979–20101980–1996
2001–2010
2010–presentCarter

Former judges

#JudgeStateBorn–diedActive serviceChief JudgeSenior statusAppointed byReason for
termination
1James Campbell HopkinsWI1819–18771870–1877 Grantdeath
2Romanzo BunnWI1829–19091877–1905 Hayesretirement
3Arthur Loomis SanbornWI1850–19201905–1920T. Rooseveltdeath
4Claude Zeth LuseWI1879–19321921–1932[Note 1] Hardingdeath
5Patrick Thomas StoneWI1889–19631933–1963F. Rooseveltdeath
6David RabinovitzWI1908–19861964[Note 2]L. Johnsonnot confirmed
7James Edward DoyleWI1915–19871965–19801978–19801980–1987L. Johnsondeath
9John C. ShabazWI1931–20121981–20091996–20012009–2012 Reagandeath

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

Seat 2
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629
Crabb1979–2010
Conley2010–present

See also

References

External links