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News and developments from the State Bar of Wisconsin.

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By: State Bar of Wisconsin​

Blog Authors

State Bar of Wisconsin
State Bar of Wisconsin
Cheryl Furstace Daniels And Larry J. Martin
Dean R. Dietrich And Larry J. Martin
Margaret Wrenn Hickey And Larry J. Martin
Jeff M. Brown And Shannon Green
Chief Justice Annette K. Ziegler
Jay D. Jerde
Joe Forward
Joe Forward
Cheryl Furstace Daniels
Shannon Green
Larry J. Martin
Shannon Green And Jeff M. Brown
Jeff L. Brown
Jeff M. Brown

Latest from WisBar News

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Photo from September 2024 State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors meeting. From left: Chairperson Melodie Wiseman, Past-president Dean Dietrich, and Secretary Martina Rae Gast.March 3, 2025 –The State Bar of Wisconsin’s 52-member Board of Governors (Board) in a virtual meeting Friday, Feb. 28, approved a motion to defer action on a proposal for a pilot project to expand lawyer access to court filings on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA) website.

The Bankruptcy Insolvency and Creditors Rights (BICR)…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Defers Action on Proposal for More Access to Online Court Records

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Ben Payne, chair-elect of the State Bar BICR section, presented a proposal to expand attorneys’ online access to court records to the State Bar Board of Governors.

Dec. 10, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin’s 53-member Board of Governors (Board) recently discussed – but took no action on – a proposal from the State Bar Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Creditors Rights (BICR) Section to expand attorneys’ online access to court records.

BICR’s proposal, submitted for discussion at the Board’s…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Discusses Proposal to Expand Attorney Access to Online Court Records, Takes Other Actions

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At the Board of Governors December meeting, State Bar President Ryan Billings speaks on a proposed increase to the fee that lawyers pay towards the public legal interest services fund (PILSF).

Dec. 9, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin will soon present – to the Wisconsin Supreme Court – the results of a survey that asked if State Bar members would support or oppose increases to the fee that lawyers pay towards the public legal interest services fund…
Continue Reading Petition to Increase $50 PILFS Fee: State Bar Will Present Survey Findings to Court

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Dec. 2, 2024 – David T. Prosser Jr., former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, passed away Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, at age 81.

Justice Prosser served 18 years on the court, from 1998 to 2016. He was appointed by Gov. Tommy G. Thompson, and subsequently was elected to 10-year terms in 2001 and 2011.

“Justice Prosser was the quintessential public servant who enjoyed a respected career (spanning more than 40 years) in the service of others,” said Wisconsin Supreme Court…
Continue Reading Retired Supreme Court Justice David Prosser Dies at 81

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Nov. 27, 2024 – ​As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, we reflect on our commitment to upholding justice and the rule of law. Each of you – lawyers, judges, and justices – play a critical role in maintaining fairness and trust in our legal system. Together, you help ensure that our shared legal values remain steadfast in Wisconsin.

In this season of gratitude, we extend our deepest thanks to each of you for your dedication, integrity, and…
Continue Reading A Message of Appreciation to Wisconsin’s Legal Community

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Nov. 14, 2024 – The Wisconsin judiciary is strong but “not without its challenges,” said Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Kingsland ​Ziegler in her State of the Judiciary Address at the Wisconsin Judicial Conference in Elkhart Lake yesterday (Nov. 13).

In her fourth address as chief justice, Zeigler outlined issues of ongoing concern for the Wisconsin court system, highlighted progress over the past year, and identified a new challenge: Wisconsin’s attorney shortage, especially in rural parts of the…
Continue Reading State of the Judiciary: Chief Justice Ziegler Highlights Lawyer Shortage, Judicial Security

Oct. 28, 2024 – Dan D. Gartzke is elected president-elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

In a special election that closed at noon on Friday, Oct. 24, 2024, Gartzke defeated David Lasker of Mauston by 1,417 votes to 1,006.

Gartzke (U.W. 1986) practices family law with Boardman & Clark LLP in Madison.

Gartzke immediately becomes president-elect, filling a vacancy in the position, followed by a one-year term as president starting on July 1, 2025, and a one-year term…
Continue Reading State Bar President-elect Post Goes to Dan Gartzke

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Oct. 8, 2024 – A 7-year pilot project that established circuit court dockets solely for large claim business and commercial cases in numerous counties will phase out,
under an order the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued Oct. 7, with three justices dissenting.

In 2017, under then-Chief Justice Patience Roggensack, the Wisconsin Supreme Court initially established the “commercial court docket,” or business court, as a temporary 3-year pilot project rolled out in eight counties – Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Marinette, Oconto,…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Order Discontinues Business Court Pilot Project

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Byron B. Conway

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​Sept. 25, 2024 – By a vote of 58-37, the U.S. Senate today confirmed Green Bay attorney Byron B. Conway as a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Conway, who previously served on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors (2013-18), is a personal injury attorney and a shareholder at Habush Habush & Rottier.

He graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2002 and holds a…
Continue Reading U. S. Senate Confirms Byron Conway to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

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New admittees take the oath in the 1:30 p.m. ceremony.

Sept. 26, 2024 – They are from Wisconsin and across the country – and the world, with one thing in common: On Sept. 23, 2024, all 66 individuals became Wisconsin lawyers.

In two separate ceremonies before the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Sept. 23, they took their final steps, taking the Attorney’s Oath and signing the Supreme Court Roll Book.

Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler and the other justices hosted…
Continue Reading Admissions: Welcome to 66 New Wisconsin Lawyers

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Former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Richard Sankovitz, a member of the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission Board, requests the State Bar’s support for a petition that would increase the amount that lawyers must annually pay towards the Public Interest Legal Services Fund (PILSF), a Wisconsin Supreme Court assessment established in 2005.​ Sept. 24, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin’s 53-member Board of Governors recently discussed a petition – filed by eight organizations – that would increase the annual court…
Continue Reading State Bar Board Discusses Petition to Increase Annual PILSF Assessment

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​​Aug. 20, 2024 – A party alleging the State Bar of Wisconsin uses membership dues to fund political and ideological activities cannot seek money damages, under a
recent ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.Atty. Daniel Suhr, represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL), filed a complaint in December 2023, alleging that the State Bar’s mandatory status is unconstitutional because, Suhr alleges, the State Bar uses membership dues to fund political…
Continue Reading Litigation Update: State Bar Will Vigorously Defend Keller Procedures

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Aug. 6, 2024 – Former State Bar of Wisconsin President Michelle Behnke was elected ABA President-elect at the end of the ABA’s annual meeting in Chicago on August 6.​“Congratulations to Michelle Behnke on her election as American Bar Association President-elect,” said State Bar of Wisconsin Executive Director Larry Martin. “Her extensive experience in the ABA and her tenure as a trailblazing State Bar President will serve the ABA and it’s 400,000 members well.”

Behnke served as president of the…
Continue Reading Michelle Behnke Elected American Bar Association President-elect

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Hon. Jeh Charles Johnson, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and ABA Task Force for American Democracy co-chair, speaks on “The Threat to Democracy.”

July 11, 2024 – A dozen speakers recently gave sobering presentations on the threat to democracy during a nonpartisan event from the American Bar Association’s Task Force for American Democracy, in partnership with the State Bar of Wisconsin.

The program, called
Wisconsin: Elections in the 21st Century (watch now) was held in-person July…
Continue Reading American Bar Association Brings Democracy Listening Tour to Wisconsin

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Dan D. Gartzke

David E. Lasker

July 10, 2024 – The State Bar of Wisconsin is holding a special election in October to fill a vacancy at the organization’s president-elect post.

Electronic voting will begin on Oct. 10 and members will have 15 days to vote, with the election closing at noon, Oct. 25, 2024. Results will be announced Oct. 28, 2024.

See more information on voting in this election.
Meet the Candidates
Dan D. Gartzke of Madison…
Continue Reading Meet the Candidates for President-elect: Vote in October

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July 3, 2024 – The White House today announced that President Joe Biden will nominate Green Bay attorney Byron B. Conway to a vacant judicial seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Conway, who previously served on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors (2013-18), is a personal injury attorney and a shareholder at Habush Habush & Rottier. He graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2002 and holds a B.A. from Santa…
Continue Reading Conway Nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin