March 21, 2025 - Introduced by Senator Wimberger, cosponsored by Representatives Tusler, Behnke, Brill, Callahan, Green, B. Jacobson, Knodl and O'Connor. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
SB144,1,3
1An Act to amend 752.03 of the statutes; relating to: eliminating a judgeship
2from district IV of the court of appeals and establishing an additional
3judgeship for district III of the court of appeals. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill reduces the number of judgeships in district IV of the court of appeals upon the expiration of the term of the judge whose current judicial term ends July 31, 2026. The bill also establishes an additional judgeship in district III of the court of appeals, effective beginning August 1, 2026. Under the bill, as of August 1, 2026, each of the districts of the court of appeals would have four judges. The bill provides that the initial election for the fourth judge for district III of the court of appeals will be held at the spring election of 2026 for a term beginning on August 1, 2026, and ending on July 31, 2032.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
SB144,14Section 1. 752.03 of the statutes is amended to read: SB144,2,45752.03 Number of judges. There shall be 16 court of appeals judges. Three
1Beginning August 1, 2026, 4 judges shall be elected from the district specified in s. 2752.17, 4 judges shall be elected from each of the 2 4 districts specified in ss. 752.13 3and, 752.15 and 5 judges shall be elected from the district specified in s., 752.17, 4and 752.19. SB144,25Section 2. Nonstatutory provisions. SB144,2,86(1) District IV judgeship. The judgeship for the district IV court of appeals 7for the judge whose current term ends July 31, 2026, shall be eliminated effective 8with the expiration of the term for that position on July 31, 2026. SB144,2,119(2) Election of district III judge. The initial election for the 4th judge for 10district III of the court of appeals shall be at the spring election of 2026 for a term 11beginning on August 1, 2026, and ending on July 31, 2032.
