Wisconsin Courts - The League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area

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The Wisconsin Court System:
How It Works and How It Could Be Improved

...the mark of a good judge, good justice, is that when you're reading their decision, their opinion, you can't tell if it's written by a man or woman, a liberal or a conservative, a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian. You just know you're reading a good judicial decision.

~Justice Stewart Potter

Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
2023 Spring Elections

On February 21, Wisconsin voters will choose one candidate from four who are running to fill a single vacancy on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The two candidates who receive the top vote totals will proceed to the April 4 Spring Election.

Wisconsin judicial elections are nonpartisan. In both February and April, the Supreme Court candidates will be listed on the ballot without any party designation.

State supreme court justices are different from other elected officials. Their role is to uphold the law, not to represent the voters. Their rulings on state laws and the constitution do determine many outcomes that affect voters' lives.

Our "2023 Candidates Forum" page will provide recordings and links
to candidate debates, forums, and interviews. Check it out.

2023 Candidate Forums

This page provides resources that should help voters become better informed
about issues before voting in this spring's judicial elections.

Supreme Court Chambers in the State Capitol

To learn more about all levels of our state courts, including their history; the names, faces, and backgrounds of our judges; past, present, and pending cases; judicial protocols; and more--visit this excellent resource by clicking on the image below.

LWV of Wisconsin
Fair Courts Resources

Watch the LWVWI Fair Courts Webinar Series

The LWVWI has also created downloadable Fact Sheets
for each level of the Wisconsin state courts.

Click on each image to access the fact sheets.

Advocates for Fair Courts

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and Common Cause Wisconsin are both nonpartisan organizations that are doing significant work to educate voters and advocate judicial reform in order to ensure that our state and federal courts remain fair and free of undue influence.

from Strengthen Our Courts:

"Thanks to the influence of big money and partisan politics on state courts, the promise of even-handed justice in the United States is at risk. We are fighting back with bold solutions for judicial reform."

Choosing State Judges: A Plan for Reform

Judicial Ethics and Recusal

from Fair Courts:

"We're educating Wisconsinites about our state's lack of effective judicial recusal rules, and pushing for stronger recusal standards to ensure impartial justice in Wisconsin courts."

Background and History of Judicial Review

Videos on Judicial Recusal