MADISON – Today, Representative Chris Taylor (D-Madison), with every woman serving in the State Assembly, introduced Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 61 to commend and congratulate Justice Shirley Abrahamson on her 43 years of service to the State of Wisconsin as a Justice on the State Supreme Court. Justice Abrahamson is the longest serving member of the court in state history, and will be retiring later this summer. She was the first woman to serve on the court when appointed by Democratic Governor Patrick Lucey in 1976 and was the first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the court from 1996 to 2015. She is widely regarded as a prolific legal scholar and accomplished jurist. Throughout her years of service on the Court she has been a champion for ensuring constitutional protections for individual rights and liberties.

In response to the unanimous passage of this resolution, and the retirement of Justice Shirley Abrahamson, Rep. Taylor issued the following statement:

“Justice Abrahamson shattered glass ceilings when she was appointed to the court in 1976, but her legacy goes far beyond that,” said Rep. Taylor. “Her lifetime work of serving our state and protecting the rights of the most vulnerable Wisconsinites ensures that she will go down in history as one of the most influential jurists in the history of our state and nation.  She is an incredible public servant, an accomplished jurist, and I wish her nothing but the best in her well-deserved retirement.”

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