MILWAUKEE – Judge Gwendolyn G. Connolly announced today she will be a candidate to be Milwaukee County’s next Appellate Court Judge in the April 2, 2024 election. The incumbent is Judge Timothy Dugan, who has announced to colleagues he intends to step down.
Judge Connolly is currently a Circuit Court Judge in Branch 44. She currently presides over a complex Civil litigation calendar, and previously has served in both Small Claims court and in the Children’s Division, where she heard CHIPS, delinquency, and Termination of Parental Rights matters.
“I’m hitting the campaign trail and engaging with voters about what we need in Milwaukee’s next appeals court judge,” said Judge Connolly. “Appeals Court Judges need to uphold the constitution and our laws, share the community’s values and prioritize public safety, and have a strong skill set in legal analysis and writing strong opinions. I fit the bill and am looking forward to making my case.”
Judge Connolly has previously served as a member of the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Wisconsin and has been recognized for her pro bono, mentoring and other professionally-related service. She is President of the Milwaukee Trial Judges Association, and has served on the boards of American Constitution Society, Association for Women Lawyers, Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, and the Friends of the Domes.
When previously elected to the Circuit Court, Connolly had the support of public safety organizations like the Milwaukee Professional Firefighters and the Milwaukee Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the Milwaukee Area Labor Council and unions like the Service Employees International Union, and hundreds of judges, attorneys, elected officials, and community leaders.
Prior to her election, Judge Connolly was in private practice for over 20 years, primarily focused on consumer fraud litigation and family law matters. She also served as an adjunct professor of law at Marquette University Law School and as a judicial clerk.
Judge Connolly is a graduate of Carleton College and Drake University Law School. She is married to Brent C. Bedwell, a federal administrative law judge, and her two older sons graduated from Milwaukee Public Schools, while her youngest son attends Marquette University High School.
