June 12 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
MADISON — The public is invited to “A Celebration of Service” honoring Chief Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s three decades on the Wisconsin Supreme Court just weeks before her retirement.
The formal program will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12, at the Capitol Rotunda, with a reception to follow.
Ann Walsh Bradley’s tenure is the fifth-longest in the court’s 177-year history. It has included participation in more than 28,000 cases, 2,375 oral arguments and the authorship of nearly 600 written opinions.
In addition to the chief justice, speakers will include:
- Gov. Tony Evers
- Retired Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske
- Marquette Law School Dean Joseph Kearney
- University of Wisconsin Law School Dean Dan Tokaji
- Christine Bremer Muggli, lawyer and co-founder of the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service
Members of the public interested in attending can RSVP online at https://justicewalshbradley.rsvpify.com, where people can also leave thank-you and congratulatory notes. The event will also be open to members of the media, who may request credentials at the same link.
“Chief Justice Bradley has devoted three decades of her life to serving the people of Wisconsin with honesty, decency, integrity, and a deep appreciation for civics and upholding the rule of law,” Gov. Evers said. “She has been integral in helping guide the court through considerable change, difficult tests and challenging times. Even more, Chief Justice Bradley has always been a good friend, a compassionate leader and a selfless mentor to countless, including many women whose careers she has inspired and uplifted. There is no doubt Wisconsin is better off because of Chief Justice Bradley’s many years of dedicated public service, and I look forward to joining the people of Wisconsin in honoring her and her legacy.”
Originally from Richland Center, the 74-year-old earned her bachelor’s degree from Webster University in 1972 and worked as a high school teacher before graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1976.
She worked as an attorney for nine years before embarking on her judicial career. In 1985, she was appointed as a circuit court judge in Marathon County.
Ten years later, the justice made history by becoming the first woman to be elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court rather than appointed. She won re-election twice, first in 2005 and then in 2015; she was elevated to chief justice in May. Her seat on the court is being filled by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford, who was elected in April.
