Michael Gableman

Michael J. Gableman (born September 18, 1966) is an American lawyer from Waukesha County, Wisconsin, formerly a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. His term began on August 1, 2008 and ended on July 31, 2018. Gableman did not seek reelection.[1]

The Honorable Michael Gableman
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office August 1, 2008 – July 31, 2018
Preceded by	Louis B. Butler
Succeeded by	Rebecca Dallet
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Burnett District
In office August 2002 – July 31, 2008
Appointed by	Scott McCallum
Preceded by	James H Taylor
Succeeded by	Kenneth L Kutz
Ashland County District Attorney
In office 1999 – August 2002
Appointed by	Tommy Thompson
Preceded by	J. B. Van Hollen
Succeeded by	Sean Duffy
Personal details
Born	September 18, 1966 West Allis, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma mater	Ripon College (B.A.) Hamline University School of Law (J.D.)

Early life and education

Michael J. Gableman was born in West Allis, Wisconsin in 1966 and raised in Waukesha County. He is a graduate of New Berlin West High School (1984) and Ripon College (1988), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in education and history. He holds a teaching certificate for 7-12 grade history. After college, Gableman taught American history at George Washington High School in the Milwaukee Public School system (1988–1989) before pursuing a legal career. He graduated from Hamline University School of Law in 1993.[2]

Career

After graduating, he served as a law clerk at the district court level in Minnesota and the circuit court level in Wisconsin. He became the half-time Assistant District Attorney in Langlade County and worked the other half time at a private law office while also serving as Deputy Corporation Counsel for Forest County. Gableman then worked as an assistant district attorney in Marathon County. He served as District Attorney of Ashland County from 1999-2002. In 2002, he was appointed the circuit court judge for Burnett County, and then elected Circuit Court Judge for Burnett County in 2003, with 78% of the vote.

In Burnett County, Gableman established an inmate community service program, a juvenile community service program, a drug and alcohol court, and a restorative justice program for which he served as chairman of the board for six years. He also was an adjunct professor of law at Hamline University School of Law, teaching criminal procedure and professional responsibility.[3]

On April 1, 2008, Gableman defeated Louis Butler for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court 51% to 49%, making him the first candidate since 1967 to defeat an incumbent justice.[4]

In 2009 the Wisconsin Judicial Commission brought an ethics charge against Gableman.[5] The charge alleged that a campaign advertisement in which he accused Butler of working "to put criminals on the street" and accusing Butler of finding a "loophole" that resulted in the release of a child molester, was false and misleading.[6] Gableman claimed in his defense that his free speech rights are violated by the judicial conduct rule he is accused of breaking.[7][8] A three-judge panel was charged with the preliminary investigation into whether the campaign ad violated the Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct.[9] In November 2009, the panel unanimously recommended that the complaint against Gableman be dismissed.[10] Procedure required that the Wisconsin Supreme Court make the final determination as to whether there was an ethics violation.[9] When the court deadlocked 3-3, the commission stopped pursuing the case.[11]

In January 2011, the group 9to5 Milwaukee filed an ethics complaint with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board against Gableman for failing to recuse himself from a case in which he had allegedly had a financial interest.[12][13] The justice received legal counsel from July 2008 to July 2010 from the Wisconsin law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich on a contingency fee basis. Gableman received the services from the law firm as it defended him against a separate ethics charge. Gableman never declared the receipt of the services in official disclosure statements. Critics characterized the legal contingency-fee arrangement as "free" legal services, a characterization the law firm rejected.[11]

In 2016, Gableman described himself as a judicial conservative.[14]

In 2017, Gableman said he would not run for re-election in 2018.[15]

References

1. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/06/15/supreme-court-justice-michael-gableman-not-seek-second-term/399554001/
2. "Biographies". Wisconsin Blue Book 2013–2014 (PDF) (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 10. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2009-10-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/29406414.html
5. Wisconsin Judicial Commission Statement of Facts Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine, accessed April 19, 2009
6. "Editorial: Justice Gableman deserves public reprimand", Green Bay Press-Gazette, December 1, 2008. Accessed December 3, 2008
7. "Gableman says his free speech rights were violated", New Richmond News, November 20, 2008. Accessed December 3, 2008.
8. Judith Davidoff, "Gableman hires anti-abortion attorney to fight ethics charges", The Capital Times, November 26, 2008. Accessed December 3, 2008.
9. Complaint Against Justice Gableman Moves Forward accessed Feb 3, 2010
10. Judicial Conduct Panel's Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Recommendation Accessed February 3, 2010.
11. Marley, Patrick (2011-12-15). "Justice Gableman not charged legal fees in ethics case". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
12. Stein, Jason (2012-01-06). "Another ethics complaint filed against Justice Gableman". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2014-10-24. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
13. Marley, Patrick (2012-01-20). "Gableman says he won't recuse himself from disputed cases". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
14. "Gableman says his judicial philosophy in line with voters". www.jsonline.com. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
15. Marley, Patrick (1 May 2017). "Madison lawyer Tim Burns announces Wisconsin Supreme Court run for Michael Gableman's seat". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2 May 2017.