Justice N. Patrick Crooks has announced that he will not seek reelection to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. His current term ends on July 31, 2016, at which time he will have served nearly 39 years as a Wisconsin judge, including 20 years as a Supreme Court justice.
“Today is the 38th anniversary of my swearing in for the Brown County bench and marks an occasion that had a dramatic effect on my life and my career in the law,” Crooks said.”I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve as a judge and justice and to have had the support of the voters of Brown County and Wisconsin over the years.”
There are already three candidates to succeed Crooks, setting up a primary election. State Appeals Court Judge Rebecca Bradley filed paperwork on Monday, but has not made a formal announcement. Appeals Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg and Milwaukee County Judge Joe Donald have already announced that they’re running. State Supreme Court races generally generate little voter interest, although Kloppenberg’s 2011 race against Justice David Prosser proved an exception.
A native of Green Bay, Crooks was elected to his first 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1996, and he was reelected in 2006 without opposition. His retirement date coincides with the end of his current term. Crooks received his bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College in 1960 and his law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1963.