Wisconsin Supreme Court - 2018 Primary Election February, 20, 2018

There is another election coming up next week. This time it is a primary election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Sitting Justice Michael Gableman did not file to seek re-election. Three candidates have filed to run for the seat being vacated by Justice Gableman. All three candidates will be on the ballot on Tuesday's primary, and the two candidates who receive the most votes will advance to the general election which will be held on April 3, 2018.

Rebecca Dallet

· Dallet was first elected to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in 2008 and won re-election in 2014. As of the 2018 election, she still holds the seat. Dallet's previous experience includes 11 years as a prosecutor in the offices of the Milwaukee County District Attorney and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin as well as three years spent teaching law at Marquette University.

· In her June 2017 announcement speech, Dallet pointed to her past experience: "I have the right experience to return independence and balance to what has become an increasingly partisan Supreme Court." Dallet's campaign website argues that she has "spent my career, first as a prosecutor, and now as a judge, working to make our community safer" and identifies the economy, crime, healthcare, and criminal justice law as areas of dissatisfaction, arguing that Dallet is "prepared to fight and represent our values on day one."

· Dallet has received endorsements from former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler, former Gov. Tony Earl (D), Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Stark, and Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm (D).

· Watch interview with Rebecca Dallet on Wisconsin Eye

· Stated that a police search of a black man was acceptable because Diggins was leaning against the wall for five minutes “with no real obvious purpose for being there.” She sentenced him to two years in prison and two years of extended supervision.

The District 1 Court of Appeals unanimously threw out the ruling in 2013, finding prosecutors’ claims that there was reasonable suspicion of drug dealing “beyond thin.”

“More than mere presence (i.e. hanging out) in a public place is required for reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot,” Judge Joan Kessler wrote for the court.

Michael Screnock

· Screnock was first appointed to the Sauk County Circuit Court by Gov. Scott Walker (R) in 2015 and was elected to a full term in 2016. Screnock's previous experience includes time spent in private practice and, prior to earning his law degree, in municipal management.

· In his June 2017 announcement speech, Screnock referred to his stance on the role of the judiciary: "I share ... the belief that it is the role of a judge to say what the law is and not what it should be...Judges must respect the different roles of the court and Legislature and should not legislate from the bench." Screnock's campaign website argues that his "experience as a judge adds to the experience I gained as a local government official and an attorney, and uniquely prepares me for service on our state’s highest court." Screnock describes his judicial philosophy as a belief that "the role of a judge or justice is to interpret and apply the law, not rewrite the law" and that it is "important that the judicial branch serve as the stable branch of our government."

· Screnock has received endorsements from Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices Daniel Kelly, Michael Gableman, and Rebecca Bradley, as well as former Justices David Prosser and Jon Wilcox

· Watch interview with Michael Screnock on Wisconsin Eye

· Michael Screnock was arrested and ticketed for trespassing and obstructing officers twice in 1989 when he participated in large protests at a Madison abortion clinic. He reached plea deals that dropped the obstructing citations and required him to perform community service for the trespassing charges, according to Screnock and public records.

“In the context of my life, it’s not something I’ve ever regretted doing,” Screnock said.

Tim Burns

· An attorney with experience in insurance-related law, Burns has not previously run for elected office.

· In his May 2017 announcement speech, Burns referred to dissatisfaction with the Wisconsin Supreme Court as a factor motivating his run: "For the past 40 years, I've watched special interests chip away at the impartiality of our courts and it has got to stop."[6] Burns' campaign website argues that "this race isn't about Tim, it's about you and your rights" and identifies Burns' priorities if elected as voting policy, environmental regulations, and business regulations.[7]

· Burns has received endorsements from Bernie Sanders-aligned group Our Revolution, former Supreme Court candidate JoAnne Kloppenburg, and Rep. Mark Pocan (D).

· Watch interview with Tim Burns on Wisconsin Eye

· Burns — who is advertising that he's a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan race — thinks the state’s high court has titled its decisions to corporations instead of the average person.

This isn’t normal. Typically, court candidates avoid overtly stating their political affiliation or directly talking about issues that might come before them as justices — although they often provide hints about their leanings.

Please review all three candidates and choose the one that is most likely to serve in a manner that ensures that the state constitution is supported and defended. The candidate that values justice for all and will work to see that the natural rights of Wisconsin's resident's life, liberty, and property are protected equally and diligently.

We hope to see you at the polls.