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Walker Expects A Huge Pool Of State Supreme Court Applicants

Governor Says Candidates Must Understand Role Of Judiciary In State Government

By
Wisconsin Supreme Court
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Gov. Scott Walker says he anticipates a very large pool of applicants to replace longtime state Supreme Court Justice David Prosser.

A handful of people including Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jim Troupis, State Appeals Judge Mark Gundrum and Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Randy Koschnick have said they will apply for Prosser’s seat but with four years left on the term Walker said he expects many more applicants to come.

“I think with the idea that you’ve got not only an opening but the way it stands because of the election process, this person, the appointee we make to this position won’t be up until 2020. So, someone who wants some time to get established, I think you’ll see a much larger list than we’ve typically seen in the past,” he said.

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Walker said many factors will go into his eventual pick for the state’s high court including an understanding that the job of a Supreme Court justice is not to legislate from the bench.

“I want a man or a woman of integrity; I want someone who understands the law as a scholar of the law whether they’ve been on a court or whether they’ve just practiced law, and most importantly I want someone who understands the proper role of the judiciary is to uphold the constitution and those laws duly enacted within it,” Walker said.

Applicants for the state Supreme Court will be accepted through May 19.