Bills · 2011-2012 Regular Session
judicial circuit subdivision in Milwaukee County (first consideration).
- Introduced, stopped here
- Passes Assembly, not reached
- Passes Senate, not reached
- Adopted, not reached
Unfamiliar terms? Glossary
What this bill does
Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau
The constitution provides that the legislature shall prescribe judicial circuits
and bound them by county lines. Currently, the legislature has created 69 judicial
circuits, with 66 circuits composed of one county each and three circuits composed
of two counties each. In 41 circuits, the legislature has created additional judgeships,
and established one branch for each judge. Branches are not geographical divisions.
Milwaukee County has 47 such branches. Each judge runs for election from the
whole county at-large. This amendment would require the legislature to further
divide Milwaukee County into judicial circuit subdivisions having no more than
60,000 population and require that circuit judges be elected from and reside in the
subdivision.
A proposed constitutional amendment requires adoption by two successive
legislatures, and ratification by the people, before it can become effective.