Lawmaker To Introduce Bill Setting Mandatory Retirement Age For State Supreme Court Justices

A Republican state lawmaker said he’ll introduce a bill that would set a mandatory retirement age for state Supreme Court justices — a move that could force the retirement of Wisconsin’s chief justice.

In 1977, voters amended the state’s constitution to require the Legislature to set a retirement age for justices, though nothing ever came of it.

State Rep. Dean Knudson, R-Hudson, said it’s time for the Legislature to act and he favors a mandatory retirement age of 75.

That would force the retirement of Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, who at age 80, is considered the leader of the court’s liberal judges.

Knudson said his plan isn’t aimed at Abrahamson.

“To me, this isn’t about people. It isn’t about the job that anyone’s doing. It’s about respecting the will of the people and the oath that we all take to the (U.S.) Constitution,” he said.

A spokesman for Abrahamson said the chief justice had no comment, though when Knudson floated this idea last session, she joked that he should “grandmother” her in.

Abrahamson isn’t the only Justice who might be affected. Conservative Justice Patience Roggensack is 74 years old.

According to media reports, Justice Patrick Crooks is expected to retire voluntarily when his term ends in 2016. He is 76 years old.

Ages Of Current State Supreme Court Justices:

• Shirley Abrahamson: Age 80 (Dec. 17, 1933)
• Patrick Crooks: Age 76 (May 16, 1938)
• Patience Roggensack: Age 74 (July 7, 1940)
• David Prosser: Age 71 (Dec. 24, 1942)
• Ann Walsh Bradley: Age 67 (July 5, 1950)
• Annette Ziegler: Age 50 (March 6, 1964)
• Michael Gableman: Age 48 (Sept. 18, 1966)