Judge Moria
Krueger to retire
Dane County’s
first female judge plans to leave after 30 years
By
Jack Zemlicka
jack.zemlicka@wislawjournal.com
Oct.
18, 2006
 |
|
Judge
Moria Krueger
|
Scandal,
survival and success.
The
judicial career of Moria Krueger contains elements often found
on the silver screen and after 29 years on the bench, she is about
to get a Hollywood ending.
The
current Dane County Circuit Court judge recently announced her
retirement, effective Feb. 2, 2007.
“I
keep telling people it’s because my youngest son finally
got a job and until he did, I never thought I’d be able to
retire,” joked Krueger, during a recent interview. “More
seriously, it’s been a privilege to have had this job, but
I’m getting a little tired and it’s just not as fun
as it used to be.”
Setting
the Standard
Krueger,
62, is certainly entitled to slow down after participating in
three decades of judicial evolution in Wisconsin.
She
became a media magnet in 1977, during and after the first judicial
recall election in state history. Amid public outcry, Dane County
Judge Archie Simonson was voted out of office for insensitive
remarks he made about the victim at a rape trial he had presided
over.
Krueger
won the election for Simonson’s seat and became the first
female judge in Dane County, a distinction not without its aggravations.
“There
was lots of hoopla surrounding that campaign and the media portrayed
it as a battle of the sexes, which it really wasn’t,”
said Krueger who defeated four male candidates, including Simonson
in the election. “I think the people took a look at what
they wanted a judge to represent and decided that just because
a person has a black robe on, they can’t say whatever they
want.”
Collective
recognition of that belief thrust Krueger into the spotlight and
though her dedication to justice always came first, she realized
the cultural impact her profile had.
“The
gender issue was important, because it was important,” said
Krueger. “I was the only female trial judge in the state
at the time and now there are 30 or 40. It just wasn’t something
that was done back then and I’d like to think I made a difference.”
Female
judgeships were such an anomaly at the time that Krueger recalled
re-quests to perform wedding ceremonies purely for the novelty.
“She
is certainly recognized as a trailblazer and definitely a role
model not only for judges, but lawyers as well,” said Marta
T. Meyers, President-Elect of the Dane County Bar Association.
Dane
County Chief Judge Michael N. Nowakowski echoed the sentiments
and praised his judicial colleague for her extensive contributions.
“Judge
Krueger has been an excellent judge with a great intellect,”
Nowakowski said. “Her dedication to children through her
many years presiding in juvenile court will be her legacy, but
her other contributions to the court system should not be forgotten.”
Family
First
While
Krueger has rotated through the circuit courts, she has a deep
affinity for the family and juvenile divisions, in which she is
currently serving.
“She
always brings the children into the courtroom, even though they
are not physically there,” said Meyers, a divorce attorney
at Boardman Suhr Curry & Field, LLP. “They may not be
in the room, but they are certainly in her mind.”
Dating
back to her days as a juvenile defender in the early ’70s,
Krueger has been committed to keeping children in the forefront
of civil law. She was the primary drafter of the 1978 revision
to the Children’s Code and a founder of the Juvenile Rights
Section of the Wisconsin Civil Liberties Union.
More
recently, Krueger helped create the Family Court Assistance Center
in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin Law School.
The
program, which began in 2004, was designed to aid underrepresented
litigants of the Family Law system. Current law students spend
a couple of days a week at the courthouse helping with family
case resolution.
“It’s
been a tremendous success and we’ve worked with almost 700
people,” said co-creator Marsha Mansfield. “We’ve
had a lot of support from judges and faculty at the law school.
Part
of the Solution
Krueger's
affection for family law has been tested with the substantial
increase in pro se litigation and limited court capabilities to
provide assistance.
"One
of the most distressing things I've seen is the explosion in pro
se litigation and it creates such a strain on judges," said
Krueger.
Organization
and preparation by litigants are two areas that Krueger indicated
need attention.
"I
know she has been frustrated, as a judge, that the needs of litigants
aren't always met in regards to pro se work and her primary concern
is that the children will be the ones neglected," said Mansfield.
Krueger
expressed her sympathy for those who cannot afford to properly
represent themselves. She has had to restrain herself from offering
lawyerly advice from the bench.
She
has also encountered those who have abused the process and expect
a judge to do all the work for them.
"I
had a couple who represented themselves in a divorce proceeding
and each brought home about $12,000 a month," said Krueger.
"They asked me what I thought about something, and I said
pay me $500 an hour and I'll tell you."
Doing
It Her Way
While
Krueger has shown her people in her courtroom compassion, she
has also been uncompromising in her convictions, a combination
that has earned respect.
"She
is not known for being warm and fuzzy, but has always been known
to be fair," said Meyers. "She is really the epitome
of what a judge should be."
Krueger
admits that time has taken its toll and she wants to retire before
she "starts to sound too much like Judge Judy."
"I've
been lucky because I've not really had to compromise my principles,"
said Krueger. "Not many people have that luxury."
She
also announced her departure early so that her replacement will
have ample time to adjust, although an appointment by the governor
will only last until the winner of the April election takes the
bench.
Nowakowski
was hopeful that an appointment would be made in December so there
would be no vacancy and the new judge would enjoy a smooth transition.
Krueger's
successor is all but guaranteed an easier start that she had,
but whoever it is will have quite a reputation to live up to.
"I'd
like to think that win or lose, everyone was heard in my courtroom,"
said Krueger. "Ultimately, a judge is a public servant and
hopefully I've remembered that more than I forgot it over the
years."
