Word on the street

Wisconsin Law Journal talked to a number of attorneys in the know about Waukesha County’s Circuit Court bench, looking for helpful information that they would give to someone who’s new in their county. Our panel included civil litigators, criminal defense and family law practitioners, and combined, they have over a century of experience.
We’ve given them this forum because, aside from the ballot box, the opportunities to give judges feedback are rare. The comments below are representative of the entire panel’s opinions; if one person had a bad day with a judge, we chalked it up as one bad day, and left it be. Please note that these are the opinions of the panelists only, and are not to be construed as those of the Waukesha County Bar Association or Wisconsin Law Journal.

Michael O. Bohren

“He believes in formality.”

“He came to the bench after many years in private practice, and he came to the bench well-liked. He’s very community-minded. He’s kind of a plodder, and he’s of course renowned for his bowties. He’s a nice guy, well rounded and well respected.”

Mark S. Gempeler

“When he is able to devote himself to his work he is an excellent judge.

Unfortunately, both he and his wife had have some health problems, and that can make scheduling before him difficult.”

Ralph M. Ramirez

“He’s a bit of an unknown commodity. I know some people have been a little surprised by some of his sentences, because he comes from a purebred law enforcement background and the assumption is he’d be a strict law-and-order type. But that’s not necessarily been the case.

Truth is, I think he strives to be pretty apolitical, although my guess he’s probably more liberal on social issues. He’s bright and a very hard worker. He’s got no ego; becoming a judge hasn’t gone to his head. He represents the Hispanic community well. And, he’s got a good sense of humor.”

“Five-star.”

Paul F. Reilly

“He reads whatever he’s been given before a court appearance and comes prepared with questions.”

“I have a lot of respect for him. He’s not afraid to make a decision, and he is very thoughtful.”

“He’s extremely bright, personable and a hard worker, and he treated everybody who comes before him with respect. He’s definitely a rising star.”

Lee S. Dreyfus Jr.

“He reads whatever he’s been given before a court appearance and comes prepared with questions.”

“He is not overly prompt in making decisions but when he does he usually gets it right.”

“He’s been around forever, and is known as being one of the nicest judges you’ll ever meet. If you’re in a hurry, his courtroom is not the place you want to be, however. He’s very consistent. If you do your homework and get him the law ahead of time, you’ll definitely have a leg up.”

Patrick C. Haughney

“He likes things brief and to-the-point.”

“He has a tendency to shoot from the hip.”

“He can be a little unpredictable and impatient. He loves the job though.”

“Watch out for that Irish temper.”

J. Mac Davis, Chief Judge

“A nice guy — a little plaintiff-oriented when he was in the Civil Division.”

“He’s very political. He’s very sharp and witty. He sees the big picture.

Because he’s so bright, he sometimes overanalyzes things or gets bored, and then he gets restless. You need to constantly challenge him.”

“He really, really likes to try cases, as opposed to the judges that will do anything to avoid trying a case. But it isn’t always a good thing from my perspective as a divorce lawyer. Sometimes you just need a little more time to talk on the date of the trial, and the case can be settled.”

James R. Kieffer

“He is very detail-oriented.”

“He is very thoughtful. He puts effort into it, and is fair to everybody.

He gets things done.”

“He’s a hard worker. You’ll always feel like you got a fair shake before him, even if he rules against you. He’s not pretentious, and he’ll do his own homework. He’s just a pleasure to be in front of.”

“He can do arithmetic in property division [divorce] cases, and I appreciate that…. He’s very intense, seems a little unhappy lately.”

Donald J. Hassin

“He likes things brief and to-the-point.”

“Nice but tightly wound. He’s a military guy and it shows. But once you get to know him, you realize that his bark is worse than his bite.”

“I enjoy the military talk: ‘Trial set for 31 August at thirteen-hundred hours.’ He runs his courtroom firmly but fairly. He does have a sense of humor. And he understands the practicing bar — he’s married to a lawyer.”

Linda M. Van De Water

“There were questions about her work ethic when she took the bench.

She wisely laid low in Juvenile Court for a while. Now that she’s a little more acclimated, she has moved to Criminal Court, and most people have been pleasantly surprised. She’s consistent and on time, and likeable.”

“I’ve heard good things about her.”

Robert G. Mawdsley

“He’s very pleasant and even-tempered. He’s a little unpredictable. He’s not fond of criminal court. I don’t think he likes controversy much.”

“Five stars.”

Kathryn W. Foster

“She reads whatever she’s been given before a court appearance and comes prepared with questions.”

“She’s definitely the most liberal judge in the county. She’s really come into her own lately. She’s well liked and bright — she’ll slice you to ribbons if you try to pull a fast one on her though. She’s not always on time and some have questioned her work ethic, but never her heart or her dedication.”