Janet Protasiewicz

Janet Claire Protasiewicz (/ˌproʊtəˈseɪwɪts/; proh-tə-SAY-wits; born December 3, 1962) is an American attorney and jurist who is a justice-elect of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, having defeated Daniel Kelly in a 2023 election.[2] She has served as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County since 2014. She previously served as an assistant district attorney in Milwaukee for 26 years.

Janet Protasiewicz
Protasiewicz in 2023
Justice-elect of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
Assuming office
August 1, 2023
SucceedingPatience D. Roggensack
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 24
Assumed office
August 1, 2014
Preceded byCharles Kahn
Succeeded byTBD
Personal details
Born
Janet Claire Protasiewicz

(1962-12-03) December 3, 1962
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic[1]
Spouse(s)
Patrick Madden
​
​
(m. 1997; div. 1997)​

Greg Sell
​
(m. 2006)​
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (BA)
Marquette University (JD)
Signature

Early life and education

Protasiewicz was born and raised on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She graduated from Pius XI High School in 1981. She earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1985 and her Juris Doctor from the Marquette University Law School in 1988.[3]

Career

Shortly after graduation from law school, Protasiewicz joined the office of the Milwaukee County District Attorney. She remained with the office 26 years as an assistant district attorney.[4]

While working in the district attorney's office, she was a member of the employees' union. She participated in several of the protests against 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, the so-called "Budget Repair Bill," which stripped many collective bargaining rights from Wisconsin unions.[5]

In 2013, she made her first run for public office, running for a Milwaukee County circuit judge position against incumbent Rebecca Bradley. Bradley had just been appointed to the position by Republican Governor Scott Walker, but managed to prevail in the election.[6] Protasiewicz received 47% of the vote.[7]

The following year, however, another Milwaukee County judge, Charles Kahn, announced his retirement. Protasiewicz ran for the open seat and won without opposition.[8][9] She was re-elected without opposition in 2020.[10] As a circuit judge, Protasiewicz is assigned to family court, but has previously presided over felony, domestic violence, and drug court cases.[3]

Wisconsin Supreme Court
Main article: 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

In the spring of 2022, Protasiewicz announced her candidacy for Wisconsin Supreme Court in the 2023 election. Ultimately, three other candidates entered the race for the seat being vacated by the retirement of justice Patience Roggensack. Protasiewicz came in first in the February nonpartisan primary, securing a place in the April general election.[11] Her opponent in the general election was former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Daniel Kelly.[12] Although Wisconsin Supreme Court elections are nonpartisan, Kelly was endorsed by the Republican Party of Wisconsin and Protasiewicz was endorsed by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.[13][14][15]

Protasiewicz was candid during her campaign for Supreme Court about her philosophy and values on issues such as abortion, gerrymandering, LGBTQ rights, and environmental protections.[3] She supports abortion rights and opposes the state's Republican-drawn legislative maps.[16]

The 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election gained wide national attention and became the most expensive judicial election in American history. Protasiewicz won the April 4 general election, defeating Kelly by 11.02%, a much larger margin than expected. News organizations projected her victory within a few hours of polls closing.[2][17][18]

Personal life

Protasiewicz was raised by her mother and stepfather in a Catholic family.[3] She resides in the city of Franklin with her husband, tax attorney Greg Sell.[3]

Protasiewicz was previously married to Patrick Madden, a Wisconsin circuit judge.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Circuit Court (2013)
Wisconsin Circuit Courts, Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 45 Election, 2013[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
General Election, April 2, 2013
Nonpartisan Rebecca Bradley (incumbent) 55,177 53.00%
Nonpartisan Janet Protasiewicz 48,685 46.77%
Write-in 237 0.23%
Plurality 6,492 6.24%
Total votes 104,099 100.0%

Wisconsin Supreme Court (2023)
Wisconsin Supreme Court Election, 2023
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Primary Election, February 21, 2023[11]
Nonpartisan Janet Protasiewicz 446,403 46.42%
Nonpartisan Daniel Kelly 232,751 24.20% -25.84%
Nonpartisan Jennifer Dorow 210,100 21.85%
Nonpartisan Everett Mitchell 71,895 7.48%
Write-in 516 0.05% -0.13%
Total votes 961,665 100.0% +36.38%
General Election, April 4, 2023[19]
Nonpartisan Janet Protasiewicz 1,021,822 55.43%
Nonpartisan Daniel Kelly 818,391 44.39% -0.33%
Write-in 3,267 0.18% +0.11%
Plurality 202,652 11.04% +0.48%
Total votes 1,843,480 100.0% +18.93%

References
  1. Vielmetti, Bruce; Schultze, Steven (February 19, 2013). "Rebecca Bradley, Janet Protasiewicz advance out of Branch 45 circuit court primary". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  2. Epstein, Reid J. (April 4, 2023). "Liberal wins Wisconsin court race, in victory for abortion rights backers". The New York Times. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  3. Hess, Corrinne; Bice, Daniel (March 17, 2023). "What Janet Protasiewicz says about her abortion views, growing up in a Catholic family and why she discusses her values". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  4. "Janet Protasiewicz on the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court race". PBS Wisconsin. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  5. Johnson, Shawn (2023-03-30). "Janet Protasiewicz has campaigned on Democratic issues. If she wins, the Wisconsin Supreme Court could weigh in on them". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  6. Vielmetti, Bruce (April 2, 2013). "Scott Walker appointee Rebecca Bradley re-elected judge in Milwaukee County". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  7. Canvass Results for 2013 Spring Election - 4/2/2013 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. May 8, 2013. p. 5. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Wisconsin Elections Commission.
  8. "Five contested judicial races in Tuesday's election". Wisconsin Law Journal. March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  9. Canvass Results for 2014 Spring Election - 4/1/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. April 15, 2014. p. 5. Retrieved March 25, 2023 – via Wisconsin Elections Commission.
  10. Canvass Results for 2020 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote - 4/7/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. May 4, 2020. p. 7. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  11. Canvass Results for 2023 Spring Primary - 2/21/2023 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. March 6, 2023. pp. 1–2. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  12. Kuhagen, Christopher (February 21, 2023). "What to know about Janet Protasiewicz, liberal candidate facing Daniel Kelly in the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  13. Epstein, Reid J. (2023-04-04). "Wisconsin's High-Stakes Supreme Court Race: What to Watch". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  14. Johnson, Shawn (2023-03-30). "Dan Kelly says his politics don't matter in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race. Supporters say Republican priorities hang in the balance". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  15. Shur, Alexander (February 21, 2023). "Janet Protasiewicz to face Dan Kelly in Wisconsin Supreme Court general election". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  16. Johnson, Shawn (2023-03-30). "Janet Protasiewicz has campaigned on Democratic issues. If she wins, the Wisconsin Supreme Court could weigh in on them". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  17. Bauer, Scott (April 4, 2023). "Liberal wins Wisconsin court seat ahead of abortion ruling". Associated Press. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  18. Edelman, Adam (April 4, 2023). "Liberals gain control of the Wisconsin state Supreme Court for the first time in 15 years". NBC News. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  19. 2023 Spring Election - Supreme Court - County by County Report (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
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