Evers Appoints Lonergan to Wisconsin Appeals Court

Outagamie County Judge Emily Lonergan will fill a District III seat on the Court of Appeals, leaving a vacancy on the county bench.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in People

Isometric editorial illustration of a long oak bench and one high-backed chair in an empty courtroom, suggesting a judicial seat changing hands. — Gov. Tony Evers appointed Outagamie County Judge Emily Lonergan to Wisconsin's Court of Appeals District III on Monday, succeeding retiring Presiding Judge Lisa K. Stark. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Gov. Tony Evers has appointed Outagamie County Judge Emily Lonergan to the Court of Appeals - District III, succeeding retiring Presiding Judge Lisa K. Stark. Her appointment creates a vacancy on the Outagamie County bench, which Evers' office is filling through an application process.

Why it matters

The appointment fills a seat vacated by Stark's retirement after thirteen years on the appeals court and shifts a judicial position within the state's court system. It also opens a county judgeship, changing the bench in Outagamie County where Lonergan has served since 2019.

Lonergan's appeals court term runs through July 31, 2029, while the new Outagamie County judge will serve until July 31, 2028. Stark, the retiring presiding judge, spent thirteen years on the Court of Appeals before stepping down.

The players

Tony Evers

Tony Evers is the Governor of Wisconsin, who makes judicial appointments to state courts.

Emily Lonergan

Emily Lonergan is a Wisconsin judge who previously practiced criminal defense and personal injury law in Appleton and Milwaukee.

Lisa K. Stark

Lisa K. Stark is the presiding judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals - District III who is retiring after thirteen years on the court.

The details

Evers announced the appointment in a news release on Monday. Lonergan previously worked as a criminal defense and personal injury attorney with firms in Appleton and Milwaukee before joining the Outagamie County bench in 2019.

2019: Lonergan begins serving on the Outagamie County bench.
Nov. 2, 2026: Evers announces Lonergan's appeals court appointment.
July 31, 2028: Term ends for the new Outagamie County judge.
July 31, 2029: Lonergan's appeals court term ends.

People

The appointment is an example of Wisconsin's gubernatorial appointment process for the Court of Appeals, which fills a vacancy created by a retirement and triggers a successive county-level opening.

Residents of Outagamie County will see a new judge on the county bench once the vacancy is filled, affecting local court proceedings. Wisconsin appellate decisions will now come from a panel including Lonergan through her term ending July 31, 2029.

The takeaway

Gubernatorial appointments can create chained vacancies, so a single appellate seat can reshape a county bench as well. Readers tracking Wisconsin courts can follow the Outagamie County application process for the next step.

What happens next

The Outagamie County vacancy created by Lonergan's appointment will be filled through an application process on Evers' website, with the new judge's term ending July 31, 2028.