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Wisconsin

Karofsky Urges Eight New Wisconsin Judges

Wisconsin's chief justice asks the Legislature to fund eight additional judicial positions statewide amid rising workloads and security threats.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Criminal Justice

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Wisconsin Chief Justice Jill Karofsky asked the Legislature on Tuesday to fund eight new judgeships statewide, citing rising workloads and $3 million in courthouse security upgrades. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should the state add more judges and courthouse security funding?

Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Jill Karofsky urged the Legislature to add eight new judges statewide during her annual State of the Judiciary address at a conference in Lake Geneva. The court's 2027-29 budget request also seeks $3 million for courthouse security improvements.

Why it matters

A recent judicial workload study found about 30 judges and court commissioners are needed statewide, as cases demand more judicial time than filing counts reflect. The request also comes as 129 documented security threats were recorded in 2025.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court's 2027-29 budget request asks for eight judicial positions and $3 million for courthouse security grants and staffing. The Legislature will review the request in spring, and whether any positions or funds are approved remains undetermined.

The players

Jill Karofsky

Jill Karofsky is the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the state's highest court, and has used her annual address to press for judicial resources.

The details

Karofsky made the request in her annual State of the Judiciary address. She also called for pay raises for judges, district attorneys, defense attorneys and court staff, and said cases now take more judicial time than they once did because filing counts do not capture hours spent on hearings and decisions.

Timeline

  1. 2025: 129 documented courthouse security threats recorded.

  2. Spring 2027: Legislature reviews the judicial budget request.

  3. July 1, 2027: Next state budget cycle begins.

Legal Context

The request follows a pattern in which Wisconsin's highest court uses its annual State of the Judiciary address to lay out resource needs before the budget cycle. It frames rising caseloads and courthouse security as statewide concerns requiring legislative action.

If approved, the added judgeships and security grants would affect how quickly cases move through county courts and the safety of people working in courthouses. Residents in counties with judicial deficits, such as Brown County, would see the most direct effect on case handling.

The takeaway

Court capacity and courthouse safety are budget decisions that shape how quickly and securely Wisconsinians get their cases heard. Following the spring legislative review will show whether the requested resources are funded.

What happens next

The Legislature will review the Wisconsin Supreme Court's judicial budget request in spring 2027, ahead of the state budget cycle that begins July 1, 2027.

Further reading

For more on how these court resources affect the system, see Criminal Justice coverage.

Live Poll

Should the state add more judges and courthouse security funding?