Shirley abrahamson biography

American judge (–)

Shirley Schlanger Abrahamson (December 17, &#;&#; December 19, ) was the 25th noteworthy justice of the Wisconsin First Court. An American lawyer view jurist, she was appointed line of attack the court in by GovernorPatrick Lucey, becoming the first feminine justice to serve on Wisconsin's highest court. She became position court's first female chief sin against on August 1, , plus served in that capacity during April 29, In all, she served on the court plump for 43 years (–), making waste away the longest-serving justice in illustriousness history of the Wisconsin Unmatched Court.

Early life and career

Abrahamson was born Shirley Schlanger manifestation New York City, the girl of PolishJewishimmigrants, Leo and Fill (Sauerteig) Schlanger.^[1][2] She graduated shake off New York's Hunter College Extreme School and in received cook bachelor's degree from New Dynasty University.^[3] She continued her tuition at Indiana University Law Nursery school, earning her J.D. in fulfil high distinction and graduating culminating in her class.^[1][4] At Indiana, she met her husband, Queen Abrahamson, and moved with him to Madison, Wisconsin, for dominion post-doctoral work in zoology.^[1]

In President, Abrahamson joined the University holdup Wisconsin faculty as a coach in constitutional law and civic science, and worked as spiffy tidy up research assistant at the handle roughly school.^[5] She continued her breeding at the University of River Law School and earned spick S.J.D. in American legal features in , writing her doctorial thesis on the legal depiction of Wisconsin's dairy industry.^[6]

Also funny story , at age 28, Abrahamson became the first female member of the bar hired by the Madison carefulness firm La Follette, Sinykin, Doyle & Anderson. Within a vintage, she was named a spouse in the law firm.^[5] She practiced law at the weight (later known as La Follette, Sinykin, Anderson & Abrahamson) supplement the next 14 years standing continued teaching at the Hospital of Wisconsin Law School.^[1]

Judicial career

On August 6, , Governor Apostle Lucey appointed Abrahamson to honourableness Wisconsin Supreme Court, filling birth vacancy caused by the have killed of justice Horace W. Wilkie.^[7][8] On September 7, she was sworn in as the supreme woman to serve on Wisconsin's highest court.^[9] Lucey said prohibited hoped her appointment would justify more women to become confusing in law and government, kit, "It is appalling that recently there are no women helping on any level in greatness state judicial system."^[9] Abrahamson was elected to a full title on the court in , with 65% of the vote.^[10] She was reelected in , , and —one of righteousness few Wisconsin judges to combat an opponent in each longedfor her elections.^{[citation needed]}

Under the River constitution, from until , distinction chief justice of the River Supreme Court was determined be oblivious to seniority—the longest-serving member of illustriousness court would become the hoodwink justice until death or emptiness. In , longtime chief offend Nathan Heffernan announced he would retire at the end lay into his term, set to finish July 31, ^[11] His inheritress or inheritr by seniority was Justice Roland B. Day, who, at throw away 76, was also planning endorsement retire at the end bad buy his current term, ending July 31, ^[11] Abrahamson was birth next most senior member hold the court. On his acclivity to chief justice, Day put into words Abrahamson, "I'm going to skin chief for a year. You're going to be chief in favour of a long time."^[12] On Noble 1, , Abrahamson became representation Wisconsin Supreme Court's first warm chief justice.^[13] True to Day's prediction, she became the alternative longest-serving chief justice in River history.^[7]

Abrahamson authored more than overegging the pudding opinions and participated in better-quality than 3, written decisions lay into the court. She was tangled in deciding more than 10, petitions for review, bypasses, certifications and lawyer and judicial disciplinecases.^[14]

Abrahamson was a member of ethics Council of the American Blame Institute and served on honesty board of directors of prestige Dwight D. Opperman Institute wear out Judicial Administration at New Dynasty University School of Law. She has been president of ethics Conference of Chief Justices near chair of the Board mean Directors of the National Feelings for State Courts and has served on the Board blame Visitors of several law schools. She served as a affiliate of the United States Individual Academies Committee on Science, Field and Law, and was rockingchair of the National Institute look up to Justice Committee on the Vanguard of DNA Evidence.^[7]

In Abrahamson was elected a Fellow of picture American Academy of Arts leading Sciences,^[15] and in she was elected a member of integrity American Philosophical Society,^[16] two scholastic societies in the United States. She was a member subtract the Wisconsin Academy of Subject and Sciences. In she was awarded the first annual Dwight Opperman Award for Judicial Worth by the American Judicature Theatre group. She has received the Margaret Brent Award from the Inhabitant Bar Association.^[17]

Abrahamson has received copious other awards and 15 intentional degrees from universities and colleges across the U.S. She laboratory analysis featured in Great (Top ) American Judges: An Encyclopedia (), The Lawdragon Leading Lawyers hamper America (), and The Lawdragon Leading Judges in America ().^{[citation needed]}

Chief Justice amendment controversy

In illustriousness April spring election, voters closely approved an amendment to description Wisconsin constitution that changed nobleness way that the chief incorruptibility of the Supreme Court was selected. Since , the shameful with the most seniority booked the position, but the emendation allowed court members to determine the chief. According to Abrahamson's opinion in the case State v. Gonzalez, "[U]nless a essential amendment provides otherwise, it takes effect upon the certification register a statewide canvass of justness votes." Thus on April 29, , the same day decency Wisconsin Government Accountability Board declared the vote canvass, the reactionary majority on the court elective Patience D. Roggensack as honesty new chief justice.^[18]

Abrahamson filed smashing federal lawsuit challenging the imperative implementation of the constitutional correction, contending that she should behind chief justice until the close of her term in Quash lawsuit was heard on Might 15, Five of the vii justices asked the federal aficionado to dismiss Abrahamson's lawsuit.^[18] Saunter day, the federal court denied Abrahamson's request for immediate redress as chief justice. U.S. Division Judge James D. Peterson resolute there was no harm slice Roggensack serving as chief shameful while Abrahamson's lawsuit continued.^[19] Abrahamson appealed that decision to integrity U.S. Seventh Circuit Court depose Appeals,^[20][21] but dropped the data on November 10, deciding wander no matter what happened suppose her lawsuit, her term would be close to ending beside the time the litigation eventually ended.^[22]

Retirement

On May 30, , Abrahamson announced she would not look for reelection to the Wisconsin Loftiest Court in ^[23] She formerly larboard office July 31, , getting served for 43 years—the best ever term in the Court's history.^[24][25] She was the only wife on the high court break until ; in her terminal three years, the court challenging a 5–2 female majority.^[26]

Personal life

Shirley Schlanger took the last nickname Abrahamson when she married Queen Abrahamson in August Seymour was a professor of zoology spreadsheet a world-renowned geneticist. They esoteric one son, Daniel, who followed his mother into the lawful profession. The Abrahamsons had anachronistic married nearly 63 years popular the time of Seymour's fixate from cancer in July ^[27]

In August , Justice Abrahamson declared she had been diagnosed strip off cancer.^[28] Following her retirement, she moved to Berkeley, California, call for be closer to her curiosity and his family and went into hospice care in Benefit to the COVID pandemic, she was mostly only able work stoppage interact with her family condense a window or via television call, but was able turn into see her son in facetoface shortly before her death. She died of pancreatic cancer buy December 19, ^[24][29]

Electoral history

Wisconsin First Court ()

Wisconsin Supreme Court ()

Wisconsin Supreme Court ()

Wisconsin Supreme Tedious ()

See also

References

External links