Paul B. Higginbotham
Encyclopedia
Paul B. Higginbotham is a Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
. He is the first African American
to serve in that position.
. His father was a civil rights activist and marched with Martin Luther King, Jr.
during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin Law School
and is a resident of Fitchburg, Wisconsin
. Though the public office he holds is officially non-partisan, he is a Democrat
.
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. He was later a member of the faculty of the University of Wisconsin Law School. From 1992 to 1993, he served as City of Madison, Wisconsin
Municipal Judge. He was the a Wisconsin Circuit Court
Judge from 1994 until joining the Court of Appeals in 2003. That year he was also an unsuccessful candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court
, with the election eventually going to Patience D. Roggensack
.
Wisconsin Court of Appeals
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals is the intermediate appellate court in the state of Wisconsin, above the Wisconsin Circuit Courts but below the Wisconsin Supreme Court...
. He is the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to serve in that position.
Biography
Higginbotham was born on October 14, 1954 in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. His father was a civil rights activist and marched with Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was the largest political rally for human rights in United States history and called for civil and economic rights for African Americans. It took place in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, August 28, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr...
. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin Law School
University of Wisconsin Law School
The University of Wisconsin Law School is the professional school for the study of law at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in Madison, Wisconsin. The law school was founded in 1868.-Facilities:...
and is a resident of Fitchburg, Wisconsin
Fitchburg, Wisconsin
Fitchburg is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 25,260 at the 2010 census. Fitchburg is a suburb of Madison and is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. Though the public office he holds is officially non-partisan, he is a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Career
From 1985 to 1986, Higginbotham was an attorney with the Legal Aid SocietyLegal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society in New York City is the United States' oldest and largest provider of legal services to the indigent. It operates both traditional civil and criminal law cases.-History:...
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. He was later a member of the faculty of the University of Wisconsin Law School. From 1992 to 1993, he served as City of Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
Municipal Judge. He was the a Wisconsin Circuit Court
Wisconsin Circuit Court
Circuit Courts are the primary trial courts in Wisconsin, United States. They hear and decide cases involving a wide variety of topics, including contracts, personal injury, family law, children in need of protection and/or services, juvenile delinquency, probate, traffic, small claims,...
Judge from 1994 until joining the Court of Appeals in 2003. That year he was also an unsuccessful candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court
Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in the state of Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin.-Location:...
, with the election eventually going to Patience D. Roggensack
Patience D. Roggensack
Patience Drake Roggensack is a justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She was elected to the Supreme Court in 2003. Her current term expires July 31, 2013.Justice Roggensack was born in Joliet, Illinois...
.