Shirley Abrahamson
Encyclopedia
Shirley S. Abrahamson is the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
. She was appointed to the court in 1976 by Governor of Wisconsin
Patrick Lucey. Upon her appointment she was the first woman to serve on Wisconsin
's high court. She served as the only woman on the court from 1976 until 1993 and has served as the Chief Justice
since August 1, 1996. She was elected to the Supreme Court
in 1979, 1989, 1999, and 2009.
She is associated with the liberal wing of the court. She was considered by the Clinton administration for appointment to the United States Supreme Court in 1993, which eventually went to Ruth Bader Ginsburg
.
s and participated in more than 3500 written decisions of the court. She has been involved in deciding more than 10,000 petitions for review, bypasses, certification
s and lawyer and judicial discipline cases.
She is a member of the Council of the American Law Institute
and serves on the board of directors of the Dwight D. Opperman Institute of Judicial Administration at New York University
School of Law. She has been President of the Conference of Chief Justices
and Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts
and has served on the board of visitors of several law schools. She has also served as a member of the United States National Academies
Committee on Science, Technology and Law. She was chair of the National Institute of Justice Committee on the Future of DNA Evidence.
In 1997 she was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
, and in 1998 she was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society
, two scholarly societies in the United States. She is also a member of the Wisconsin Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2004 she was awarded the first annual Dwight Opperman Award for Judicial Excellence by the American Judicature Society
. She has received the Margaret Brent Award from the American Bar Association
. She has been the recipient of numerous other awards and has been awarded fifteen honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country in recognition of her work as a Jurist
.
Abrahamson is featured in Great (Top 100) American Judges: An Encyclopedia (2003), The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2005), and The Lawdragon 500 Leading Judges in America (2006).
Chief Justice Abrahamson won re-election on April 7, 2009, defeating Jefferson County
Circuit Court Judge Randy Koschnick.
, where she attended Hunter College High School
. She earned an A.B. magna cum laude from New York University
in 1953, a J.D. with high distinction from Indiana University
Law School in 1956, and an S.J.D. in American legal history from the University of Wisconsin Law School
in 1962.
Prior to her appointment to the Supreme court
, she practiced law in Madison, Wisconsin
for 14 years, and was a professor of law at the University of Wisconsin Law School
. She has also been a lecturer at Marquette University Law School
.
Abrahamson and her husband, Seymour, have been married for 54 years. They have a son Daniel, a daughter-in-law, and a grandchild.
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:...
. She was appointed to the court in 1976 by Governor of Wisconsin
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
Patrick Lucey. Upon her appointment she was the first woman to serve on Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
's high court. She served as the only woman on the court from 1976 until 1993 and has served as the Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
since August 1, 1996. She was elected to the 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:...
in 1979, 1989, 1999, and 2009.
She is associated with the liberal wing of the court. She was considered by the Clinton administration for appointment to the United States Supreme Court in 1993, which eventually went to Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ginsburg was appointed by President Bill Clinton and took the oath of office on August 10, 1993. She is the second female justice and the first Jewish female justice.She is generally viewed as belonging to...
.
Career
Abrahamson has authored more than 450 Majority opinionMajority opinion
In law, a majority opinion is a judicial opinion agreed to by more than half of the members of a court. A majority opinion sets forth the decision of the court and an explanation of the rationale behind the court's decision....
s and participated in more than 3500 written decisions of the court. She has been involved in deciding more than 10,000 petitions for review, bypasses, certification
Certification
Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit...
s and lawyer and judicial discipline cases.
She is a member of the Council of the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
and serves on the board of directors of the Dwight D. Opperman Institute of Judicial Administration at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
School of Law. She has been President of the Conference of Chief Justices
Conference of Chief Justices
The Conference of Chief Justices was created in 1949 after the need for an organization composed of the states and territories top jurists was amply discussed at the American Bar Association and other juridical organizations. The first meeting, organized by the Council of State Governments and...
and Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Center for State Courts
National Center for State Courts
The National Center for State Courts is a non-profit organization charged with improving judicial administration in the United States and around the world...
and has served on the board of visitors of several law schools. She has also served as a member of the United States National Academies
United States National Academies
The United States National Academies comprises four organizations:* National Academy of Sciences * National Academy of Engineering * Institute of Medicine * National Research Council...
Committee on Science, Technology and Law. She was chair of the National Institute of Justice Committee on the Future of DNA Evidence.
In 1997 she was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
, and in 1998 she was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
, two scholarly societies in the United States. She is also a member of the Wisconsin Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2004 she was awarded the first annual Dwight Opperman Award for Judicial Excellence by the American Judicature Society
American Judicature Society
The American Judicature Society is an independent, nonpartisan, national organization of judges, lawyers, and interested members of the public whose mission is to improve the American justice system - to "secure and promote an independent and qualified judiciary and fair system of justice." ...
. She has received the Margaret Brent Award from the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
. She has been the recipient of numerous other awards and has been awarded fifteen honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country in recognition of her work as a Jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
.
Abrahamson is featured in Great (Top 100) American Judges: An Encyclopedia (2003), The Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2005), and The Lawdragon 500 Leading Judges in America (2006).
Chief Justice Abrahamson won re-election on April 7, 2009, defeating Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Wisconsin
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 74,021. Its county seat is Jefferson.-Geography:According to the U.S...
Circuit Court Judge Randy Koschnick.
Early Life and Education
Abrahamson was born and raised in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she attended Hunter College High School
Hunter College High School
Hunter College High School is a New York City secondary school for intellectually gifted students located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. It is administered by Hunter College, a senior college of the City University of New York. Although it is not operated by the New York City Department of...
. She earned an A.B. magna cum laude from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1953, a J.D. with high distinction from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
Law School in 1956, and an S.J.D. in American legal history from 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:...
in 1962.
Prior to her appointment to the Supreme court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
, she practiced law in 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....
for 14 years, and was a professor of law at 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:...
. She has also been a lecturer at Marquette University Law School
Marquette University Law School
Marquette University Law School is the professional school for the study of law at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and one of only two law schools in Wisconsin. With 45 full-time professors and approximately 760 J.D. students, the law school is ranked in the top tier among American...
.
Abrahamson and her husband, Seymour, have been married for 54 years. They have a son Daniel, a daughter-in-law, and a grandchild.