Molly Gena
Molly Gena is a judge of the Milwaukee Municipal Court in Wisconsin. She assumed office on May 1, 2023. Her current term ends on May 1, 2027.
Gena ran for election for judge of the Milwaukee Municipal Court in Wisconsin. She won in the general election on April 4, 2023.
Gena completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Molly Gena earned a bachelor's degree from Case Western Reserve University in 2002 and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2007.[1]
Elections
2023
See also: City elections in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2023)
General election
General election for Milwaukee Municipal Court
Molly Gena defeated Lena Taylor in the general election for Milwaukee Municipal Court on April 4, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Molly Gena (Nonpartisan)  | 51.1 | 50,626 |
 | Lena Taylor (Nonpartisan) | 48.4 | 47,904 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 473 | ||
| Total votes: 99,003 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Molly Gena and Lena Taylor advanced from the primary for Milwaukee Municipal Court.
Endorsements
Gena received the following endorsements.
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Molly Gena completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gena's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Molly has dedicated her career to public service and access to justice. While working for the ACLU after college, Molly decided that she could do more to impact social change with a law degree. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2007, Molly moved to Milwaukee and began working at LAW.
Molly has represented over 1,700 clients who could not afford an attorney. She has over 15 years of experience representing clients in Milwaukee Municipal Court, and for over a decade appeared in at least 1 of the 3 branches of the court every week. She has practiced in more than 45 different municipal courts and over 23 different circuit courts across the state.
Molly also serves on the advisory board of the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic, the Milwaukee chapter board of the ACLU and ACS, the board of Wisconsin Community Services, has volunteered with the nonpartisan Wisconsin Election Protection coalition, and has worked as a city of Milwaukee poll worker. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband, Attorney Raphael Ramos, and their two children.- I have been a civil legal aid attorney for over 15 years providing free legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney. During that time I have practiced extensively in Milwaukee Municipal Court and I have seen firsthand the barriers too many people face when seeking justice. I will work to make the court more transparent, accessible, and equitable. I have the experience and temperament needed to ensure justice while keeping our communities safe.
- I will not suspend someone's driver's license or jail them for not being able to pay a fine. These are ineffective at coercing payment and keep people from being able to get to work, making it even less likely for them to be able to pay their tickets. Instead I will use community service, affordable payment plans, and fine reductions. I have been a champion for racial justice and racial equity throughout my whole career. Punishing people who cannot pay their tickets with warrants and driver’s license suspensions has disproportionately affected people of color. As a judge, I would be intentional about addressing racial disparities.
- I will take reckless drivers who endanger lives off our streets as soon as possible, increase accessibility by restoring walk-in court for unscheduled appearances, review each case on an individual basis and consider factors like poverty and public safety, treat everyone with fairness, respect and dignity, hold predatory landlords accountable for the harm and suffering they cause, and increase the use of diversion programs and community resources.
Equal justice
Racial justice and racial equity
Right to counsel
Women's rights
LGBTQ rights
Public safety
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2023 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 7, 2023
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