William Johnston (Wisconsin)
William D. Johnston was a circuit court judge for the Lafayette County Circuit Court in Wisconsin.[1] He was first elected to the position in 1985, and he was re-elected in 1991, 1997, 2003 and 2009.[2] Johnston did not seek re-election in 2015, instead choosing to retire at the end of his term on July 31, 2015.[3]
After his April 1985 election victory over incumbent Judge Daniel P. McDonald, Johnston returned to his law office to witness McDonald stabbing attorney James C. Klein to death with a hunting knife. Johnston testified at the trial where McDonald eventually plead insanity and was convicted of first-degree murder. Six months later, McDonald committed suicide in prison.[4]
Education
Johnston graduated from West Lima High School in 1960, and earned his B.S. in education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1964. He earned his J.D. from the same school in 1969.[2][4]
Career
- 1985-2015: Judge, Lafayette County Circuit Court
- 1969-1985: Attorney in private practice
- 1964-1966: Teacher, Sheboygan North Senior High School[2]
See also
External links
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "$64 billion insurance mess lands in lap of Lafayette County judge," April 17, 2010
- Wisconsin Court System, "Circuit Courts," accessed May 26, 2014
- Lafayette County Circuit Court
Footnotes
- ↑ Wisconsin Court System, "Circuit Courts: Judges," accessed January 1, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wisconsin Election Watch, "William D. Johnston," accessed January 1, 2014
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Candidates Registered 2015 Spring Election," January 7, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "$64 billion insurance mess lands in lap of Lafayette County judge," April 17, 2010, accessed January 1, 2014
Federal courts:
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Wisconsin, Western District of Wisconsin
State courts:
Wisconsin Supreme Court • Wisconsin Court of Appeals • Wisconsin Circuit Courts • Wisconsin Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Wisconsin • Wisconsin judicial elections • Judicial selection in Wisconsin
