Richard John Sankovitz

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Richard John Sankovitz

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Prior offices
Milwaukee County Circuit Court

Education

Bachelor's

Marquette University, 1980

Law

Harvard Law School, 1983


Richard John Sankovitz was a judge for Branch 29 of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in Wisconsin.[1] He was appointed in 1996 and was re-elected in 1997, 2003, 2009 and 2015. He retired in December 2018.[2]

Sankovitz served in the felony and civil divisions. He also presided over each of the court's specialty calendars: domestic violence, drugs, guns and homicide/sexual assault.[3]

Education

Sankovitz received a B.A. from Marquette University in 1980 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1983.

Career

  • 1996-2018: Judge, Milwaukee County Circuit Court
  • 1986-1996: Shareholder, Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C., Milwaukee
  • 1984-1986: Associate, Jenner & Block, Chicago
  • 1983-1984: Law clerk, Hon. Terence Evans, U.S. District Court (E.D. Wis.)

Bid for the federal judiciary

In 2009 Sankovitz applied to fill a vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, along with 10 others. The applications were reviewed by the Wisconsin Federal Judicial Nominating Commission, which made recommendations to U.S. Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold. The Senators then recommended candidates for nomination to President Obama.[4]

Sankovitz was recommended by the commission, along with federal district judge Lynn Adelman, attorneys Dean Strang and Linda Clifford, and UW law professors Anuj Desai and Victoria Nourse.[5]

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2008: Leaders in the Law, Wisconsin Law Journal
  • 2006: Common Good Gatekeeper Award
  • 2003: Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Leadership, MYLA/LAW Volunteer Lawyers Project
  • 2000: Outstanding Pro Bono Services Award, Association for Women Lawyers
  • 1992: Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Services, MYLA/LAW Volunteer Lawyers Project[6]

Associations

  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Chair, State Bar of Wisconsin Access to Justice Study Committee
  • Chair, Criminal Benchbook Committee
  • Chair, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Local Rules Revision Project
  • Former chair, Wisconsin Supreme Court Planning & Policy Advisory Committee, Planning Subcommittee
  • Former faculty member, Wisconsin Judicial College
  • Presiding judge, Felony Division (2008-present)
  • Presiding judge, Misdemeanor Division (1998-2000)
  • Contributing author, Contract Law in Wisconsin (State Bar of Wisconsin CLE Books)[7]

Elections

2015

     See also: Wisconsin judicial elections, 2015
Sankovitz was re-elected without opposition to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, Branch 29 in 2015. Wisconsin's general judicial election was held on April 7, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates was January 6, 2015.[8][9]

See also

External links

Footnotes