Earl W. Schmidt

Earl William Schmidt (born March 11, 1936) is an American lawyer, farmer, politician, and judge. He served nearly 20 years (1982–2002) as a Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge in the Shawano–Menominee circuit, and was Chief Judge of the 9th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts from 1992 through 1998. Earlier in his career, he was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, serving four terms as a Republican.

The Honorable
Earl W. Schmidt
Chief Judge of the 9th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts
In office
August 1, 1992 – July 31, 1998
Preceded byGary L. Carlson
Succeeded byJames Mohr
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Shawano–Menominee Circuit, Branch 1
In office
December 24, 1982 – July 31, 2002
Appointed byLee S. Dreyfus
Preceded byMichael G. Eberlein
Succeeded byJames R. Habeck
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 87th district
In office
January 6, 1975 – December 24, 1982
Preceded byHerbert J. Grover
Succeeded byTommy Thompson
District Attorney of Shawano and Menominee Counties
In office
January 1, 1973 – January 6, 1975
Preceded byDaniel Aschenbrener
Succeeded byRichard J. Stadelman
Personal details
Born (1936-03-11) March 11, 1936
Birnamwood, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJudy Eckhardt
Children4
Alma mater

Biography

Born in Birnamwood, Shawano County, Wisconsin, Schmidt graduated from Birnamwood High School. He then attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he received his bachelor's degree in political science in 1962, and continued his education, receiving his master's degree in agricultural economics and public administration in 1964. After receiving his master's degree, he spent five years abroad in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil on program to assist developing nations in building infrastructure.[1] He would later return again to further his education at the University of Wisconsin Law School, receiving his J.D. degree in 1972. He worked his land for 25 years as a farmer and practiced law in Shawano County.[2]

In early public offices, Schmidt served as chairman of the Richmond Town Board. His first job after law school was as an assistant district attorney in Shawano and Menominee counties, and he was elected district attorney for Shawano and Menominee Counties for 1973 and 1974.[2]

Schmidt was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican in 1974, winning the general election by a wide margin after topping a closely contested Republican primary. He was re-elected in 1976, 1978, and 1980.[2] He was defeated seeking re-election in 1982 after a 1981 redistricting plan put him in the same district as Democratic incumbent representative Lloyd H. Kincaid.[3][4] Immediately after his defeat, however, he expressed his interest in running for the Wisconsin Circuit Court seat being vacated by the retirement of Judge Michael G. Eberlein.[5] Three weeks later, outgoing Governor Lee S. Dreyfus appointed Schmidt to the judgeship, and he won an election for a full term in April 1984.[6][7]

In 1992, the Wisconsin Supreme Court appointed Judge Schmidt to serve as Chief Judge for the 9th Judicial Administrative District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts.[8] He was re-appointed in 1994 and 1996, serving the maximum of three two-year terms as Chief Judge.

Judge Schmidt was re-elected without opposition in 1990 and 1996 and retired at the end of his third full term in 2002.[1] After retirement, however, Schmidt continued to serve as a reserve judge and filled in for several cases in Marathon and Langlade counties.[9]

Personal life and family

Judge Schmidt married Judy Eckhardt of Langlade County in 1975. They had three daughters and one son together.[1]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1974, 1976, 1978, 1980)
Wisconsin Assembly, 87th District Election, 1974[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Primary, September 10, 1974
Republican Earl W. Schmidt 1,683 45.36%
Republican Roger L. Utnehmer 1,329 35.82%
Republican Duane J. Rades 698 18.81%
Plurality 354 9.54%
Total votes 3,710 100.0%
General Election, November 5, 1974
Republican Earl W. Schmidt 7,560 56.55%
Democratic Joseph E. Jones 5,522 41.31% -44.25%
American Theresa C. Jacobs 286 2.14% -12.30%
Plurality 2,038 15.25% -55.87%
Total votes 13,368 100.0%
Republican gain from Democratic
Wisconsin Assembly, 87th District Election, 1976[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1976
Republican Earl W. Schmidt (incumbent) 13,295 69.44% +12.88%
Democratic Robert F. Christopherson 5,852 30.56% -10.74%
Plurality 7,443 38.87% +23.63%
Total votes 19,147 100.0% +43.23%
Republican hold
Wisconsin Assembly, 87th District Election, 1978[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 7, 1978
Republican Earl W. Schmidt (incumbent) 11,582 74.19% +4.75%
Democratic Michael J. Ascher 4,029 25.81%
Plurality 7,553 48.38% +9.51%
Total votes 15,611 100.0% -18.47%
Republican hold
Wisconsin Assembly, 87th District Election, 1980[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 4, 1980
Republican Earl W. Schmidt (incumbent) 15,931 78.04%
Democratic Francis E. Jones 4,483 21.96%
Plurality 11,448 56.08%
Total votes 20,414 100.0%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Assembly (1982)
Wisconsin Assembly, 48th District Election, 1982[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1982
Democratic Lloyd H. Kincaid 8,222 50.24% -16.98%
Republican Earl W. Schmidt 8,144 49.76%
Plurality 78 0.48% -33.97%
Total votes 16,366 100.0% -22.16%
Democratic hold

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1984, 1990, 1996)
Wisconsin Circuit Court, Menominee–Shawano Circuit, Branch 1 Election, 1984[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, April 3, 1984
Nonpartisan Earl W. Schmidt (incumbent) 7,305 72.41%
Nonpartisan Galen Winter 2,783 27.59%
Plurality 4,522 44.83%
Total votes 10,088 100.0% +58.69%

References
  1. "Retirements: Judge Earl W. Schmidt - Menominee/Shawano County Circuit Court" (PDF). The Third Branch. Vol. 10, no. 1. Wisconsin Court System. Winter 2002. pp. 3, 5. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  2. Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1981). "Biographies: Members of the State Legislature". The state of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 79. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  3. "Schmidt, Kincaid face test in 48th District". Wausau Daily Herald. October 27, 1982. p. 46. Retrieved August 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1983). "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 890, 911. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  5. "Schmidt seeking judicial post". Wausau Daily Herald. Birnamwood, Wisconsin. December 2, 1982. p. 7. Retrieved August 27, 2020 – via Newspaper.com.
  6. "Schmidt named Shawano judge". Wisconsin State Journal. December 26, 1982. p. 6. Retrieved August 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1985). "Elections: Nonpartisan Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1985-1986 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 881. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  8. "Chief judge". Wausau Daily Herald. August 6, 1992. p. 3. Retrieved August 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "People" (PDF). The Third Branch. Vol. 13, no. 2. Wisconsin Court System. Spring 2005. p. 18. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  10. Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1975). "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1975 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 810, 831. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  11. Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1977). "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1977 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 894, 916. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  12. Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1979). "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 908, 926. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  13. Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1981). "Elections". The state of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 896, 917. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
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