Maxine Aldridge White

Maxine Aldridge White (born 1951) is an American attorney and judge. She is the chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, and has served on the Court of Appeals in the Milwaukee-based District I court since 2020. She is the first African-American woman to serve on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

The Honorable
Maxine Aldridge White
Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
Assumed office
August 1, 2023
Appointed byWisconsin Supreme Court
Preceded byWilliam W. Brash III
Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District I
Assumed office
February 7, 2020
Appointed byTony Evers
Preceded byJoan F. Kessler
Chief Judge of the 1st District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts
In office
August 1, 2015 – February 7, 2020
Preceded byJeffrey Kremers
Succeeded byMary Triggiano
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 1
In office
August 1, 1994 – February 7, 2020
Appointed byTommy Thompson
Preceded byCharles B. Schudson
Succeeded byJack Dávila
Personal details
Born1951 (age 71–72)
Mississippi
Education
Salary$150,280[1]
WebsiteJudge Maxine Aldridge White

White previously served 18 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County, and was chief judge for the 1st Judicial Administrative District from 2015 until her appointment to the Court of Appeals in 2020. Earlier in her career, she was a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.[2]

Life and career

White was born in rural Mississippi and raised in a family of cotton sharecroppers. White received her bachelor's degree from Alcorn State University in 1973 and her master's degree from the University of Southern California in 1982.[3][4] White served in the Milwaukee office of the Social Security Administration before graduating from Marquette University Law School in 1985.[4] From 1985 to 1992, White served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.[3] White was the first African-American woman to serve as a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

In 1992, White was appointed to the Wisconsin Circuit Court in Milwaukee County by then-Governor Tommy Thompson, a Republican.[2] White served as a deputy chief judge of the court prior to 2015. In 2015, the Wisconsin Supreme Court appointed White as the court's chief judge. White is the first African-American chief judge in the court's history. As Chief Judge, White was responsible for securing a $4.5 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation for reducing jail misuse.[5]

In 2019, a minority of Milwaukee County Judges petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court to prevent her being re-appointed to another term as Chief Judge, but the Supreme Court reaffirmed her appointment.[6]

In 2020, White was appointed to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals by Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, succeeding the retiring Joan F. Kessler. Upon assuming office, White became the first African-American woman to serve on the Court of Appeals.[2]

In 2023, the incumbent chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, William W. Brash III, was defeated running for re-election. Subsequently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court appointed White to succeed him as chief judge of the Court of Appeals at the start of the new term, August 1, 2023.[7]

References
  1. "How the courts work". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  2. "Tony Evers appoints Maxine White to Wisconsin Court of Appeals". Wisconsin State Journal. January 19, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  3. "Judge Maxine Aldridge White". Courts of Wisconsin. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. Anderson, Lindsey (November 6, 2019). "Q&A With Milwaukee County Chief Judge Maxine White". Milwaukee Magazine. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  5. Bice, Daniel (January 16, 2020). "Gov. Evers names Milwaukee County Chief Judge Maxine White to the state appeals court". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  6. Bice, Daniel (December 19, 2019). "Milwaukee County judges Pedro Colón, Maxine White among finalists for appeals court seat". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  7. "Judge Maxine A. White appointed as chief judge of Court of Appeals". Wisconsin Court System (Press release). May 26, 2023. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
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