PROFILE OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH                 
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from all courts of record. There are no appeals to the Supreme Court as a
matter of right. The
Supreme Court determines at its discretion which matters it will hear. The
Court of Appeals sits
in panels of 3 judges to dispose of cases, except in small claims, municipal
ordinance violation,
traffic regulation violation, mental health, juvenile and misdemeanor cases,
which are heard by a
single judge unless a request for a 3-judge panel is granted.
  Under the reorganization, the circuit court became the "single level"
trial court. County
courts were abolished and the county judges were denominated as circuit judges
and given all the
powers, duties and benefits of circuit judges. At the conclusion of each
county judge's term, the
office of that branch of county court was abolished and a branch of the circuit
court was estab-
lished. Circuit court boundaries were revised so that each county became
a circuit with the excep-
tion of the following 3 combined county districts: Buffalo-Pepin, Shawano-Menominee,
and
Forest-Florence. Circuit judges in office as of August 1, 1978, served in
the circuit courts for the
counties in which they resided. The act created 13 additional judgeships
and abolished 4 existing
judgeships, providing the state with 190 trial judges rather than the 181
it had previously. Addi-
tional judgeships added since have brought the total to 198, but the number
will be reduced to
197 when Clark County's 2 branches are reduced to one.
   There are 10 judicial administration districts (previously 14), with the
chief judge of each dis-
 trict being appointed by the Supreme Court.
   About 205 municipal courts have been created by cities, villages and towns.
Their jurisdiction
 is limited.

   The Selection and Qualification of Judges. Justices of the Supreme Court
and judges of the
 Court of Appeals and the circuit courts are elected on a nonpartisan basis
in April. When 3 or
 more candidates file nomination papers for an office of judge, a primary
election is held prior to
 the April election. All these judges must be licensed attorneys who are
less than 70 years old. In
 addition, the Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals and circuit court
judges must have at
 least 5 years' experience as attorneys to qualify for office. A vacancy
in the office of judge is filled
 by the governor until a successor is elected. In an election held to fill
a vacancy, a judge is elected
 for a full term instead of the remainder of an unexpired term.
   The 7 Supreme Court justices are elected at large; the judges of the Court
of Appeals and
 circuit judges are elected in their respective Court of Appeals districts
or circuit court districts.
   The municipal judges are also elected in April but candidates for these
offices need not be
 attorneys to qualify. They are usually not full-time positions.

    Judicial Agencies To Aid the Courts. The courts are aided in their functions
by numerous state
 agencies.
    The Supreme Court appoints a director of state courts, the state law
librarian, the Board of
  Attorneys Professional Competence, the Board of Attorneys Professional
Responsibility, and
  the Judicial Education Committee.
    Other agencies forming a part of the judicial branch include the Judicial
Commission, Judicial
  Council, the Judicial Conference, and the State Bar of Wisconsin.
    Their shared primary concern is to improve the organization, operation,
administration and
  procedures of the state judicial system. Other functional areas of some
of these agencies relate to
  professional standards, judicial ethics, legal research and law reform.

    The Court Process in Wisconsin. It should be remembered that there is
both a state court
  system and a federal court system. The state courts adjudicate cases pertaining
to state laws. A
  case may be brought in federal court only if it involves a substantial
federal question. The follow-
  ing description explains the process in a typical case in a state court.
    Civil Cases. There are 2 types of cases handled by the courts-civil and
criminal. Generally,
  civil actions involve individual rights. In a civil action, a person may
seek a remedy for some
  wrong done to him. For example, if a person has been injured by another
in an automobile
  accident, a civil action to compel payment for these injuries may be commenced.
    In a typical civil case, an action is brought by a plaintiff against
a defendant by the filing of a
  summons and a complaint with the circuit court. The defendant is served
with a copy of the
  summons and complaint. The summons directs the defendant to serve an answer
upon the
  plaintiffs attorney. Various pretrial proceedings may be gone through,
such as pleadings, mo-
  tions, pretrial conferences and discovery, but if no settlement is reached,
a trial ensues. If the