JUDICIAL BRANCH: SERVICE AGENCIES


  History: The Judicial Council was created by Chapter 392. Laws of 1951.
It succeeded to the
functions of the Advisory Committee on Ruies of Pleading. Practice and Procedure,
created by
Chapter 404, Laws of 1929. Chapter 247. La%; of 196-. trovided for the administrator
of courts
(or deputy or assistant) to serve as executive secre%_ry of the council.
This was changed, how-
ever, by Chapter 154, Laws of 1969. which ir.crea.e the membership of the
council by including
the administrator of courts, but removed the pro, ision making the administrator
executive sec-
retary. Chapter 187, Laws of 1977, increa-sed the council membership by adding
a Court of
Appeals judge. A Supreme Court Order of October 30. 1978, replaced the administrator
of
courts with the director of state courts. 1983 Wisconsin Act 377 increased
the council member-
ship to 20 by adding the state public defender.
  Organization: The council appoints the executive secretary outside the
classified service. The
council membership includes a Supreme Court justice selected by the Supreme
Court, a Court of
Appeals judge selected by the Court of Appeals, and 4 circuit court judges
selected by the Judi-
cial Conference. The 9 ex officio members (or their designees) are: the attorney
general, the state
public defender, the chairpersons of the Senate Judiciary and Consumer Affairs
Committee and
of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, the director of state courts, the revisor
of statutes, the
deans of the Wisconsin and Marquette Law Schools, and the president-elect
of the State Bar of
Wisconsin. The council membership also includes 2 citizen members appointed
by the governor
and 3 members elected by the State Bar, all of whom serve 3-year terms. The
council meets
monthly except in July and August. The various committees of the council
meet regularly and
are composed of council and ad hoc members.



                                                                    JUDICIAL
COUNCIL


                                                                 JUDICIAL
COUNCIL



Functions:
1. Study the rules of pleading, practice and procedure, and advise the Supreme
Court as to
   changes which will simplify procedure and promote a speedy determination
of litigation.
2. Survey and study the organization, jurisdiction and methods of administration
and opera-
   tion of all the courts of this state.
3. Recommend to the legislature any changes in procedure, jurisdiction or
organization of the
   courts which can be put into effect by legislative action only.
4. Assist in preparing Supreme Court rules in proper form for biennial publication.
5. Advise the Supreme Court and legislature on any matter affecting the administration
of
   justice in Wisconsin.


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