Jurist Awards

• ​​​​​​​ ​Judge of the Year Application
• ​ Lifetime Jurist Application​
  
• ​ Nominate a Candidate​
  

Nominate a Candidate​

To nominate an individual for a judicial award, please submit the following documents by January 31, 2026.​

1) A completed nomination form, or fillable nomination form. Please provide both the nominator and candidate information requested.

2) A letter addressing each of the criteria listed on the Judicial Awards Eligibility Guidelines that are applicable to the award for which you are nominating your candidate. Please also provide concrete examples that will emphasize your nominee's accomplishments, ideals, personal character and judicial competence. Also, please describe in detail your nominee's experience level, including any creative or innovative programs your nominee has implemented, any publishing credits and teaching experience, and be sure to include any other relevant information that you believe distinguishes your candidate.

3) Letters of recommendation. In order to provide the selection committee with more information, we suggest you submit at least three, but no more than five, letters of recommendation or testimonials from other individuals (including lawyers, judges, public officials or civic leaders) that address one or more of the criteria for the award for which you are nominating your candidate.​

Please email your nomination materials to Lisa Roys​ (lroys@wisbar.org), or mail to:

Bench and Bar Committee Judicial Achievement Awards Subcommittee
c/o Lisa Roys​
State Bar of Wisconsin
P.O. Box 7158
Madison, WI 53707-7158

Please, no fax materials.

Judge of the Year Application​

• ​​Nomination Form​
  Download (108 KB)
• Download (154 KB)
  Fillable Nomination Form
  

The Judge of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding circuit court trial judge who is an example of a fair and impartial jurist. He or she will have been a leader in advancing the quality of justice, judicial education, or innovative programs. He or she may also have demonstrated the ability to effectively handle complex or unusual trials. High ideals, personal character, and community involvement that enhance the judicial system are hallmarks of the Judge of the Year Award recipient.​​

The deadline for submitting nominations for 2026 is January 31, 2026.

Eligibility Guidelines

Established to honor a circuit court trial judge who has made significant recent contributions:

Eligibility:

1. Nominee is an outstanding circuit court trial judge who exemplifies a fair and impartial jurist;
2. Nominee has made significant recent contributions in advancing the quality of justice, judicial education, technology, or innovative programs;
3. Nominee has demonstrated high ideals, exemplary personal character, and judicial competence;
4. Nominee is actively involved in community efforts that enhance the judicial system;
5. Nominee may have demonstrated the ability to effectively handle challenging court proceedings.

Ineligibility:​

1. Nominee cannot be campaigning for elected office other than the currently held office during the nomination process; and
2. Judges who are current members of the Bench and Bar Committee of the State Bar of Wisconsin are not eligible.

Deadline for submittal of nomination materials is January 31, 2026.​

Lifetime Jurist Application

• ​​​​Nomination Form
  Download (108 KB)
• Download (154 KB)
  Fillable Nomination Form

The Lifetime Jurist Achievement Award recognizes a jurist who has served more than one (1) full term as a circuit court judge, who is an example of a fair and impartial jurist, has demonstrated high ideals and personal character, and has demonstrated outstanding, long-term judicial service during​ ​his or her​ years as a sitting judge.​

The Deadline for submitting nominations for 2026 is January 31, 2026.

Eligibility Guidelines

Eligibility:

1. ​Nominee has served as a circuit court judge;
2. Nominee has demonstrated high ideals, exemplary personal character, judicial competence, and has been actively involved in community efforts that enhance the judicial system;
3. Nominee has demonstrated outstanding, long-term judicial service during the years as a sitting judge;
4. Nominee has affected the judicial system in a distinctive manner;
5. Nominee is an example of a fair and impartial jurist.

Ineligibility:

1. ​Nominee cannot be campaigning for an elected office other than the currently held office during the nomination process; and
2. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices and judges who are current members of the Bench and Bar Committee (roster) of the State Bar of Wisconsin are not eligible.
3. Current and past members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court are not eligible.

Deadline for submittal of nomination materials is January 31, 2026.​

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