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Kenosha County Wisconsin - Colleagues friends celebrate retirement of Judge Bruce E Schroeder 18 November 2023 ( news )
Kenosha County , state Wisconsin ( By Press Release office)
Nov 18,2023
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Friends and colleagues of retiring Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce E . Schroeder gave the longtime jurist a warm sendoff Friday , during a lunchtime celebration at the Courthouse .
Schroeder — whom one associate noted has served 40 years , six months and two days as a Circuit Court judge — is presently the state of Wisconsin’s longest - tenured judge . That streak will end when he takes his retirement effective Nov . 27 .
Judge Jason Rossell , speaking during Friday’s informal program , noted that Schroeder once said his retirement party would be at St . Mary’s Church , “and he would be the one lying down in the box . ”
“I’ve very happy that he’s here to hear my remarks , because I’m not sure they’d let me speak at St . Mary’s , ” Rossell quipped .
Presenting Schroeder with a commendation from the Wisconsin Supreme Court , Rossell praised the judge for serving as a mentor to many over the years .
“Thank you for your friendship , for being a great colleague , ” Rossell said . “What many of you don’t know is when you become a judge , a lot of times you have questions . I think almost every single one of us ran into Bruce’s office at least once or twice within the first three months of being a judge going , ‘Ah , what the heck do I do now?’”
In addition to the Supreme Court commendation , Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges Mark Gundrum , Maria Lazar and Lisa Neubauer were on hand to congratulate Schroeder , along with several other current and retired judges and many attorneys , clerks and other Courthouse staffers .
Schroeder described beginning his career at the Kenosha County Courthouse on Jan . 12 , 1971 , as an assistant district attorney fresh out of Marquette University Law School . The DA at the time , Burton Scott , took Schroeder on a tour of the building , where he met a deputy court clerk who was wearing a red pants suit — “which was very stylish at the time , ” Schroeder noted .
That would be Donna , now Schroeder’s wife of 51 years , who joined him at Friday’s celebration with two of their three children , son Terry and daughter Katie . Donna , Schroeder said , is a saint — “not just for dealing with me , but in every respect . ”
Over the years , Schroeder himself would serve as the elected district attorney and as a private - practice lawyer before Gov . Tony Earl appointed him to a vacant judgeship in 1983 . The rest , as they say , is history .
“I’ve been blessed , ” Schroeder said . “And one of my great blessings has been the people I’ve worked with . ”
“On top of everything else , ” the judge added , “I’ve had a really fun time working here . I would recommend it to anybody . ”
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