January 3, 2019 – Washington Co., WI – Washington County Judicial Court Commissioner Dolores Bomrad is filing papers to run for the Washington County Circuit Court, Branch 4 Judge’s seat.
Judge Andrew Gonring is retiring March 28, 2020.
“I’ve been working in Washington County since January 1991,” said Bomrad. “I’ve been in the position of Circuit Court Commissioner since I started but the position has changed a bit over the years. For example I started handling the post judgement, child placement and custody issues so after-divorce-modification for all the four judges so that was probably 15 years ago; there have been some changes and the title has changed somewhat but it’s been basically the same position.”
Bomrad said she wanted to put her name in for the position in Branch 4 because she has the experience. “I have depth and breadth of experience and while it’s important to maintain time-tested traditions, I think it’s important to look at innovative ways of doing things,” she said. “As a judge I might be able to do more and I’d encourage things like family drug treatment court.”
Bomrad, 61, has not run for office before.
“Filling Judge Gonring’s shoes will be a big task because he’s an outstanding judge and he’s always been a lawyer’s lawyer but I feel I would bring the same caring and compassion he has and I would bring good judicial temperament and intelligence. I’ve handled most areas of the law in my career; I would bring experience and decisions and orders and I’m a hard worker with a proven record of dispensing justice.”
“Fair, impartial, and respected in the community” are words used to describe Bomrad and her career in both the public and private sector.
Bomrad is one of five candidates who have reportedly submitted paperwork to be considered to fill the position. Bomrad’s bio is below.
Hartford attorney Mike Kenitz has been confirmed as one of the other candidates running. Click HERE to read his bio.
Applications for the seat in Branch 4 are due January 3, 2020. Click HERE to see the 16-page application.
Governor Evers is expected to name a replacement judge once Gonring’s retirement is effective, however the successor will not step in immediately.
Below is a rundown of the Governor’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee.
DOLORES A. BOMRAD, J.
EDUCATION:
Law School: University of Wisconsin Law School, 1981 – 1984, Juris Doctorate.
Undergraduate: Southern Illinois University, 1976–1979, B.A. in Psychology, cum laude, graduated in three years and took graduate level courses.
LEGAL EXPERIENCE:
Current:
January 1991 to Present: Washington County Circuit Court, Judicial Court Commissioner, Supervisor of the Office of the Family Court Commissioner, and Director of Washington County Family Court Mediation Services, Appointed by the Chief Judge of the Judicial Administrative District.
Responsibilities: Manage a caseload and calendar, and conduct hearings, issuing rulings, decisions, orders, and judgments primarily in child custody/placement cases and other family court matters; juvenile court; child protection court; domestic abuse and harassment restraining order court; and involuntary mental commitment and protective placement court. Occasionally in criminal cases: issue summonses, arrest warrants, and search warrants; conduct initial appearances of persons arrested; and set bail. Direct the Family Court Services Mediation program.
Prior:
• Walworth County, Wisconsin: Circuit Court Commissioner. Managed caseload and calendar; conducted hearings and issued rulings, decisions, orders, and judgments, primarily in family and traffic and ordinance cases.
• Practiced law in the circuit courts of Washington, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Kenosha, and Walworth counties, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the Federal Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the United States Supreme Court.
• Walworth County, WI: Assistant Corporation Counsel handling primarily child support enforcement cases.
• Kenosha County, WI: Assistant Corporation Counsel. Juvenile Court Child Abuse and Neglect Prosecutor, general municipal corporation legal counsel, with a focus on land use.
• Neubecker, Weiss Law Offices, Milwaukee, WI: Attorney. Trial and appellate work in criminal, traffic, family, corporate, collections, real estate, administrative, and municipal law. Hired, trained, and supervised law clerks.
• During law school: Interned at Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District II.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & SERVICE:
• Association of Family & Conciliation Courts (AFCC) international organization: Board director; chair of the Awards Committee; served on the Chapter Committee for three years; and served for the past two years on the Parenting Coordination Task Force, revising and re-writing the AFCC Parenting Coordination Guidelines.
• Association of Family & Conciliation Courts Wisconsin Chapter (AFCC WI): Founding member, instrumental in starting and sustaining the Wisconsin Chapter; served as president, currently serve as a Board director (third term) and actively serve on the Education, Program, and Policy & Procedure committees.
• American Bar Association: Member of the Family Law Section, previously served on the American Bar Association/American Psychological Association Joint Work Group on Legal and Psychological Interventions.
• State Bar of Wisconsin: Served two terms as a director on the Family Law Section Board of Directors; served on the committee that substantially revised the Practice Guidelines for Guardians ad Litem in Family Court in 2012 and updated them in 2016 and 2017; served on the Membership and Participation of Women in the Bar Committee; current member of the Family Law and Children and the Law Sections, and the Government Lawyers Division.
• Washington County Bar Association: Implemented and chaired bi-monthly Family Law Section meetings and educational sessions for over twenty five years, providing CLE programs and opportunities for informal discussion of statutes, cases, procedures, and best practices.
• Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association: Served as President for two terms and on the Executive Committee for several years; current active member.
• Washington County Coordinated Community Response Team on Domestic Violence (CCRT): Founding member along with now retired Washington County Circuit Court Judge Richard T. Becker; continue to serve on the team.
• Washington County Supervised Visitation & Exchange Collaborative advisory board: Worked hard with a small group for many years to establish a viable no cost/low cost supervised child visitation and exchange program. The Collaborative works to ensure the continuation of the program. The program serves children and their families who are involved in Family and Child Protection cases and need supervised visitation and/or exchange.
• Wisconsin Inter-professional Committee on Divorce: Serve as a Board director and chair the Legislative and Bylaws committees.
• Wisconsin Supreme Court Planning and Policy Advisory Committee (PPAC):
Serving a third term as the circuit court commissioner representative after election by the members of the two circuit court commissioner associations (the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association and the Wisconsin Judicial Court Commissioners Association). Previously served two terms on the Planning Sub-committee and currently serve on the Mediation subcommittee.
AWARDS:
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Wisconsin Chapter Outstanding Service Award, 2015.
• Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Marc Dorfman Award for outstanding public service and law, 2011.
• Washington County Child Abuse Prevention Blue Ribbon Award for dedicated service to the community and commitment to family preservation, 2002 and 2010.
• Wisconsin Child Support Enforcement Association Judiciary Award for dedication in insuring a better future for the families and children of Wisconsin, 1997.
RECENT PRESENTATIONS:
• June 2019 – Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) Judicial Officers Webinar: Child Development in Infancy through School Age: Implications for Custody, co-presented with Dr. Robert Emery, PhD.
• February 28, 2019 – Foley Inns of Court, Society of Family Lawyers, Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin and Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Wisconsin Chapter Seminar: Understanding Child Sexual Abuse Disclosures: Implications for Family Court, Judicial Panel.
• March 15, 2019 – American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Conference, Commissioner Panel.
• May 2 & 3, 2019 – Spring Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Conference, Co-host, planner, and moderator with Commissioner Barry Boline, Ozaukee County.
• October 4, 2019 2019 – AFCC WI Conference: Untangling the Web: Family Court, Technology, and Today’s Families, Moderated a panel on Ethics and Technology.
• 2018 – State Bar Guardian ad Litem Training: Circuit Court Commissioner Perspectives, co-presented with Jefferson County Commissioner Jennifer Weber.
• 2018 Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Spring and Fall Conferences: Case Law & Legislative Update.
• 2018 Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Spring Conference: Sexual Discrimination & Harassment in the Court System, co-presented with Door County Commissioner Jennifer Moeller.
• March 1, 2017 – Foley Inns of Court; Society of Family Lawyers; Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin; and Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Wisconsin Chapter Seminar: Young Children and Overnights, Judicial Panel.
• March 24, 2017 – American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Conference, Court Commissioner Panel.
• May 12, 2017 – Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Spring Conference presentations: Young Children and Overnight Placement, and Case Law & Legislative Update.
• August 3, 2017 – State Bar Family Law Workshop, beginner track panel presenting information and advice for lawyers beginning family law practice.
• September 14, 2017 – Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Fall Conference: Case Law & Legislative Update.
PERSONAL:
• Married for 30 years, mother of one adult daughter,
• Favorite activities: Traveling; hiking; kayaking; swimming; stumbling at snowshoeing; cooking; ludic reading; and working with my dog—he earned a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) AKC title, and we are a trained and registered therapy dog team through Inter-mountain Therapy Animals, allowing us to volunteer together to provide comfort to people in nursing homes and other settings.
