Judge watch now on

As reported here on Thursday the judge on our case Judge Franke is leaving the bench for private practice effective likely January 1rst, 2009.

Well this is not the only seat going to be vacant on the bench in Milwaukee County there will be a total of three seats open. It's not that there are not lawyers that are interested in running for the seats or being appointed it is the time it takes to get them through the process.

In a recent post on the Milwaukee Journal's blog Proof and Hearsay (a blog that has covered our story and this blog well) we get a look how the District Court Administrator is saying the open calenders of the three courts maybe covered.

Jsonline's Proof and Hearsay blog:
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/34116824.html

With three vacancies in Milwaukee County, who's going to be hearing cases here?

District Court Administrator Bruce Harvey said he hires retired judges by the day to handle the court calendars. Finding enough for two -- and soon to be three -- isn't always easy, he said.

"They are all qualified to do the job," said Harvey of the reserve judges. "But for the long term judges should be elected by the people -- or appointed by the governor."

A spokesman for Gov. Jim Doyle said no decision has been made on whether he will appoint to fill Michael Brennan or Franke's seats.

Like I said judge watch is on! I know with three open seats on the bench it is all but impossible to just move the cases to other branches. However, in this case we are talking about Felony Homicide this is not some civil issue over a leaky roof! It is about the crime of Homicide were a great man was taken from us!

Now is the time for our Governor Jim Doyle to step to the plate and make sure Milwaukee County's Circuit Court Bench seats are filled by judges that will stand election and not by reserve judges that answer to no one!

Again all the latest news on this and other issues will be right here as soon as it breaks!