% D
% DENZINE.%>> Frederica: FINALL
Y WE HAVE A
% FOURTH IN OUR SERIES OF
% INTRODUCE WITH THE CANDIDATES
% FOR A SEAT IN THE WISCONSIN
% SUPREME COURT.
% THE PRIMARY IS FEBRUARY 21 WITH
% THE TOP VOTE GETTERS ADVANCING
% TO THE GENERAL ELECTION IN
% APRIL.
% EARLIER THIS WEEK ZAC SCHULTZ
% SAT DOWN WITH JENNIFER DOROW A
% WAUKESHA COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
% JUDGE.
% >> CAN YOU BREAK DOWN YOUR
% JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY.
% >> I'M A JUDICIAL CONSERVATIVE
% AND UPHOLDING THE LAW GIVING
% DEFERENCE TO OUR LEGISLATIVE
% STATUTES BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
% POLICY IS MADE AND NEVER OF
% LEGISLATING FROM THE BENCH.
% >> HOW DO YOU DEFINE LEGISLATING
% FROM THE BENCH BECAUSE THERE'S A
% LOT OF DISAGREEMENT WHEN A COURT
% MAKES A RULING WHETHER THEY'RE
% REARRANGING A LAW TO FIT A NEED
% OR OPINION VERSUS THIS IS ALL WE
% HAVE TO GO ON?
% >> WHEN A JUDGE OR JUSTICE
% INSERTS THEIR OWN POLITICAL %
AGENDA, POLICY, VIEWS OR
% PERSONAL OPINIONS ON WHAT THE
% LAW SHOULD BE, THAT'S MY
% DEFINITION OF LEGISLATING FROM
% THE BENCH.
% AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE IT'S
% THE ROLE OF A JUDGE TO APPLY THE
% LAW AS WRITTEN TO THE FACTS OF
% THE CASE COME BEFORE US TO NEVER
% PREJUDGE THOSE CASES TO BE FAIR
% AND IMPARTIAL AND IN OUR
% GOVERNMENT WE HAVE A SYSTEM SET
% UP, A CLEAR SEPARATION OF
% POWERS, OUR LEGISLATIVE FIGURES,
% OUR ASSEMBLY MEN AND SENATORS,
% THEY MAKE THE LAW.
% THAT'S WHERE THE POLICY OF THE
% IS SET.
% AND THEN JUDGE INTERPRET THAT
% WHEN CALLED UPON TO DO THAT.
% IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT JUDGES
% ACT MORE LIKE UMPIRES.
% WE DON'T MAKE THE LAW, WE JUST
% DECIDE THE LAW AND IF YOU THINK
% OF THE ANALOGY TO BASEBALL JUST
% CALLING THE BALLS AND STRIKES,
% NOT THE PITCHER, NOT THE
% CATCHER, BUT JUST CALLING THE
% BALLS AND STRIKES AND THAT'S
% WHAT A JUDGE DOES AND A JUSTICE
% SHOULD DO IS CALL THE LEGAL
% BALLS AND STRIKES THAT COME
% BEFORE HIM OR HER.
% >> SO YOU SAID THE POLITICS
% SHOULD ENTER INTO THE DECISION
% BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A
% POLITICAL RACE AND THERE ARE A
% LOT OF POLITICAL FACTORS
% WEIGHING IN TO ALL THE
% CANDIDATES AND CONSTITUENTS ARE
% THINKING WHO THEY WANT TO VOTE
% FOR, SOME ARE THINKING THROUGH A
% POLITICAL FRAME OF REFERENCE.
% HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT WHEN YOU
% WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT YOU
% WILL BE IMPARTIAL ON THE BENCH
% AND PEOPLE ALSO WANT A SENSE OF
% YOUR POLITICS?
% >> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HONOR
% THAT THIS IS A NON-PARTISAN RACE
% AND THAT MY POLITICAL VIEWS OR
% MY POLICY PREFERENCES ARE NOT
% GOING TO IMPACT WHAT I DO ON THE
% BENCH.
% IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE
% LIBERAL CANDIDATES AND I KNOW WE
% GIVE THEM LABELS, LIBERAL AND
% CONSERVATIVE BUT IT'S A SIMPLE
% WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO IDENTIFY
% OUR APPROACH AND WHAT THE LAW IS
% AND HAVE YOU TWO CANDIDATES
% OPENLY GIVING US THEIR POLITICAL
% AGENDA, CAMPAIGNING ON A
% POLITICAL AGENDA AND FORECASTING
% HOW THEY WOULD VOTE ON MANY
% IMPORTANT ISSUES.
% THEY'RE TELLING THE FUTURE
% LITIGANTS, THEIR MIND IS MADE
% UP.%THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT TH
E FACTS
% OR THE LAW.
% VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE I'LL DO X, Y
% OR Z.
% THAT IS NOT THE METHODOLOGY I
% WILL FOLLOW AND THAT I HAVE BEEN
% FOLLOWING FOR 11 YEARS ON THE
% BENCH.
% IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT EVERY
% JUDGE AND JUSTICE STAY IN THEIR
% CONSTITUTIONAL LANE AND THAT'S
% WHAT I'LL DO.
% >> WHAT SHOULD VOTERS THEN THINK
% OF YOUR BACKGROUND, WHO WITH YOU
% WERE APPOINTED BY AND WHO IS
% ENDORSING YOU AND WHERE THE
% OUTSIDE MONEY THAT SUPPORTS YOU
% COMES FROM AND FAMILY MEMBERS
% AND THEIR CONNECTIONS TO
% POLITICAL PEOPLE AND THE
% LIBERALS ARE SAYING WE'RE BEING
% UP FRONT AND HONEST AND IT'S THE
% CONSERVATIVES TRYING TO HIDE
% WHERE THE REAL INFLUENCE MAY BE.
% >> THE CANDIDATES ON THE LEFT
% ARE TELLING YOU ABOUT A
% POLITICAL AGENDA WHEN THIS IS
% NOT A RACE FOR A LEGISLATIVE OR
% GUBERNATORIAL POSITION.
% THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME
% AS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN
% UPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW AND
% BEING FAIR AND IMPARTIAL TO NOT
% TALK ABOUT MY PERSONAL
% PREFERENCES.%YOU KNOW, ONE OF
THE REASONS IS
% TO SHOW THE PUBLIC, SHOW THE
% LITIGANTS AND REMIND ME THAT I
% NEED TO BE FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.
% I COVER UP THOSE PERSONAL
% PREFERENCES SO THAT I MAKE A
% DECISION BASED ON THE LAW.
% WHEN YOU MAKE A DECISION BASED
% ON THE LAW, YOU HAVE
% PREDICTABILITY, NO LIABILITY AND
% STABILITY.%>> I WANT TO LOOK
BACK AT A FEW
% CASES THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED
% THAT ARE STILL PRETTY IMPORTANT.
% LEGISLATURE VERSUS PAUL WAS
% ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S ABILITY TO
% PUT RESTRICTIONS DURING COVID.
% HOW DO YOU THINK THAT CASE WAS
% HANDLED?
% HOW WOULD YOU HAVE VOTED IF YOU
% WERE ON THE BENCH AT THE TIME?
% >> THE MAJORITY OPINION IN THAT
% CASE WAS WRITTEN BY JUSTICE
% ROGUAAAN AND THAT PROCEDURE WAS
% NOT FOLLOWED AND I FOUND MYSELF
% LOOKING AT THEIR ANALYSIS AND
% SAYING THEY GOT IT RIGHT.
% OF COURSE, EVERY CASE IS
% DIFFERENT AND I DON'T WANT TO
% PRE JUDGE CASES THAT MAY COME
% BEFORE THE COURT AGAIN OR IN THE
% FUTURE THAT LOOK AT ISSUES OF
% AUTHORITY FOR A BRANCH OF
% GOVERNMENT WHETHER DIRECTLY OR
% DELEGATION.
% >> AND ABORTION'S ANOTHER ISSUE
% THAT IS LIKELY TO COME BACK IN
% THE WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT.
% I WANT TO ASK HOW YOU MIGHT RULE
% ON THAT AND ON THE DOBBS
% DECISION DO YOU THINK THAT WAS
% DECIDED FAIRLY AND THE
% APPROPRIATE METHOD TO REVIEW OR
% NOW WISCONSIN LAW THAT NEEDS TO
% BE LOOKED AT ON ITS OWN OUTSIDE
% OF DOBBS?
% >> AS THE SUPREME COURT CASE
% FROM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, IT
% OBVIOUSLY IS THE LAW OF THE LAND
% AND I'M DUTY BOUND TO FOLLOW
% THAT.
% WHAT THAT CASE DID WAS PUT THE
% DECISION OF REGULATING ABORTION
% IN THE HAND OF THE STATE
% LEGISLATURE.%THAT'S WHERE THA
T DECISION
% SHOULD BE MADE AND OF COURSE
% THERE IS A CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW,
% IT'S NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL
% CHALLENGE, THAT'S THE QUESTION
% BEFORE THE COURT WILL BE WHAT IS
% THE STATUS OF THE LAW IN
% WISCONSIN.%I WON'T COMMENT AN
Y FURTHER
% BECAUSE IT'S LIKELY TO MAKE ITS
% WAY UP TO THE WISCONSIN SUPREME
% COURT.
% BUT AGAIN, AS A SITTING JUDGE
% AND AS A HOPEFUL TO BE ON THE
% WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT I HAVE
% TO GIVE HONOR TO THE DECISIONS
% OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
% >> IS THERE A DANGER IN VOTERS
% APPROACHING THIS ELECTION
% LOOKING THROUGH ONLY THE PRISM
% OF ONE OR TWO HOT-BUTTON
% POLITICAL ISSUES AND SAYING I'M
% GOING TO VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE
% THAT MOST CLOSELY FOLLOWS MY
% VIEWS THERE OPPOSED TO BROADLY
% LOOKING AT WHAT I WANT IN A
% SUPREME COURT JUSTICE?
% >> I THINK THE DANGER IS THERE'S
% CANDIDATES OPENLY CAMPAIGNING ON
% POLITICAL AND CONTROVERSIAL
% TOPICS AND VOTERS SHOULD LOOK AT
% HOW ARE THE JUSTICES GOING TO
% DECIDE THE CASES THAT COME
% BEFORE THE COURT?
% NOT JUST ON A COUPLE OF TOPICS
% BUT ON ALL TOPICS.
% THAT'S NOT BEING FAIR AND
% IMPARTIAL.%WE TAKE AN OATH TO
UPHOLD THE
% CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
% STATES AND WISCONSIN AND FAITHLY
% DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF OUR
% OFFICE TO BE FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.
% THAT'S WHAT JUSTICES AND JUDGES
% SHOULD DO THAT HONORS THE ROLE
% OF THE COURTS.
% IT HONORS THE ROLE OF THE
% LEGISLATURE.%AND HONORS THE V
OICE OF THE
% PEOPLE AS WELL BECAUSE THE
% PEOPLE SPEAK THROUGH OUR
% LEGISLATORS AND THAT'S WHERE
% POLICY IS MADE.
% I WILL NEVER INSERT MY POLICY
% PREFERENCES INTO THE DECISIONS
% THAT I MAKE.
% I THINK THAT'S WHAT VOTERS WILL
% BE LOOKING AT SO THAT THEY KNOW
% WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS THAT COMES
% BEFORE THE COURT THEY CAN TRUST
% THE DECISIONS MADE.
% >> FINALLY, THIS IS GETTING A
% LOT OF ATTENTION BOTH WISCONSIN
% AND NATIONALLY, HOW MUCH WILL
% THAT AFFECT THE RACE PEOPLE ARE
% STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THE
% IMPORTANCE OF THIS PARTICULAR
% RACE TO THE WISCONSIN SUPREME
% COURT?
% >> IT'S A POSITION ON THE
% WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT.
% IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO THE
% PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN.%I CAN SEE THAT AS
I GO AROUND
% THE STATE CAMPAIGNING AND THERE
% ARE A LOT OF EYES LOOKING AT
% THIS RACE AS WELL, I THINK FOR
% THE WRONG REASONS.
% I THINK THERE'S A PUSH FROM THE
% LEFT TO PUSH THIS POLITICAL
% AGENDA SO THAT NOT ONLY
% WISCONSIN CAN BE TRANSFORMED AND
% NOT IN A GOOD WAY, NOT THROUGH
% THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS BUT A
% VOTER 4-3 ON THE WISCONSIN
% SUPREME COURT SO THAT OTHER
% POLITICAL AGENDAS CAN BE MET AS
% WELL.%THAT'S WRONG.
% IT HAS NO PLACE IN THE COURTS
% AND I DO BELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF
% THE STATE OF WISCONSIN SEE THAT
% AND WANT A COURT THAT'S FAIR AND
% IMPARTIAL INSTEAD OF ONE DRIVEN
% BY A POLITICAL AGENDA.
% >> Frederica: YOU CAN SEE ALL
% THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE
% CANDIDATES ON OUR NEWS PAGE.
% FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
% ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT