Voters will have the choice between two candidates April 7 when they vote for the new Marathon County Branch 3 circuit court judge.
Marathon County Court Commissioner and staff attorney Douglas Bauman will face off against attorney Michael Hughes for the position. Whoever wins the election will serve a six-year term as Marathon County Branch 3 judge.
Incumbent Judge LaMont K. Jacobson filed for non-candidacy in the race. Jacobson has served as the Branch 3 judge since he was appointed to the seat by former Gov. Scott Walker on March 28, 2013. Jacobson was elected in 2014 and reelected in 2020.
To learn more about registering to vote and to find your polling place, visit My Vote Wisconsin.
The Wausau Daily Herald asked each of the candidates to address important issues in the justice system and why they are running for the position.
Douglas Bauman
Residence: Weston
Age: 54
Current position: Court commissioner/staff attorney, Marathon County Circuit Court
Education: Bachelor’s degree, UW-Eau Claire, 1995; Juris Doctor, UW-Madison, 1998
Relevant experience: I have been a lawyer for roughly 28 years, and for the last 24 years, I have worked at the Marathon County Circuit Court in a hybrid position as a court commissioner and as the staff attorney for the county’s judges. In that position, I have presided over a wide variety of hearings from the bench, and I have worked with the judges behind the scenes, performing legal research, giving them advice and recommendations and drafting decisions for them.
Campaign website or Facebook account: Douglas Bauman for Judge on Facebook
Michael D. Hughes
Residence: Wausau
Age: 42
Current position: Partner at Vechinski, Phelps & Hughes LLC in Wausau Education: Graduated from Wausau West High School in 2001. Graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in communication and political science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004. Graduated from UW-Madison Law School in 2008. Relevant experience: I have been an attorney in Wisconsin since 2008. In that time, I have handled a wide variety of legal matters. I have worked in criminal law, working on cases from misdemeanors to serious felonies. I have worked in civil law, primarily representing policyholders in disputes they have had with their insurance companies. I have worked in family law as a guardian ad litem, where I have identified and passionately advocated for the best interests of children. I have also served as a condemnation commissioner, which resolve disputes between the government and property owners related to reimbursement requirements when property is taken and compensation is owed.
I have litigated cases in 24 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. Because I have practiced in front of many judges in many courtrooms, I have the unique perspective of knowing which courtroom practices are ideal and where Marathon County courts have room for improvement. I am also the current president of the Marathon County Bar Association. Campaign website or Facebook account: MichaelHughesforJudge.com and Michael Hughes for Judge on Facebook
Why are you running for the Marathon County Circuit Court judge position?
Bauman: I have spent most of my career in public service and becoming a judge would allow me to serve the community more directly. Instead of giving advice to the judges, I would be the one making the decisions. And in doing so, I could bring my 24 years of on-the-job training to bear.
Hughes: I am running for judge to strengthen and improve our courts and to put my courtroom experience, knowledge of the law and commitment to this community to work for all the people of Marathon County. We must have a court system that is strong, fair, efficient and which keeps our community safe. A key part of that system is judges. We need judges who are impartial and who will make decisions based on the law and the facts. We need judges who will treat everyone in the courtroom with respect. We need judges who are committed to serving with integrity. That is the kind of judge I will be.
What makes you the better candidate?
Bauman: I have been learning how to be a judge for the last 24 years. As a court commissioner, I have presided over a wide variety of cases: criminal, traffic, small claims, family, juvenile justice, children in need of protection and services, mental commitments, restraining orders. And as a staff attorney, I have worked directly with the last 13 Marathon County judges, and I have learned something from all of them. I have already been doing parts of the job for 24 years. And in that time, I have worked on the full range of cases that a judge sees; my experience is not limited to one or two specific areas of law. That experience has uniquely prepared me to serve the community as its next judge.
Hughes: I am uniquely qualified to serve the residents of Marathon County as our next judge because of my unmatched combination of courtroom experience, legal knowledge and community service. I have the legal experience necessary to address all matters that come before the court. I have litigated dozens of jury trials, the cornerstone of our justice system, and know how to manage them appropriately and efficiently. I have litigated hundreds of criminal sentencing hearings, and I am acutely aware of the legal factors that must be evaluated and weighed. I have represented the best interests of children as a guardian ad litem, and understand the significance and consequential impacts that court orders have on children who are in the middle of custody disputes.
I am the candidate with a plan to improve our courts. I have worked with law enforcement and nonprofits to reduce backlogs in the system. As judge I will manage the court’s calendar to effectively and efficiently resolve matters without unnecessary and improper delay. I have the public support of eight judges, four elected district attorneys and dozens of other lawyers. My support exists because my ability, dedication and integrity are well-known in the legal community.
What do you believe is the most pressing issue facing the Marathon County justice system and how would you address it, if elected?
Bauman: The most pressing issue facing the Marathon County justice system is a scarcity of resources. Currently, both our district attorney’s office and our public defender’s office are short-staffed. In addition, there are too few attorneys in private practice who are willing to take public defender appointments. The shortage of defense attorneys, in particular, has led to significant delays in criminal prosecutions, as defendants who are entitled to the assistance of counsel are forced to wait for counsel to become available. Those delays affect not only the defendants themselves but everyone else affected by those crimes, including crime victims, family members and the community as a whole.
Addressing the problem will require the assistance of other stakeholders, particularly the Wisconsin Legislature, because what we need is additional funding. At one point, the rate paid to private attorneys in Wisconsin on public defender cases was the lowest in the nation. But for legislators to help, they need to understand the full scope of the problem, and I believe that judges have a role there: speaking with legislators to make them aware of the scope of the problem and to seek their assistance in resolving it.
Hughes: The most pressing issue in Marathon County is that we do not have enough attorneys to handle the number of disputes that process through the courts. Our district attorney’s office needs more prosecutors. The public defender’s office has been critically short on attorneys for years. The shortage of attorneys operates to the detriment of the community; it creates long wait times, which delay cases and deny justice to those involved.
Problems do not fix themselves. I have already been working to address the issue as president of the Marathon County Bar Association. I have coordinated with several law schools to demonstrate our legal opportunities to soon-to-be graduates. I have been on the campuses of both Wisconsin law schools, where I have presented opportunities to students that may want to practice law in our area, where they will be valued and engaged. As judge, I will improve upon these efforts. I have created connections at law schools, which are valuable networking opportunities for our county. I will create opportunities for law students to shadow and work with me to get a better understanding of our community, and to show them why our county is a great place to live and work.
Contact Karen Madden kmadden@usatodayco.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.
This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Meet the 2 candidates vying for Marathon County Branch 3 judge
Reporting by Karen Madden, Wausau Daily Herald / Wausau Daily Herald
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