Ted E. Wedemeyer, Jr. (August 30, 1932 – July 23, 2008) was an American jurist and a judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. Wedemeyer served twice on the court's Milwaukee-based District I; he was the district's presiding judge from 1983 to 1985 and from 1992 until 2007.
Early life and career[]
Wedemeyer was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[1] His father, Ted, Sr., was an attorney and politician who served as a Milwaukee alderman, as a civil court judge, and as a Milwaukee County supervisor.[2] Wedemeyer, Jr. graduated from Marquette University Law School and worked as a private practice attorney in Milwaukee from 1957 to 1974.[3][4] Wedemeyer was active in Democratic politics; he served on the executive board of the Milwaukee County Democratic Party and chaired Milwaukee Mayor Henry Maier's campaign committee.[5][6] In the early 1970s, Wedemeyer was appointed by Maier to chair the Milwaukee Board of Zoning Appeals.[5]
Judicial career[]
In 1974, Wedemeyer assisted in the development and organization of the Milwaukee Municipal Court, a limited-jurisdiction court hearing city ordinance violations. In November 1974, Maier appointed Wedemeyer as one of the court's first two judges.[5] He served as a municipal judge until 1977, when he was appointed to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court by Acting Governor Marty Schreiber.[3] In 1982, he challenged Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Rudolph T. Randa for his seat on the court's Milwaukee-based District I.[7] Wedemeyer unseated Randa in the April general election;[7] from 1983–85, he served as District I's presiding judge.[3]
In the leadup to the 1988 Milwaukee mayoral election, Wedemeyer was suggested as a possible successor to the retiring Maier, but ultimately did not run.[8] Instead, he was challenged for reelection to the Court of Appeals by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Ralph Adam Fine, who touted his opposition to plea bargaining and defeated Wedemeyer after a contentious campaign.[9] Governor Tommy G. Thompson, a Republican, appointed Wedemeyer to replace Fine on the circuit court.[10]
In 1992, Wedemeyer was returned to the Court of Appeals; he was elected without opposition to a newly created seat on District I.[11] He became the district's presiding judge in the same year, occupying that office until 2007.[3] He sought election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1995 and received support from the Milwaukee press,[12] but failed to survive the February primary election.[13]
Wedemeyer was noted for his involvement in community service activities. Active in promoting soccer in Wisconsin through the Milwaukee Kickers organization,[14] he was inducted into the Wisconsin Soccer Association Hall of Fame in 1992.[15]
Death[]
Wedemeyer died of lung cancer, while still in office, on July 23, 2008.
References[]
- ↑ "Ted E Wedemeyer, Jr". Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73281485. Retrieved 2011-11-23.
- ↑ "Ex-official stricken after wife dies". The Milwaukee Journal. March 5, 1983. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19830305&id=OywhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uH4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=1647,2668581&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Ted E. Wedemeyer, Jr.". Wisconsin Court System. http://www.wicourts.gov/courts/appeals/judges/retired/wedemeyer.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-23.
- ↑ Rabideau Silvers, Amy (July 25, 2008). "Wedemeyer helped outside the courtroom". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/29537194.html. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Wedemeyer Thought Twice Before Judgeship Verdict". The Milwaukee Sentinel. November 19, 1974. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19741119&id=Q9EVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uREEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5748,474113&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ Knoche, Eldon; Walters, Steven (April 5, 1988). "Maier not endorsing Fine in ad, Wedemeyer says". The Milwaukee Sentinel. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19880405&id=UntQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lRIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2403,1024167&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Wilson, Sandy (April 7, 1982). "Wedemeyer wins Appeals Court race". The Milwaukee Sentinel. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19820407&id=vYFQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LxIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5978,1270342&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ Hendrickson, Dave (March 1, 1987). "Many friends, few enemies". The Milwaukee Journal. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19870301&id=VGMaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lSoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3564,131585&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ Ward, Mark (November 27, 1988). "Fine heading back to campaign trail". The Milwaukee Journal. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19881127&id=2HEaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aSwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3253,3219264&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ Christopulos, Mike (November 15, 1991). "Wedemeyer to run for new seat". The Milwaukee Sentinel. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19911115&id=70UbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6U4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3948,3654994&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ Lamke, Kenneth R. (January 5, 1995). "Wedemeyer cites bench experience". The Milwaukee Sentinel. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19950105&id=B5dQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ChMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6753,725211&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ "Judicial resume: Wedemeyer qualified for Supreme Court". The Milwaukee Sentinel. February 13, 1995. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19950213&id=AJZQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6712,3214417&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ "Judges Bradley, Crooks advance in high court race". The Milwaukee Sentinel. February 22, 1995. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19950222&id=CJZQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5059,5700011&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ "Soccer boom reflected in entries for Journal tournament". The Milwaukee Journal. July 3, 1981. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19810703&id=PwgqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xCkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1681,1393177&hl=en. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ↑ "Ted E. Wedemeyer, Jr.". Wisconsin Soccer Association. http://www.wisoccer.org/wedemeyer.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-23.
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