Shirley Abrahamson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shirley S. Abrahamson is the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She was initially appointed to that body by Governor Patrick Lucey in 1976, and subsequently elected in 1979, 1989, and 1999. Her current term expires July 31, 2009. She became the Chief Justice on August 1, 1996. She is the first woman to serve as either Justice or as Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Born and raised in New York City, Chief Justice Abrahamson received a bachelor's degree from New York University in 1953, a law degree from Indiana University Law School in 1956, and a doctor of law in American legal history in 1962 from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She is the recipient of 14 honorary doctor of laws degrees and the Distinguished Alumni Award of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Before joining the court, Chief Justice Abrahamson practiced law in Madison, Wisconsin and taught at the University of Wisconsin Law School. She is the past president of the National Conference of Chief Justices and past chair of the board of directors of the National Center for State Courts. She also served as chair of the National Institute of Justice's, National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence. She is a member of the Council of the American Law Institute and the board of directors of New York University School of Law Institute of Judicial Administration.