Diane S. Sykes

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Diane S. Sykes


Incumbent
Assumed office 
2004
Nominated by George W. Bush
Preceded by John Louis Coffey
Succeeded by Incumbent
Born December 23, 1957
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Diane Schwerm Sykes (born December 23, 1957 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Contents

[edit] Career

Sykes graduated from Brown Deer High School in 1976 and then received a B.S. degree at Northwestern University in 1980, and a J.D. at Marquette University Law School in 1984.

After law school, Sykes clerked for Judge Terence T. Evans at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. She was in private practice from 1985 to 1992 in Milwaukee, working as a corporate lawyer for Whyte & Hirschboeck, a medium sized law firm. Sykes was appointed by then Governor Tommy G. Thompson to be a trial judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in 1992, serving in the misdemeanor, felony, and civil divisions. She left the trial court in 1999 for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where she served until her appointment to the Seventh Circuit in 2004. After being appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, she was elected to the court, defeating Louis B. Butler, Jr., who was later appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court by Governor Jim Doyle in 2004.

Sykes was nominated by President Bush on November 14, 2003 to a seat on the Seventh Circuit. The Senate Judiciary Committee had approved her nomination (14-5) on March 11, 2004. She was confirmed 70-27 by the U.S. Senate on June 24, 2004.

On joining the Seventh Circuit, Sykes began serving on the court with her former mentor, Terence T. Evans, who had been elevated to the Seventh Circuit by President Clinton in 1995. It is extremely rare for a judge and a former law clerk to serve together on the same court.

Sykes is a member of the Federalist Society, and has been mentioned as a potential nominee to the Supreme Court.

[edit] Notable cases

[edit] Supreme Court of Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin v. Oakley, 239 Wis. 2d 235 (2001) -- Dissent regarding natural rights and due process.
  • Baierl v. McTaggart, 245 Wis. 2d 632 (2001) -- Dissent Urging use of Common law to Overturn Statutory Rescission Remedy in Landlord Tenant Law.
  • Bammert v. Don's Super Valu, 246 Wis. 2d 989 (2001) -- Opinion of the Court refusing a Cause of Action for Retaliation Involving Terminated Wife of Police Officer Who Ticketed A Drunk Driver.
  • Putnam v. Time Warner, 247 Wis. 2d 41 (2002) -- Dissenting in part, denying Statutory Action for Wrongful Charges on Cable Bill, using "Voluntary Payment Doctrine."
  • State v. Carlson, 249 Wis. 2d 264 (2002) -- Dissent Urging Affirmance of Verdict Involving Non-English Speaking Juror.
  • Tietsworth v. Harley Davidson, 261 Wis. 2d 755 (2004) -- Opinion of the Court denying Statutory Cause of Action under Wisconsin Deceptive Trade Practices Act, using "Economic Loss Doctrine".

[edit] Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals

[edit] Personal life

Sykes was previously married to conservative radio talk show host Charlie Sykes of WTMJ in Milwaukee. The couple are now divorced, and have two children.

[edit] External links

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