Edward R. Brunner

Edward R. Brunner is an American lawyer and judge. He was a judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 2007 through 2011 in the Wausau-based District III. Previously, he was a Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for 19 years, and was Chief Judge of the 10th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts from 1999 through 2005.

For the Swiss diplomat, see Edouard Brunner.

The Honorable Edward R. Brunner
Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District III
In office August 1, 2007 – September 6, 2011
Preceded by	Gregory A. Peterson
Succeeded by	Mark Mangerson
Chief Judge of the 10th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts
In office August 1, 1999 – July 31, 2005
Preceded by	Gregory A. Peterson
Succeeded by	Benjamin Proctor
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Barron Circuit, Branch 2
In office August 1, 1988 – July 31, 2007
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Timothy M. Doyle
Personal details
Born	1953 (age 66–67) Akron, Ohio
Spouse(s)	Linda Stariha Brunner
Children	Jason Alexis
Residence	Rice Lake, Wisconsin
Alma mater	Marquette University (B.A.) University of Akron School of Law (J.D.)
Profession	lawyer, judge

Biography

A resident of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, Brunner is a graduate of Marquette University and the University of Akron School of Law. Additionally, he trained as an emergency medical technician at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College.[1] He is married with two children.

Early career

Brunner began his legal career working for the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Services, under the Office of Justice Programs in the United States Department of Justice—Brunner was Assistant Regional Administrator in the Akron, Ohio, office. From 1974 until 1977, he was Executive Director of Youth Services in Lorain, Ohio. In 1977, he moved to Wisconsin and was hired as corporation counsel for the Department of Human Services in Barron County, Wisconsin, where he served until 1979. He worked as an attorney in the private sector for the next decade, and served as City attorney for Rice Lake.[1]

Judicial career

Brunner was elected Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for Barron County's newly-created Branch 2 seat in 1988. He was re-elected in 1994, 2000, and 2006. In 1999 he was designated by the Wisconsin Supreme Court as Chief Judge of the 10th Judicial Administrative District and remained in that role until August 2005.[1]

As Judge, Brunner was responsible for introducing restorative justice projects to Barron County in 1998, and was an advocate for statewide implementation.[1]

He was a candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2003, but was defeated in the general election by future Chief Justice Patience D. Roggensack. Brunner was endorsed by former Governor Tony Earl and 178 Wisconsin circuit court judges, or 74% of the courts' judges.[2] In 2007, he was elected without opposition to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. He didn't serve his whole term, resigning in September 2011.[1]

Awards and works

In 2006, he was awarded the 2005 Lifetime Jurist Achievement Award from the State Bar of Wisconsin. The same year, he received the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence from the Supreme Court of the United States, one of the most prestigious judicial awards in the country.[1]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1988, 1994, 2000)

Wisconsin Circuit Court, Barron Circuit, Branch 2 Election, 1988[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
Primary Election, February 16, 1988
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner	2,354	39.78%
	Nonpartisan	Edward J. Coe	1,798	30.38%
	Nonpartisan	David Cusick	1,006	17.00%
	Nonpartisan	Mark O. Dobberpuhl	760	12.84%
Total votes			'5,918'	'100.0%'
General Election, April 5, 1988
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner	6,139	53.69%
	Nonpartisan	Edward J. Coe	5,295	46.31%
Total votes			'11,434'	'100.0%'

Wisconsin Circuit Court, Barron Circuit, Branch 2 Election, 1994[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
General Election, April 5, 1994
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner (incumbent)	5,527	100.0%
Total votes			'5,527'	'100.0%'

Wisconsin Circuit Court, Barron Circuit, Branch 2 Election, 2000[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
General Election, April 4, 2000
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner (incumbent)	5,541	100.0%
Total votes			'5,541'	'100.0%'

Wisconsin Supreme Court (2003)

Wisconsin Supreme Court Election, 2003[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
Primary Election, February 18, 2003
	Nonpartisan	Patience D. Roggensack	109,501	39.36%
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner	89,494	32.17%
	Nonpartisan	Paul B. Higginbotham	77,584	27.89%
		Scattering	1,604	0.58%
Total votes			'278,183'	'100.0%'
General Election, April 1, 2003
	Nonpartisan	Patience D. Roggensack	409,422	51.13%
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner	390,215	48.73%
		Scattering	1,148	0.14%
Total votes			'800,785'	'100.0%'

Wisconsin Circuit Court (2006)

Wisconsin Circuit Court, Barron Circuit, Branch 2 Election, 2006[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
General Election, April 4, 2006
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner (incumbent)	4,383	100.0%
Total votes			'4,383'	'100.0%'

Wisconsin Appeals Court (2007)

Wisconsin Court of Appeals District III Election, 2007[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
General Election, April 3, 2007
	Nonpartisan	Edward R. Brunner	172,834	99.69%
		Scattering	538	0.31%
Total votes			'173,372'	'100.0%'

References

1. "Judge Edward R. Brunner". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
2. "Supreme choice". Isthmus. March 12, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
3. Barish, Lawrence S.; Theobald, H. Rupert, eds. (1989). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1989-1990 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 883, 885. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
4. Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (1995). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 1995-1996 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 880. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
5. Barish, Lawrence S.; Meloy, Patricia E., eds. (2001). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 2001-2002 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 902. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
6. Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2003). "Elections in Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin 2003-2004 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. pp. 890–891. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
7. "Elections". State of Wisconsin 2007-2008 Blue Book (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 2007. pp. 893, 895. Retrieved January 11, 2020.

Legal offices
Preceded by New branch	Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Barron Circuit, Branch 2 1988 – 2007	Succeeded by Timothy M. Doyle
Preceded by Gregory A. Peterson	Chief Judge of the 10th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts 1999 – 2005	Succeeded by Benjamin Proctor
Preceded by Gregory A. Peterson	Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District III 2007 – 2011	Succeeded by Mark Mangerson