Patricia S. Curley (born October 25, 1946) is an American lawyer and retired judge. She served on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in the Milwaukee-based District I from 1996 until her retirement in 2016, and served as its presiding judge from 2007. Prior to her election to the Court of Appeals, she served 18 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County.
The Honorable
Patricia S. Curley
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| Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District I | |
| In office August 1, 1996 – December 10, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Michael T. Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | Timothy G. Dugan |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 3 | |
| In office August 1, 1978 – July 31, 1996 | |
| Appointed by | Martin J. Schreiber |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Clare L. Fiorenza |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1946-10-25) October 25, 1946 (age 77) Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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Born in Milwaukee,[1] Curley is the daughter of Judge Robert M. Curley, a legislator and Wisconsin Circuit Court judge.[2] She received her bachelor's degree from Marquette University in 1969 and graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1973.[1] From 1973 to 1978, Curley was employed as an assistant district attorney in Milwaukee County,[1] serving in the office's sensitive crimes unit[3] under District Attorney E. Michael McCann.
In July 1978, Curley was appointed to the Milwaukee County Circuit CourtbyGovernor Martin J. Schreiber; she was elected to a six-year term on the court in April 1979 and subsequently re-elected in 1985 and 1991.[4] During her tenure on the circuit court, Curley specialized in family law and served ten years as a family court judge.[3]
In 1996, Judge Curley challenged incumbent Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Michael T. Sullivan.[3] After a contentious campaign,[5] Curley defeated Judge Sullivan. Judge Curley went on to win re-election in 2002 and 2008. In 2007, Curley succeeded Judge Ted E. Wedemeyer, Jr., as presiding judge of District I.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election, February 6, 1996 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Patricia S. Curley | 38,023 | 45.19% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Michael T. Sullivan (incumbent) | 37,875 | 45.02% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Lew A. Wasserman | 8,238 | 9.79% | ||
| Total votes | '84,136' | '100.0%' | |||
| General Election, March 19, 1996 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Patricia S. Curley | 136,650 | 66.97% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Michael T. Sullivan (incumbent) | 67,386 | 33.03% | ||
| Total votes | '204,036' | '100.0%' | |||
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by New circuit |
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 3 1978 – 1996 |
Succeeded by Clare L. Fiorenza |
| Preceded by Michael T. Sullivan |
Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District I 1996 – 2016 |
Succeeded by |