After Gov. Evers Appointed Him, Judge Wants Full-Term On Court

Jorge Fragoso. Photo courtesy of the Office of the Governor.

Circuit Court Judge Jorge Fragoso, recently appointed to the bench by Gov. Tony Evers, announced Tuesday that he will seek election to the court in 2024.

Fragoso was appointed in September to finish the rest of Judge Lindsey Grady‘s term in Circuit Court Branch 23. Since Nov. 4, he has presided over misdemeanor cases. Prior to his appointment, Fragoso practiced criminal defense and civil litigation.

In an interview Tuesday, Fragoso said he believes it is important for a judge to be fair and ensure that court proceedings encourage confidence in the judiciary and the criminal justice system. Judges influence both the perception and functioning of the system, Fragoso said, and he wants to use the power of his judgeship to improve both.

“I am, at heart, an institutionalist,” Fragoso said. “I believe that civic society, and civic life, is improved by strong institutions.”

Fragoso was born in the U.S. but raised in Mexico until he was eight, growing up on the U.S. border. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School and Notre Dame. He began his career in the Waukesha County State Public Defender’s Office, later moving to the appellate division in Milwaukee. He joined Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP in 2021 and continued practicing criminal defense along with civil litigation and appeals. During his career he has argued cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

There are not many attorneys in Milwaukee County that speak Spanish, Fragoso said. Being able to communicate with people that come into the courtroom who don’t speak English, or whose first language is Spanish, can go a long way toward instilling confidence in the process, he said.

“I’ve seen it already [as a judge], right,” Fragoso said. “Somebody shows up, they don’t speak English. The interpreters may be appearing by video. And so they think that there’s nobody in that courtroom that can actually communicate with them.”

Fragoso said he places great value in attempting to strengthen the institution by representing it fairly and treating with respect everyone who interacts with it. It’s important for judges to do what they can to ensure cases move along swiftly, as long delays in the process are unfair and can disillusion participants, he said.

Swift justice is more important than harsh punishment, Fragoso said, adding that as judge he will do everything in his power to avoid unnecessary delays in balance with due process and providing enough time for cases to be prepared.

“From the point of view of making victims whole and of having people trust the institution, I think it’s important to move cases along,” Fragoso said.

Milwaukee’s circuit court system has struggled with a backlog of cases that built up during the COVID-19 pandemic, which court officials are still working to clear.

Beyond presiding over a courtroom, Fragoso said he is also interested in the “ceremonial role” judges can play and being “an ear for the Latino community” to voice concerns and ideas about the functioning of the justice system.

“One of my goals, really, in being judge, is to be more integrated with the community,” Fragoso said.

He does not want county residents to feel like the circuit court is “some system that is enacting things onto them,” but rather an important function of society that can even work for them.

Fragoso will be on the ballot for the spring general election in April. If two more candidates enter the race for Branch 23 there will be a primary election for the seat in February.

Circuit court judges are elected to six-year terms and are paid an annual salary of approximately $164,000 a year.

Update: A previous version of this story said Fragoso was born in Mexico. He was born in the U.S. and raised in Mexico.