Judge Jill Karofsky announces candidacy for Wisconsin Supreme Court

MADISON — Judge Jill Karofsky, a former local and state prosecutor and executive director of the Wisconsin Office of Crime Victim Services, announced today she has filed her candidacy for Wisconsin Supreme Court in the April 2020 election.

“Our country is on the wrong track, with the judiciary being increasingly politicized and the rule of law being ignored for partisan political reasons, and I think we need strong leaders who will put our strong Wisconsin political tradition of independent and honest courts first,” said Karofsky. “I believe in Wisconsin, and our history of great public schools, protecting our beautiful natural resources, and protecting civil rights for all. As a prosecutor and a judge, I have deep experience in state courtrooms, and have spent my career fighting to protect victims.”

Karofsky, an ultra-marathoner who has also completed multiple Ironman races, was born and raised in south-central Wisconsin and attended public schools. She was a state tennis champion, a Division I athlete at Duke University, and graduated with both a master’s degree and law degree from UW-Madison.

“The American judicial system is built on independent judges, not a system in which you decide what political team you’re on,” said Karofsky. “We can see the corroding effect of big money on our judicial system, and it’s time to restore a sense of justice and honor to our legal system. I will follow the law, and I will protect our Wisconsin values.”

Karofsky is the daughter of local pediatrician Peter Karofsky, and former Middleton Mayor Judy Karofsky, one of the first women in Wisconsin to serve as mayor.

“This country has made tremendous strides in extending equal rights to all, and I’m inspired by the example of my mother and the many women on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court,” said Karofsky. “We can’t go backwards, and it’s distressing to me that rather than respecting our rights, we now see a moment in which political forces seek to roll back the advances in civil rights we’ve made in the last few generations.

“More than anything, our courts are about constitutional rights,” said Karofsky. “We will serve the needs of crime victims, we will stand up for racial justice and civil rights, we will protect the right to marriage equality, and we will never allow for the rights of women to be rolled back. I look forward to getting around the state and carrying that message to voters in every corner of Wisconsin.”

Karofsky received the WI Coalition for Sexual Assault’s “Voices of Courage Award,” was named the WI Victim/Witness Professional Association’s “Professional of the Year,” and earned a “Significant Impact” Award from a local organization dedicated to ending domestic violence. She currently serves on the Wisconsin Judicial Education Committee and chairs the Violence Against Women STOP Grant committee. She previously co-chaired the Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Response Team, and served on the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse, the WI Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, the Wisconsin Crime Victims Council, and the Dane County Big Brothers/Big Sisters Board of Directors.

Karofsky has two children, a daughter in college and a son in high school. Her campaign can be found at JillForJustice.com and on Facebook at /jillforjustice.

Jill for Justice

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.