Donald Walter Steinmetz (September 19, 1924 – August 31, 2013) was an American lawyer and judge. He served as a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court for 19 years, and before that was a trial judge in Milwaukee County for 14 years.

The Honorable
Donald W. Steinmetz
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
August 1, 1980 – September 1999
Preceded byConnor Hansen
Succeeded byDiane S. Sykes
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 27
In office
August 1, 1978 – August 1, 1980
Preceded byTransitioned from County Court
Succeeded byThomas P. Doherty
County Judge for Milwaukee County, Branch 8
In office
January 1, 1966 – July 31, 1978
Preceded byHerbert A. Schultz
Succeeded byTransitioned to Circuit Court
Personal details
Born(1924-09-19)September 19, 1924
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
DiedAugust 31, 2013(2013-08-31) (aged 88)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Resting placeHoly Cross Cemetery
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Spouses
  • Marjorie M. Olejniczak
  • (m. 1944)
Children
  • Mary Christine (Bird)
  • Kathleen Marie (Boer)
  • Christian George Steinmetz
  • Susan Kathryn (Leverson)
  • James Martin Steinmetz
Parents
Education
Professionlawyer, judge
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service
Years of service1943–1945
Battles/warsWorld War II

Background

edit

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Steinmetz served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Steinmetz then graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Steinmetz was a claims attorney before his service in government. Between 1958 and 1966, he worked as an assistant Milwaukee city attorney, an assistant district attorney in Milwaukee County, and an assistant Wisconsin Attorney General. In 1964, he was the preferred candidate of Democratic leaders, including Governor John W. Reynolds, Jr., to replace deceased Milwaukee County District Attorney William McCauley, but the post went to Hugh O'Connell. He was a Wisconsin county judge and later a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge for Milwaukee County after the county courts were combined into the circuit courts. He was also a teacher at the Wisconsin Judicial College. He was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1980 and re-elected in 1990.[1][2]

He died on August 31, 2013, in Milwaukee.[3]

Notes

edit
Legal offices
Preceded by
New circuit
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 27
1978 – 1980
Succeeded by
Thomas P. Doherty
Preceded by Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
1980 – 1999
Succeeded by