Jennifer R. Dorow (née Evans; born 1970) is an American attorney from Wisconsin. She is a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Waukesha County, serving since 2011. She previously served as chief judge of the 3rd district of Wisconsin circuit courts (2017–2023). In 2022, she presided over the trial of Darrell Brooks Jr., the perpetrator of the Waukesha Christmas parade attack, which received national news coverage. Following that trial, Dorow ran for a vacant seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but was eliminated in the primary.[1]
Jennifer Dorow | |
|---|---|
.png) Dorow in 2023 | |
| Chief Judge of the 3rd District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts | |
| In office August 1, 2017 – July 31, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Randy R. Koschnick |
| Succeeded by | Paul Bugenhagen Jr. |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Waukesha Circuit, Branch 2 | |
| Assumed office December 1, 2011 | |
| Appointed by | Scott Walker |
| Preceded by | Mark Gundrum |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 1970 (age 54) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Brian Dorow |
| Education | Marquette University (BA) Regent University (JD) |
Personal life
editJennifer Dorow was born Jennifer Evans in 1970 and attended Waukesha South High School graduating in 1988.[2][3] During her childhood, Dorow wanted to work as a television news reporter.[4] Dorow received her bachelor’s degree from Marquette University in 1992 and her J.D. from Regent University School of Law in 1996. She has been licensed to practice law in Wisconsin since 1996.[2][3] Dorow is an active member of the Republican Party in Waukesha County.[5]
Dorow married Brian Dorow, a former dean of criminal justice at Waukesha County Technical College, in 1998. Brian Dorow ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2010, and for the Wisconsin Senate in 2015, but lost both races.[3][6] During the Trump administration, he was named Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for State and Local Law Enforcement.[7]
Dorow considers herself a devout Christian.[4]
Career
editEarly career and judicial appointment
editDorow began working for the Waukesha District Attorney in 1996. In 2000, she became Waukesha County's assistant district attorney. She left that job in 2004 to become a defense attorney for a private firm run by Matthew Huppertz. In 2010, she became a partner in the firm, now called Huppertz & Dorow.[2][8]
In 2011, Dorow was appointed a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Waukesha County by Governor Scott Walker, to replace judge Mark Gundrum, who had been elevated to the Court of Appeals.[9] She took office in February 2012.[10] In 2012 and 2018, Dorow ran unopposed for reelection to this office.[3] Dorow was selected as chief judge for the 3rd district of Wisconsin circuit courts by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2017, for a two year term, and was retained in that position in 2019 and 2021. The 3rd district comprises Dodge, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties.[11]
As a judge, Dorow has claimed to follow a textualist interpretation of the law and constitution.[12][13] During this time, Dorow served on the Legislative Council Study Committee on Bail & Conditions of Pretrial Release.[14] In 2021, Dorow presided over a carjacking and sexual assault case that occurred at the Waukesha Public Library.[15] That same year, she presided over a case involving a juror who walked out of a case due to concerns regarding COVID-19 precautions.[16] Both of these cases received substantial local coverage.[3]
Waukesha Christmas parade attack
editIn February 2022, Judge Dorow was selected as the presiding judge for the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack case after a vehicular attack that left six dead and dozens injured.[17][18] This was the first case Dorow had presided over to receive national media attention.[19] During the trial, the defendant, Darrell Brooks, made repeated attempts to disrupt the trial and present pseudolegal arguments based on sovereign citizen ideology.[20][21] Brooks' behavior resulted in Judge Dorow repeatedly removing the former for failure to comply with rules of decorum.[22] Brooks was ultimately found guilty of all 76 charges and sentenced to life without parole by Judge Dorow.[23]
Dorow has been widely praised for her ability to preside over the trial and her conduct in the proceedings. This resulted in the court receiving a substantial amount of fan-mail from individuals from various countries[24] and Judge Dorow being likened to a figure of female empowerment. Others have criticized her approach, believing that she was too lenient on Brooks' misbehavior.[25][26][27]
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidacy
editOn November 30, 2022, following the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack trial, Judge Dorow announced her candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The election was for the replacement of Chief Justice Patience D. Roggensack, who announced her retirement earlier in the year.[28] In her candidacy announcement, Dorow cited the fan mail she had received, claiming that a large number of voters had asked her to run for office and claimed to be a "judicial conservative".[13][29]
A month before the nonpartisan primary, Dorow was hit with allegations that her 19-year-old son was an active drug dealer in Milwaukee, and that she had been aware of his activities. The information was revealed after the fentanyl overdose death of a University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee student, Cade Reddington, who had been a frequent customer of Dorow's son.[30]
Daniel Kelly and Janet Protasiewicz advanced to the general election, with Dorow coming in third place.[31]
Political positions
editCash bail
editDuring her time on the Legislative Council Study Committee on Bail and Conditions of Pretrial Release, Dorow was highly critical of cash bail and called for its elimination. On January 29, 2019, she said:[14]
"We don't have a workable preventative detention, and more importantly, cash bail is not a best practice any more.... And so if we are going to change anything, we should be looking at a system that eliminates cash bail with a robust preventative detention coupled with statewide pre-trial services because uniformity and funding need to be part of this solution as well."
This comment, amongst others, drew criticism from conservative talk show host Mark Belling who accused Dorow of "consistently defend[ing] the lenient bail decisions made by court commissioners". In 2022, Dorow was still critical of cash bail, but when asked about eliminating cash bail, she instead supported proposed constitutional amendments that would give judges greater discretion in setting bail.[14]
Lawrence v. Texas
editDorow has previously been critical of the Lawrence v. Texas ruling, believing that the Supreme Court ruling overstepped the powers given by the United States Constitution. In her 2011 application to become a judge, Dorow referred to the ruling as "a prime example of judicial activism at its worst" and that "[Lawrence v. Texas] went well beyond the four corners of the U.S. Constitution to declare a new constitutional right".[12][32]
Electoral History
editWisconsin Circuit Court (2012–present)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 3, 2012 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Jennifer Dorow (incumbent) | 58,642 | 99.69% | ||
| Scattering | 182 | 0.31% | |||
| Total votes | 58,824 | 100.0% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 3, 2018 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Jennifer Dorow (incumbent) | 55,483 | 98.97% | ||
| Scattering | 575 | 1.03% | |||
| Total votes | 56,058 | 100.0% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 2, 2024 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Jennifer Dorow (incumbent) | 79,029 | 98.82% | ||
| Scattering | 939 | 1.18% | |||
| Total votes | 79,968 | 100.0% | |||
Wisconsin Supreme Court (2023)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Election, February 21, 2023 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Janet Protasiewicz | 446,403 | 46.42% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Daniel Kelly | 232,751 | 24.20% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Jennifer Dorow | 210,100 | 21.85% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Everett Mitchell | 71,895 | 7.48% | ||
| Scattering | 516 | 0.05% | |||
| Total votes | 961,665 | 100.0% | |||
References
edit- ^ Dabruzzi, Anthony (November 30, 2022). "Wisconsin's race for state Supreme Court heats up as the field of candidates grows". Spectrum News 1. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Walker's Judges: Jennifer R. Dorow". Wisconsin Justice Initiative Inc. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "What to know about Jennifer Dorow, the judge in the Darrell Brooks Waukesha Christmas Parade attack trial". Yahoo! News. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ a b Staff, Karen Pilarski - Freeman. "'Something I very much needed to do'". Greater Milwaukee Today. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ Bauer, Scott (2022-11-17). "Parade crash judge mulls Wisconsin Supreme Court run". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ 2010-09-14 Fall Primary summary post recount (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. October 4, 2010. p. 35. Retrieved December 7, 2022 – via Wisconsin Historical Society.
- ^ Michalets, Katherine (March 10, 2018). "Brian Dorow takes job in Washington D.C." Waukesha Freeman. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ Murphy, Bruce. "Murphy's Law: Is Judge Dorow Hiding Her Biography?". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
- ^ Vielmetti, Bruce (December 23, 2011). "Former prosecutor gets Waukesha County court appointment". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Jennifer Dorow Sworn in as Waukesha County's Newest Judge". Waukesha Patch. February 2, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Supreme Court appoints new chief judges from Waukesha, Winnebago counties". Wisconsin Court System (Press release). May 19, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "Walker's Judges: Jennifer R. Dorow". Wisconsin Justice Initiative Inc. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Wise, David (December 1, 2022). "Dorow vows to 'apply the law as it is written' as she formally announces Supreme Court bid". WisPolitics. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c Bice, Daniel (November 30, 2022). "Supreme Court candidate Jennifer Dorow has criticized the cash bail system". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ Huber, Brian. "Teen accused in Waukesha library sex assault remains in adult court". Greater Milwaukee Today. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Waukesha juror called back to court after leaving orientation due to COVID-19 concerns". TMJ4. October 5, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ Hughes, Clyde; Klein, Rich; Jacobson, Don (November 22, 2021). "Police: Suspect in Wisconsin parade crash was involved in 'domestic disturbance'". United Press International. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Riccioli, Jim; Vielmetti, Bruce. "Darrell Brooks' attorneys seek a change of venue and file not guilty pleas in the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy case". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "What to know about Jennifer Dorow, the judge in the Darrell Brooks Waukesha Christmas Parade attack trial". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "What is a sovereign citizen and how is Darrell Brooks using that argument in his trial?". CBS58. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Man Accused of Killing 6 at Christmas Parade Is Making a Mockery of His Trial". Vice News. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Day 15 of the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack trial: Brooks stares down Dorow, gets repeatedly removed from court". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Waukesha trial: US man sentenced to life for car-ramming attack". BBC News. November 17, 2022.
- ^ "Jennifer Dorow, the Waukesha Christmas parade trial judge, to announce run for Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "'You're a freakin' saint': Fan mail poured in for Judge Dorow during Waukesha parade trial". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ Schmidt, Mitchell (November 29, 2022). "Waukesha County Judge Jennifer Dorow to decide soon on possible Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Waukesha judge who presided over Brooks' trial getting 'fan mail'". spectrumnews1.com. November 1, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Jennifer Dorow, judge in Waukesha Christmas Parade trial, officially declares Wisconsin Supreme Court bid". Channel3000.com. November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Waukesha parade case judge running in 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election". PBS Wisconsin. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ Bice, Daniel (January 26, 2023). "Judge Jennifer Dorow faces questions from family in fentanyl death". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/us/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-election.html
- ^ Watch, Jacob Alabab-Moser / Wisconsin (2022-12-02). "Did Wisconsin judge Jennifer Dorow call a pro-LGBTQ ruling 'judicial activism at its worst'?". Wisconsin Watch. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ {{cite report|url=https://www.waukeshacounty.gov/globalassets/county-clerk/election-information/election-results/2013--2012/april-3-federal--state-election-view-only.pdf |publisher= Waukesha County |year=2012
- ^ {{cite report|url=https://www.waukeshacounty.gov/globalassets/county-clerk/election-information/state-certification-report.pdf |publisher= Waukesha County |year=2018
- ^ {{cite report|url=https://www.waukeshacounty.gov/globalassets/county-clerk/election-information/election-results/2023/web-summary-state-boc-fed-state-co.pdf |publisher= Waukesha County |year=2024
- ^ {{cite report|url=https://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Canvass%20Results_Spring%20Primary_2_21_23.pdf |publisher= Waukesha County |year=2023