William Eich

William Eich is an American lawyer and retired judge. He was Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 1989 to 1998. Earlier in his career, he served as a county judge and Wisconsin circuit judge in Dane County, Wisconsin.

The Honorable William Eich
Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
In office 1989–1998
Preceded by	Burton A. Scott
Succeeded by	Thomas Cane
Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District IV
In office 1985–2000
Appointed by	Tony Earl
Preceded by	Martha Bablitch
Succeeded by	Paul Lundsten
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Dane Circuit, Branch 4
In office August 1, 1978 – 1985
Preceded by	Transitioned from County court
Succeeded by	Paulette L. Siebers
County Judge for Dane County Branch 6
In office 1975 – July 31, 1978
Appointed by	Patrick Lucey
Preceded by	Michael B. Torphy, Jr.
Succeeded by	Transitioned to Circuit court
Personal details
Born	Park Ridge, Illinois, U.S.

Biography

Eich was born in Park Ridge, Illinois. He graduated from Maine East High School in 1956, Beloit College in 1960 and the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1963. Eich and his wife, Lynne, have four children. Eich has published in law reviews and legal periodicals on a variety of legal and government-related topics.

Career

After practicing with a private law firm in Madison, Wisconsin, Eich served as an Assistant and Deputy Attorney General of Wisconsin with Attorneys General Bronson La Follette and Robert W. Warren. In 1971, Governor Patrick Lucey appointed Eich as Chairman of the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Lucey later appointed Eich to be a Judge of the Wisconsin Circuit Court in 1975. Eich was appointed to the Court of Appeals by Governor Tony Earl in 1985. He later became chief judge in 1989 and remained in that position until 1998 before retiring in 2000. Since retiring from full-time judicial service, he has remained a reserve judge for the Circuit Court and served as a legal advisor to the Wisconsin State Journal.