[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11578]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RETIREMENT OF WISCONSIN STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WILLIAM BABLITCH

 Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the career of a 
distinguished public servant, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice William 
Bablitch. Justice Bablitch has been a voice of fairness and reason on 
the Wisconsin Supreme Court for nearly two decades. Upon his retirement 
in July of this year, Wisconsin will lose a fine jurist, but the State 
and the institution will be stronger for his contributions and his 
service.
  Justice Bablitch has deep roots in Wisconsin. He was born and raised 
in Stevens Point and graduated from Pacelli High School. He cleaned 
golf clubs while working his way through college, studying first at 
University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point and ultimately earning his 
bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin--Madison. He spent 2 
years in Liberia, West Africa in the Peace Corps, serving as an 
elementary school teacher. Upon his return he entered law school, and 
in 1968, he received his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin--
Madison. His close friends say his first love has always been the law.
  Justice Bablitch has spent his entire career in public service--first 
as the District Attorney in Portage County, later elected to the State 
Senate, and finally as a justice on the State Supreme Court. In Portage 
County, Justice Bablitch coordinated one of the first sensitive crimes 
units in the state and worked cooperatively with the Portage County 
Sheriff to help the University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point through the 
campus demonstrations that grew out of the Kent State protests and 
shootings.
  First elected in 1972, Justice Bablitch served as a State Senator for 
11 years representing Adams, Waushara, Portage and Wood Counties. For 7 
of his 11 years in the State Senate, he had the distinction of serving 
as Majority Leader. His legislative accomplishments are many and 
varied. He wrote the first campaign reform law restricting campaign 
spending and establishing public financing. He drafted watershed sexual 
assault legislation that prohibited the cross examination of a victim's 
past consensual sexual conduct--legislation which quickly became a 
national model. And he authored legislation which barred utilities from 
suspending or terminating service in the middle of winter.
  Justice Bablitch was elected to the Supreme Court in 1983 and was 
reelected in 1993. One of his most notable opinions came in a dissent 
where he upheld Wisconsin's hate crimes law. His dissent, however, 
became the majority position of the United States Supreme Court when 
that body upheld Wisconsin's law. He wrote opinions strengthening 
Wisconsin's ``lemon law.'' He also authored important opinions in civil 
rights and environmental cases. Justice Bablitch's tenure will be 
remembered for his ability to resolve complex issues of great 
importance to every resident of Wisconsin.
  On July 31 of this year, Justice Bablitch will step down from his 
position on the Court. With his long career in public service and his 
demonstrated devotion to the law, it is nearly certain that Justice 
Bablitch will not be closing the book on his career--only ending 
another distinguished chapter. Yet on this occasion, we would be remiss 
if we did not thank him for his outstanding contributions, for his 
dedication and for his even-handedness on the bench.
  Let me close by quoting Justice Bablitch himself: ``Law is the glue 
that holds our society together. Without law we have chaos.'' Wisconsin 
owes him a debt of gratitude for devoting his career to being the 
glue.

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