Briefs: WI judge nominated for federal judgeship+.

• Date: 30 January 2002
• Author: Ziemer, David

Byline: David Ziemer

President Bush nominates Griesbach for federal eastern district judgeship

Brown County Circuit Court Judge William C. Griesbach, who celebrated his 48th birthday last Thursday, received a present from the White House a day early when President George W. Bush nominated him to serve as a federal district judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, according to an article in the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Griesbach is among 24 federal judicial nominees who will be sent to the Senate for confirmation, the White House announced.

If confirmed, he will fill the newly created court to be based in Green Bay, and serve the 21 northern counties of the Eastern District. Griesbach would become the fifth federal judge in the district.

Griesbach was one of five finalists that a bipartisan selection committee offered to the White House. Democratic Sens. Herb Kohl and Russell Feingold and the states senior congressional Republican, Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls, organized the committee.

Two of the finalists, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice N. Patrick Crooks, and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Elsa C. Lamelas, were blackballed by the Democratic Senators.

The other two finalists Judge Joseph Troy of Outagamie County Circuit Court and Green Bay attorney Thomas Schober confirmed last month that they had not been selected. But Griesbach, the only remaining candidate, had declined comment until the official White House announcement. The delay occurred in order for the FBI to complete a background check.

Griesbach told the Press-Gazette last week, I dont want to be presumptuous about what the Senate will do, but I am hopeful that I...