New federal judgeship needs place to hear cases.

• Date: 15 May 2002

Byline: Tony Anderson

With the swearing in of Judge William C. Griesbach this Friday, Green Bay will have its first federal judge. Now all it needs is a place for him to hear cases.

By the end of this week, Griesbach, a Brown County Circuit Court judge, will be sworn into his new role as the first federal district judge in the Eastern District of Wisconsin's newest bench seat - the Green Bay Division. That seat was created as part of a federal appropriations bill signed into law Dec. 21, 2000. President George W. Bush signed Griesbach's commission on May 1, 2002.

The Search for Space

The district court judge's first task will be finding some place to hear cases. That's a project he and other Eastern District of Wisconsin officials have already begun.

"The biggest challenge is going to be to find suitable space for the functioning of the court in a very short period of time," Griesbach said during a telephone interview. "The legislation that created this court is clear that it is to be located in Green Bay and that it is to serve northeastern Wisconsin."

While he has been wrapping things up with his circuit court calendar, Griesbach also has been looking for suitable space for a temporary federal court. He has been working with Eastern District Chief Judge J.P. Stadtmueller, Clerk of Court Sofron B. Nedilsky and members of the General Services Administration (GSA) to find space to lease.

"My first goal is to find that immediate space," Griesbach said. "We're looking at moving into an existing facility and renovating it for immediate space."

The goal is to find a space large enough for the clerk of court's staff, the judge's staff, his chambers and a hearing room. The federal court also is trying to make arrangements to borrow a courtroom at the Brown County Courthouse for jury...