US EditionWisconsin Supreme Court suspends judge who left court to arrest a hospitalized defendant
- On June 26, 2025, Judge Ellen Berz of Dane County will begin a seven-day suspension without pay following a judicial misconduct ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
- The suspension followed a complaint filed in October by the Wisconsin Judicial Commission citing incidents from 2019 and 2021 involving improper conduct.
- Berz left her courtroom in December 2021 to attempt arresting a hospitalized defendant, ignoring her attorney’s advice and her role as a neutral decision-maker.
- The court found Berz acted impulsively and with a lack of restraint, agreeing with the Judicial Conduct Panel that the suspension was needed to promote judicial professionalism.
- This suspension makes Berz the second Wisconsin judge suspended by the Supreme Court within five weeks, reflecting ongoing enforcement of judicial ethical standards.
30 Articles
30 Articles
Wisconsin judge suspended after leaving court to try to arrest hospitalized defendant
The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended a Dane County judge for her actions in 2021, when she attempted to arrest a hospitalized defendant herself after he didn’t show up for trial. The state Supreme Court ordered the seven-day suspension of Ellen Berz after a judicial conduct review panel said she acted “impulsively” and failed to perform…
Wisconsin Supreme Court suspends judge who left court to arrest hospitalized defendant
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended a Dane County judge for a week Tuesday for leaving court to try to arrest a hospitalized defendant herself and getting into a sarcastic exchange with another defendant seeking a trial delay.The court agreed with a judicial conduct review panel’s suspension recommendation for Ellen Berz, finding that she deserved more than a reprimand because she behaved impulsively and showed a lack of…
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