William J. Duffy

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The Honorable
William J. Duffy
Chief Judge of the 8th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts
In office
August 1, 1982 – July 31, 1988
Preceded byClarence W. Nier
Succeeded byHarold Vernon Froehlich
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Brown Circuit, Branch 3
In office
August 1, 1978 – July 31, 1992
Preceded byTransitioned from 14th Circ.
Succeeded bySusan Bischel
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 14th Circuit, Branch 3
In office
June 1968 – July 31, 1978
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byTransitioned to Brown Circ.
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Brown 2nd district
In office
January 1, 1949 – January 1, 1951
Preceded byHarvey Larsen
Succeeded byHarvey Larsen
Personal details
Born(1916-10-29)October 29, 1916
North Branch, Minnesota, US
DiedFebruary 25, 2013(2013-02-25) (aged 96)
Green Bay, Wisconsin, US
Resting placeAllouez Catholic Cemetery, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseElizabeth Boyden (m. 1950; died 1999)
Children5
Education
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service
Years of service1941–1945
Rank Captain
Battles/warsWorld War II

William J. Duffy (October 29, 1916 – February 25, 2013) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He retired in 1992 after 24 years as a Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge in Brown County. Earlier in his career, he represented Brown County in the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Democrat.

Biography[edit]

Born in North Branch, Minnesota, Duffy grew up in Hollandtown, Wisconsin, and graduated from Kaukauna High School. He graduated from St. Norbert College and received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1941. Later that year, he joined the United States Army Air Forces for service in World War II. He served throughout the war in the Pacific theater, rising to the rank of Captain.[1][2][3]

After the war, he practiced law in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in a partnership with attorney Jerry Clifford. In 1948 he defeated incumbent Republican Assemblyman Harvey Larsen to serve in the Wisconsin State Assembly for the 1949-1950 session.[4] Larsen came back and defeated Duffy in 1950, ending his brief career in the Assembly. Duffy returned to his legal practice.[1][3]

In 1967, the Wisconsin Legislature created a third branch in the 14th judicial circuit. Duffy ran unopposed in the special election for the new circuit court judgeship, and would remain on the circuit court in Brown County for the next 24 years, earning re-election in 1974, 1980, and 1986. In 1982, he was selected as Chief Judge for the 8th Judicial Administrative District by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He served the maximum 3 two-year terms as Chief Judge.[1]

Judge Duffy retired from the court in 1992, but continued to work as a reserve judge and remained an active member of the community in the city of Green Bay.[1] He served on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay from 1970 to 1975, teaching labor law, he was the first president of the Green Bay Voluntary Commission on Human Rights, and was a member of the Governor's Commission on Human Rights.[3]

Personal life and family[edit]

In May 1950, Duffy married Elizabeth Boyden. Judge Duffy died on February 25, 2013, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at age 96. His wife preceded him in death. They were survived by five children and ten grandchildren.[1][3]

Electoral history[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly (1948, 1950)[edit]

Wisconsin Assembly, Brown 2nd District Election, 1948[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 2, 1948
Democratic William J. Duffy 8,015 55.87% +6.64%
Republican Harvey Larsen (incumbent) 6,331 44.13%
Plurality 1,684 11.74% +10.20%
Total votes 14,346 100.0% +12.61%
Democratic gain from Republican
Wisconsin Assembly, Brown 2nd District Election, 1950[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 7, 1950
Republican Harvey Larsen 6,775 51.08%
Democratic William J. Duffy (incumbent) 6,488 48.92% -6.95%
Plurality 287 2.16% -9.57%
Total votes 13,263 100.0% -7.55%
Republican gain from Democratic

Wisconsin Circuit Court (1968, 1974, 1980, 1986)[edit]

Wisconsin Circuit Court, 14th Circuit, Branch 3 Election, 1968[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, April 2, 1968
Nonpartisan William J. Duffy 37,609 100.0%
Total votes 37,609 100.0%

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Duffy, Judge William J." Green Bay Press-Gazette. February 26, 2013. Retrieved April 4, 2020 – via Legacy.com.
  2. ^ Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1950). "Members of the legislature". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 40. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Judge William J. Duffy, Brown County Circuit Court" (PDF). The Third Branch. Vol. 21, no. 1. Wisconsin Court System. 2013. p. 4. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1950). "Parties and elections: the general election". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 759. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  5. ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1952). "Parties and elections: the general election". The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1952 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 749. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1970). "Elections in Wisconsin". The state of Wisconsin Blue Book, 1970 (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 837. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
Legal offices
New branch Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 14th Circuit, Branch 3
1968 – 1978 		Circuit abolished
New circuit Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Brown Circuit, Branch 3
1978 – 1992 		Succeeded by
Susan Bischel
Preceded by
Clarence W. Nier
 Chief Judge of the 8th District of Wisconsin Circuit Courts
1982 – 1988 		Succeeded by
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