The Honorable Patrick Willis | |
|---|---|
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for theManitowoc Circuit,Branch 1 | |
| In office July 1997 – October 5, 2012 | |
| Appointed by | Tommy Thompson |
| Preceded by | Allan J. Deehr |
| Succeeded by | Mark R. Rohrer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Patrick Lee Willis (1950-02-01)February 1, 1950 (age 75) Manitowoc, Wisconsin, U.S |
| Education | Marquette University University of Wisconsin Law School |
| Occupation | Lawyer,Judge |
Patrick Lee Willis (born February 1, 1950) is an American lawyer and retired judge. He was aWisconsin Circuit Court judge inManitowoc County, Wisconsin, from 1997 until 2012.[1] Willis gained national recognition when he presided over the highly publicizedSteven Avery homicide trial in 2007; his rulings regarding the admissibility of certain key pieces of evidence were frequent sources of news stories.
Willis grew up inManitowoc, Wisconsin. He graduated fromMarquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1972 with an honors degree in history.[citation needed] Willis attended law school at theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison, graduating with aJ.D. degree in 1975.[2] During law school, he served as an editor of theWisconsin Law Review.[2]
Willis was admitted to theState Bar of Wisconsin in June 1975.[3][4] He first worked as an attorney for the law firm of Muchin & Muchin in Manitowoc. In May 1977 he was hired as the City Attorney for the city of Manitowoc. His tenure as city attorney involved serving as a legal advisor to the mayor and the common council. Willis helped bring theS.S. Badger car ferry back to Manitowoc and was instrumental in the revival of theBurger Boat Company.[1][5]
Wisconsin GovernorTommy Thompson appointed Willis as Manitowoc County Circuit Court judge in 1997 to fill a vacancy left by Allan Deehr.[6] Upon completion of his interim term, Willis successfully ran for the same position in 1998, receiving more than 80% of the vote.[7] He was re-elected in 2002 and 2008, and retired from the bench in October 2012.[8]
Willis presided over the highly publicizedSteven Avery/Teresa Halbach murder case in 2007.[9] Because Avery had been exonerated of rape and freed in 2003 after serving 18 years in prison, the trial attracted national media attention.[10][11] In 2015, the Avery trial was the subject ofNetflix's true crime documentary seriesMaking a Murderer.[12]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Allan J. Deehr | Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for theManitowoc Circuit, Branch 1 1997 – 2012 | Succeeded by Mark R. Rohrer |