Gov. Evers Appoints State Representative Chris Taylor to Dane County Circuit Court

MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers announced today that he appointed State Representative Chris Taylor to the Dane County Circuit Court. The appointment fills a vacancy that will be created on August 1, 2020, by Judge Jill Karofsky’s election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

“Chris Taylor has devoted her life to fighting for people’s legal rights, having worked as an attorney in private practice, a nonprofit leader, and most recently in the Wisconsin Legislature,” said Gov. Evers. “This passion for justice and the law will make her an excellent addition to the Dane County Circuit Court.”

Taylor has served five terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly, where she co-authored more than 250 bills and resolutions, including a law requiring independent, outside investigations of law enforcement-involved deaths. Before entering the Legislature, Taylor was the public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin. Taylor was in private practice from 1996 to 2003, where she focused on family law and civil litigation.

“Chris Taylor’s experience as an attorney and a legislator make her uniquely qualified to be a circuit court judge,” said Judge Karofsky. “She understands how laws are created and how they impact real people. She will be a tremendous asset to the Dane County bench.”

“I am deeply honored by this appointment and thank Governor Evers for this opportunity to serve my community as a Dane County Circuit Court judge,” said Taylor. “It is more critical than ever that the judicial branch ensure equal access to justice for all in an impartial, independent forum. As a judge, I will use my life-time experiences of working for fairness and equity to help accomplish that result.”

Taylor graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She is the recipient of the Good Government Award from the Center for Families, the Children’s Champion Policy Award from the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and the Social Innovation Award by Madison Magazine.