Timothy Brown (judge)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Succeeded byGeorge R. Currie
Appointed byOscar Rennebohm
Preceded byJohn D. Wickhem
The Honorable
Timothy Brown
Brown, circa 1953
18th Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
May 18, 1962  January 1, 1964
Preceded byGrover L. Broadfoot
Succeeded byGeorge R. Currie
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
July 14, 1949  January 1, 1964
Appointed byOscar Rennebohm
Preceded byJohn D. Wickhem
Succeeded byBruce F. Beilfuss
Personal details
Born(1889-02-24)February 24, 1889
DiedDecember 31, 1977(1977-12-31) (aged 88)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery
Madison, Wisconsin
PartyRepublican
Spouses
  • Margaret Seymour Titchener
    (m. 1921; died 1936)
  • Louise Coxon
    (m. 1936; died 1977)
Children
  • Timothy Brown Jr.
  • (b. 1922; died 1977)
Education
ProfessionLawyer
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
Battles/warsWorld War I

Timothy Brown Sr. (February 24, 1889  December 31, 1977) was an American lawyer and jurist from Madison, Wisconsin. He was the 18th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (19621963), and served a total of 14 years on the court. Before joining the court, he was executive legal counsel to governors Walter S. Goodland and Oscar Rennebohm, the latter appointed him to the Supreme Court.[1]

Brown was born in Madison, Wisconsin.[2] He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1911 with a bachelor of arts degree. In 1914, he graduated Harvard Law School with a bachelor of laws degree.[3]

After graduating law school Brown practiced as an attorney (including in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)[2] from 1914 through 1949, with exception of his period of service in the United States Navy in 1917 and 1918 (amid World War I).[3]

From 1926 to 1949, Brown served as a court commissioner in Dane County, Wisconsin.[3] He served as executive counsel to the governor of Wisconsin,[2] both under Governor Walter Goodland (from 1945 to 1947) and under Governor Oscar Rennebohm (from 1947 to 1949).[3] In 1949, Brown additionally served on the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.[3]

Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court

In 1949, Brown was appointed by Governor Rennebohm to join the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In 1962, he became chief justice of the court, ultimately retiring in 1964.[4][5][6]

He became chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court by rule of seniority on May 18, 1962, after the death of Chief Justice Grover L. Broadfoot. At the time he became chief justice, he was already expected to step down at the end of 1963, when his current term expired. This was due to a 1955 amendment to the state constitution, which set 70 as a mandatory retirement age for state judges.[7][note 1]

Personal life and family

Notes

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI