What to know about Jennifer Dorow, the judge in the trial of Jessy Kurczewski, accused of poisoning friend

The trial of a Franklin woman accused of poisoning a family friend and stealing her money gets underway Monday and will be presided over by a judge now well-known for overseeing one of the most high-profile trials in recent state history.

Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Dorow will preside over the trial, expected to last about five weeks, of Jessy Kurczewski, 39, who faces charges of intentional homicide and two other felonies.

Dorow's rise to prominence preceded her unsuccessful bid for state Supreme Court earlier this year.

Here's a few facts about Dorow.

Jennifer Dorow graduated from Marquette and Regent University School of Law

Dorow, 53, is a graduate of Marquette University and Regent University School of Law. She has been licensed to practice law in Wisconsin since 1996.

She is a circuit court judge in Waukesha County. She previously served as chief judge of the 3rd Judicial Administrative District, which comprises Dodge, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.

Dorow is married to Brian Dorow, who previously worked as a Waukesha police officer and was an associate dean of law enforcement at Waukesha County Technical College. He also served as a deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and currently runs his own security company, according to his LinkedIn page.

He also ran for a state Senate seat in the 33rd District during a 2015 special election.

How did Jennifer Dorow rise to prominence?

Dorow presided over one of the most high-profile trials in state history during last year's trial of a Milwaukee man who drove his SUV through a crowded Christmas parade in Waukesha, killing six people and injuring dozens more.

She drew a national following during the month-long trial for her dealings with defendant Darrell Brooks, who continually interrupted court proceedings and ignored her rulings while representing himself. She ultimately sentenced the convicted Brooks to multiple life terms in prison.

Following the trial, Dorow entered the state Supreme Court race that would become the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history. She lost February's primary election to Daniel Kelly, a fellow judicial conservative. Janet Protasiewicz defeated Kelly in the spring election.

How long has Jennifer Dorow been a judge?

She was appointed to the bench in Waukesha County by former Gov. Scott Walker in December 2011 and was re-elected in 2012 and 2018. Her term expires in 2024.

How does Jennifer Dorow identify ideologically?

Dorow ran as a conservative in the primary for the state Supreme Court and split GOP support with Kelly. Though officially nonpartisan, candidates for Supreme Court align with political ideology and are backed by partisans.

Prominent Republicans like conservative activist Mike Grebe, radio show host Mark Belling, congressmen and legislative leaders lined up to support Dorow. They believed she would be more appealing to voters in the spring election than Kelly.

What other positions has Jennifer Dorow held?

Prior to becoming a judge, Dorow was a prosecutor with Waukesha County's district attorney's office. Before that, she worked in private practice with Huppertz & Dorow, S.C. She replaced Mark Gundrum on the bench, whom Walker appointed to the state Court of Appeals.

Molly Beck and Erik S. Hanley, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff, contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about Jennifer Dorow, the judge in Franklin woman's poisoning trial