Q&A: Judicial candidates share what sets them apart in Winnebago County circuit court race
OSHKOSH – A longtime judge in Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch 2 is facing an election challenge for the first time in two election cycles in what has been a tightly contested campaign.
Judge Scott Woldt, who was appointed to the bench in 2004, ran unopposed in 2011 and 2017 races, but he now is facing off in the April election against former Winnebago County judge LaKeisha Haase.
This is the first time Woldt is seeking reelection after he was suspended without pay for seven days by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2021 because of misconduct.
Haase, who was appointed to the court in Dec. 2020 and served until April 2022 when she lost a re-election bid to Mike Gibbs, and Woldt are seeking a six-year term on the bench.
The Oshkosh Northwestern reached out to the candidates to answer questions about what sets them apart in the race and how they would preside as a judge in Winnebago County. Candidates' responses are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Some responses have been lightly edited for clarity in the Q&A format.
LaKeisha D. Haase
Age: 44
City of residence: Oshkosh
Occupation: Litigation attorney with Renning, Lewis & Lacy, s.c.
Highest education level: Juris Doctor, Marquette University Law School
Relevant experience: Winnebago County Circuit Court judge, Branch 4; trial attorney with the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office; Litigation attorney in both the federal and circuit; Judicial assistant in Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch 4; court assistant in Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch 1; volunteer attorney for Winnebago Free Legal Assistance Clinic; Drug and Alcohol Treatment Court Professional; presiding judge for State High School Mock Trial Competitions
Facebook page: LaKeisha D. Haase, Judicial Candidate
Scott C. Woldt
Age: 61
City of residence: Oshkosh
Occupation: Circuit Court Judge in Winnebago County Branch 2 since 2004
Highest education level: UW-Oshkosh, B.S. 1984; Hamline University School of Law, J.D. 1987
Relevant experience: Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch 2, 2004 to present (19 years)
Facebook page: Keep Judge Woldt
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Why are you running for this office?
Haase: The Supreme Court found that my opponent openly and callously disregards his obligation to be fair, reasoned, impartial and courteous. This has destroyed the public’s confidence in our judiciary. Winnebago deserves a judiciary that reflects its values and abides by the judicial oath. I will restore integrity to the bench.
Woldt: I have served as Circuit Court Branch 2 judge since 2004. My hard work protecting our communities isn’t finished. I have presided on over 190 jury trials and handled more than 30,000 cases through disposition. There is a 35,000-case backlog in the Wisconsin Courts. There is no case backlog in Branch 2.
Why are you the best candidate in this race?
Haase: My experience on the bench and expansive legal career, coupled with my commitment of service to our community. I’ve never been overturned on appeal, suspended from the bench or had a single judicial complaint filed against me. Preparedness, integrity and commitment to the rule of law are my guiding principles.
Woldt: I have established rehabilitative programs as Chair of the Safe Streets Committee, which I started. I started the Winnebago County Drug Court, which I presided over for 10 years. I have developed programs with mandatory treatment for OWI offenders. These programs reduce crime while saving taxpayers their hard-earned income. Experience matters.
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What are residents telling you are the most important issues, and how would you work to address them?
Haase: Residents are expressing their concerns, verbalizing their mistreatment and demanding change from the judiciary in Branch 2. The repeated and incessant judicial misconduct is appalling and distressing to residents. My commitment to the canons of ethics, integrity and transparency will aid in earning back the community’s trust and confidence in our judiciary.
Protection of the community is always a concern, which coincides with the drug epidemic. We continue to use the same programs we have been using for years to tackle problems that are ever-changing. We must constantly assess and adjust our strategies or risk never adequately addressing the problems.
Woldt: How do we address drug and alcohol use in the community? The primary purpose of the Winnebago County Safe Streets Committee, which I started 19 years ago, is community safety. We seek a balance between punishment and rehabilitation by providing alternatives to incarceration. Our focus includes treatment and programs to instill accountability in citizens involved in drug- and alcohol-related offenses against our community. Drug Court and the Safe Streets Treatment Option Program, SSTOP, get non-violent offenders the treatment they need. Results of these programs show a decrease in recidivism of approximately 50%. As of 2023, participants have performed over 85,000 hours of community service.
Contact Bremen Keasey at 920-570-5614 or bkeasey@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Keasinho.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Winnebago County judicial candidates state their case before April election
