D.A. tabbed for county judge seat

Nieskes will also run for Branch 5 seat in spring election

Gov. Scott Walker on Dec. 13 appointed Racine County District Attorney Michael Nieskes to fill the vacant judge’s seat on the county circuit court.

The appointment, which is only good until the spring election, gives Nieskes a leg up on the competition for the Branch 5 seat.

The vacancy was created last August when longtime Judge Dennis Berry died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Nieskes will take the seat following formal resignation of the district attorney’s post and a two-week mentoring process involving other circuit court judges in the area. Once seated, he will begin hearing the civil cases on Berry’s docket.

According to the governor’s office, Nieskes brings considerable experience as a prosecutor to the position. He has been the district attorney since 2004 and before was a deputy prosecutor for the county – a position he held in several Illinois counties before accepting the position in Racine.

“His invaluable experience will assist him as he seeks to clarify, not create, law,” Walker said in a statement released by his office.

In his current position, Nieskes has been involved with the creation of a drug and alcohol abuse treatment court, a mental health diversion track for misdemeanor offenders and substance abuse treatment programming in jail, according to the governor’s office.

According to the state Government Accountability Board, as of late last week Nieskes was the only candidate to have declared his intention to run for the judge’s seat when the term expires in 2012.

The general election is April 3.