A special election for the Lake Country Municipal Court judge seat has been set for April 6, giving voters across 22 communities in Waukesha, Jefferson and Washington counties a chance to weigh in on who will take the bench after a messy exit by the court's longtime judge earlier this year. The winner will serve the remainder of the current term.
The Oconomowoc Common Council was asked to adopt a revised special election order setting that April 6 date, with the goal of having all 22 member municipalities vote on the same day, according to Greater Milwaukee Today. The seat has been vacant since Tim Kay stepped down from the court in April; Greater Milwaukee Today described his departure as a retirement, while other reporting characterized it as a resignation.
How the Seat Became Vacant
Kay's exit followed an investigation into his conduct in a speeding-ticket case involving a driver who had left a one-star Google review of Kay's law firm, according to gmtoday.com's report on the swearing-in of his interim replacement. Reporting from Wisconsin Right Now details how Oconomowoc police referred a possible charge of misconduct in public office against Kay to prosecutors in April.
At the center of the case was Matthew Kolb, who received a speeding ticket and later posted the negative review of Kay's firm. The gmtoday.com report on the district attorney's decision states that Kay then ordered Kolb's fine doubled to $248 and reverted the citation back to its original four-point violation. Waukesha County District Attorney Lesli Boese ultimately declined to issue charges against Kay, per the same gmtoday.com account of the sworn-in interim judge.
An Interim Judge Steps In
With the seat empty, the 22 member communities unanimously approved Ron Sonderhouse as interim judge, and he was sworn in on a Tuesday, the station's report notes.
Sonderhouse's appointment is a bridge, not a permanent fix. He will serve on an interim basis, while the April 6 special election will choose a judge to complete the remainder of the current term Kay left behind. The election involves the Lake Country Municipal Court and 22 communities across Waukesha, Jefferson and Washington counties.
How the Election Date Was Set
The Oconomowoc Common Council's vote on the April 6 date mattered because the goal was to have all 22 member municipalities vote on the same day.
