Pedro Colón

This article is about the American judge. For the Puerto Rican politician, see Pedro Colón Osorio. For the Puerto Rican sailor, see Pedro Colón (sailor).
Pedro Colón
Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for the 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 20, 2023
Appointed byTony Evers
Preceded byTimothy Dugan
Judge of the Wisconsin Circuit Court for the Milwaukee Circuit
Branch 18
In office
September 20, 2010 – November 20, 2023
Appointed byJim Doyle
Preceded byPatricia McMahon
Succeeded byRonnie Murray
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 8th district
In office
January 1, 1999 – September 20, 2010
Preceded byWalter Kunicki
Succeeded byJoCasta Zamarripa
Personal details
Born (1968-04-07) April 7, 1968 (age 56)
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseBetty Ulmer
Children2
EducationMarquette University (BA)
University of Wisconsin, Madison (JD)

Pedro A. Colón (born April 7, 1968) is an American lawyer, jurist, and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in the Milwaukee-based 2nd district since November 2023.[1] He previously served 13 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County, and prior to his judicial service, he was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly for six terms, representing the 8th Assembly district from 1999 to 2010.[2] He was the first Latino elected to the Wisconsin Legislature, and now the first Latino to judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Background

Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, April 7, 1968, Colón grew up on the South Side of Milwaukee and graduated from Milwaukee's Thomas More High School. He received his B.A. in political science from Marquette University in 1991, and his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1994.[3]

Political history

He was first elected to the State Assembly in 1998, making him the first Latino to be elected a member of either house of the Wisconsin Legislature;[4] he was reelected in the next five elections. He served as vice-chair of the Joint Committee on Finance and of the Judiciary and Ethics Committee.

He briefly ran for Mayor of Milwaukee in 2003, but withdrew, endorsing and becoming co-chair of the campaign for eventual 2004 election winner Tom Barrett.[5] Colón also ran unsuccessfully for Milwaukee city attorney in 2008 against incumbent Grant Langley.

On May 26, 2010, Colón announced that he was not running for re-election in the 2010 general election, and resigned from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Commission, which he once chaired.[6] The next day, he confirmed that he was applying for a job as the deputy director of legal services at the District, and had resigned to avoid a potential conflict of interest.[7]

Wisconsin circuit judge

In September 2010, Governor Jim Doyle appointed Colón a Wisconsin circuit court judge for Milwaukee County.[8][9] He was elected to a full term in the April 5, 2011, spring election,[10][11] and was subsequently re-elected in 2017 and 2023.

Court of Appeals

Just after the 2023 election, Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge Timothy Dugan announced he would not run for re-election in 2024. Colón announced his campaign to succeed Dugan in May 2023.[12] Dugan subsequently announced he would leave office early, in November 2023. Governor Tony Evers then appointed Colón to succeed Dugan in November to finish out the remaining year of his term. When sworn in, Colón will be the first Latino to serve on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.[13]

Personal life

He is married to Betty J. Ulmer; they have two daughters, Lily and Julia, and live in Walker's Point. Judge Colón is on the board of directors of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.[14]

References

  1. ^ Schuster, Steve (November 21, 2023). "History made: Pedro Colón sworn-in as first Latino Court of Appeals judge". Wisconsin Law Journal.
  2. ^ Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (2009). "Biographies" (PDF). In Barish, Lawrence S.; Lemanski, Lynn (eds.). State of Wisconsin 2009-2010 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-9752820-3-8. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  3. ^ "Representative Pedro Colon - Biography". Wisconsin Legislature. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ Pabst, Georgia (November 8, 1998). "After a long campaign, Legislature's first Hispanic readies for next challenge". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  5. ^ Borowski, Greg J. (September 3, 2003). "Colón bows out of mayor's race; Assemblyman endorses Barrett, will serve as campaign co-chair". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 1B.
  6. ^ Pabst, Georgia (May 27, 2010). "Colon, Newcomer won't seek another term: They join 21 other lawmakers who aren't running". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  7. ^ Behm, Don (May 28, 2010). "Pedro Colon says he is applying for MMSD job". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  8. ^ Durhams, Sharif; Marley, Patrick (September 15, 2010). "Doyle appoints Colón to Circuit Court judgeship". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  9. ^ "Doyle appoints Pedro Colón to Circuit Court Judge". Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper. September 18, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  10. ^ Canvass Results for 2011 Spring Election - 4/5/2011 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. April 19, 2011. p. 5. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  11. ^ Szal, Andy (April 6, 2011). "Colon Holds On to Milwaukee County Court". Wispolitics.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ "Colón campaign: Announces campaign for Wisconsin Court of Appeals". Pedro Colón for Milwaukee (Press release). May 4, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023 – via Wispolitics.com.
  13. ^ La Roche, Mariana (June 20, 2023). "Wisconsin governor appoints first Latino Judge to Court of Appeals". WISN-TV. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  14. ^ "About Representative Pedro Colón". Pedro Colon for State Assembly. Archived from the original on May 9, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2020 – via Wayback Machine.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 8th district
1999–2010 		Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for the 2nd district
2023–present 		Incumbent