By Karen Stokes
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Ronnie V. Murray II
This week, Judge Ronnie V. Murray II, recently appointed to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, declared his candidacy for a full term on Branch 18. Governor Tony Evers appointed Judge Murray to fulfill the remaining term of Judge Pedro Colón, now serving on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.
“Being appointed by Governor Tony Evers is a great honor, and I am humbled by the opportunity to serve my community on the court. That is why I am announcing my campaign for a full term,” said Judge Murray. “Having served as both a federal and state public defender, I have a unique understanding of our justice system and its impact on our residents. I have committed myself to improving the justice system for everyone, regardless of their background, and I hope to continue my career of public service with a full term on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.”
Murray initially studied finance in college but was motivated to enter the field of law.
“The more I studied the law and philosophy, I got really interested in theories of punishment, retribution and I became quite acutely aware of the mass incarceration epidemic we, in our country, were in the midst of,” he said. “As I was coming of age, I had a father who was in prison when I was born and as I was growing up, I sort of had this cognizance of just how incarceration affects citizens and the communities that they come from.”
Murray continued, “As I learned more about the statistics and how the United States had at the time the highest incarceration rate in the world. Some of the highest racial disparities are in Wisconsin so I decided I wanted to be a judge to try to alleviate the mass incarceration that I have observed in our country so that’s what led me to the law. In order to do that I had to be a lawyer. I knew early on I wanted to practice criminal defense. The way I like to describe my previous job is ‘keeping humans out of cages’.”
Murray prioritizes working with children and engages in programs for middle and high school students, such as career panels and mentoring programs. He also organizes internships both within his office and with personnel in the federal court.
“It gives me a sense of fulfillment,” Murray said. “I believe I have been put in a prime place where I can have an immediate impact on the lives of our young people.”
Judge Murray is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the University of Wisconsin Law School. Prior to joining the court, he worked as an associate federal defender in Milwaukee, where he represented clients in the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and also served as an assistant state public defender in Green Bay.
He is active in the Milwaukee Bar Association and the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association. In 2017, he was recognized as an up-and-coming lawyer by the Wisconsin Law Journal. Murray lives in Greenfield with his wife, Ashley, and their two daughters.
“I want to hear from the community, their concerns, and what’s important to them. I want to hear their voices,” Murray said.
The election for this seat will be on the April 2nd, 2024 ballot for all Milwaukee County residents. To learn more about Judge Murray and his campaign, visit https://www.judgeronniemurray.com.