July 21, 2026
SPARTA, Wis. (AP) — A longtime Monroe County judge who has spent nearly two decades on the bench in west-central Wisconsin has been appointed to the state Court of Appeals, giving the region a representative on one of Wisconsin’s highest courts.
Gov. Tony Evers announced Tuesday that he has appointed Monroe County Circuit Judge Todd Ziegler to the District IV Court of Appeals. Ziegler will fill the vacancy created by Judge Chris Taylor’s election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and will serve a term ending July 31, 2027.
Ziegler, who lives in Sparta, has served as a Monroe County circuit judge since 2007. During his tenure, he has overseen a wide range of civil and criminal cases and helped establish Monroe County’s first operating-while-intoxicated treatment court. He currently serves as the county’s presiding judge and has been deputy chief judge of Wisconsin’s 7th Judicial District since 2023.
“Judge Ziegler has the experience, judgment, and character to step into this important role on Day One,” Evers said in announcing the appointment. “He will be a great addition to the District IV Court of Appeals.”
The appointment elevates a judge whose legal career has been closely tied to Monroe County and surrounding communities. Before joining the bench, Ziegler practiced law with the Sparta firm Gleiss, Locante & Ziegler LLP, representing clients in civil and criminal matters throughout Monroe County and neighboring areas. He also served as a law clerk for Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Gordon Myse.
District IV of the Court of Appeals hears cases from a large portion of western and south-central Wisconsin, making Ziegler one of the most prominent jurists to emerge from the Monroe County area in recent years.
Dane County Circuit Judge Julie Genovese, chief judge of the 5th Judicial District, praised the appointment, citing Ziegler’s reputation among judges statewide and his work to improve Wisconsin’s court system.
Ziegler is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville and the University of Wisconsin Law School. He has served on several judicial and child welfare committees and received recognition from the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals, including a Hero Award in 2023 and the Jack Aulik Award in 2026.
In a statement, Ziegler thanked Evers for the appointment and said he would bring the experience gained during his years on the Monroe County bench to the appellate court.
“I have been fortunate to serve Monroe County on the bench for 19 years, and I look forward to taking that experience to the Court of Appeals,” Ziegler said. “I will continue to work with honesty and integrity in a fair and impartial way to ensure equal justice for all in this new role.”
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