Maxine Aldridge White facts for kids

Maxine Aldridge White, born in 1951, is an American lawyer and judge. She is currently the top judge, called the Chief Judge, for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. She has been a judge on this court, which is based in Milwaukee, since 2020. Judge White made history as the first African-American woman to become a judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Before this, Judge White worked for 18 years as a judge in Milwaukee County's local court, called the Wisconsin Circuit Court. From 2015 to 2020, she was the main judge, or Chief Judge, for that court district. Even earlier, she was a federal prosecutor. This means she worked for the government to bring cases against people who broke federal laws.

Judge Maxine White's Journey

Maxine White grew up in rural Mississippi. Her family worked as sharecroppers on cotton farms. She earned her first college degree from Alcorn State University in 1973. Later, in 1982, she received her master's degree from the University of Southern California.

Before becoming a lawyer, White worked in the Milwaukee office of the United States Social Security Administration. She then went on to study law at Marquette University Law School, graduating in 1985.

Early Career as a Prosecutor

From 1985 to 1992, Maxine White worked as an Assistant United States Attorney. This job meant she was a federal prosecutor for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. She was the first African-American woman to hold this important role in that district.

Becoming a Circuit Court Judge

In 1992, Governor Tommy Thompson appointed Maxine White to be a judge in the Wisconsin Circuit Court for Milwaukee County. She served as a deputy chief judge before 2015.

In 2015, the Wisconsin Supreme Court chose Judge White to become the Chief Judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. This was another historic moment, as she was the first African-American chief judge in that court's history. As Chief Judge, she helped secure a large grant of $4.5 million from the MacArthur Foundation. This money was used to help reduce the misuse of jails.

Serving on the Court of Appeals

In 2020, Governor Tony Evers appointed Judge White to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. She took over from Judge Joan F. Kessler, who was retiring. When she started this new role, Judge White became the first African-American woman to serve on the Court of Appeals.

In 2023, the previous chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, William W. Brash III, was not re-elected. After this, the Wisconsin Supreme Court appointed Judge White to take his place. She became the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals on August 1, 2023.