Louis John Ceci (born September 10, 1927) is a retired American lawyer, jurist, and Republican politician. He was a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 1982 through 1993, after serving eight years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge in Milwaukee County. He previously represented northern Milwaukee County in the Wisconsin State Assembly during the 1965 session.
Louis Ceci | |
|---|---|
| Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court | |
| In office April 15, 1982 – September 4, 1993 | |
| Appointed by | Lee S. Dreyfus |
| Preceded by | John Louis Coffey |
| Succeeded by | Janine P. Geske |
| Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the Milwaukee Circuit, Branch 1 | |
| In office August 1, 1978 – April 15, 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Transitioned from 2nd circ. |
| Succeeded by | Charles B. Schudson |
| Wisconsin Circuit Judge for the 2nd Circuit, Branch 1 | |
| In office January 1, 1974 – July 31, 1978 | |
| Preceded by | Elmer W. Roller |
| Succeeded by | Transitioned to Milwaukee circ. |
| County Judge of Milwaukee County, Branch 3 | |
| In office September 14, 1968 – December 31, 1973 | |
| Appointed by | Warren P. Knowles |
| Preceded by | John A. Krueger |
| Succeeded by | Terence T. Evans |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Milwaukee 18th district | |
| In office January 4, 1965 – January 2, 1967 | |
| Preceded by | Michael J. Barron |
| Succeeded by | James E. Held |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 10, 1927 New York, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Shirley Haldi
(m. 1956; died 2022) |
| Children | 6 |
| Residence | Wauwatosa, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession | Lawyer, judge |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1945–1946 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Early life
editLouis Ceci was born in New York City on September 10, 1927, the son of Italian American immigrants.[1][2] As a child, he moved with his parents to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before completing high school, at age 17, he enlisted in the United States Navy, and went to serve in the Pacific Theater of World War II.[2]
After returning from the war, he graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in New York City, in 1947. He went on to attend Marquette University in Milwaukee, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1951 and his J.D. in 1954.[2]
Legal and political career
editHe was admitted to the bar and started his own law practice in Milwaukee. He made his first attempt for election to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1956, but lost badly in the Republican Party primary, earning just 19% of the vote.[3] He was then employed as assistant city attorney in 1958, working for Milwaukee city attorney Walter J. Mattison.[4] Ceci ultimately remained in the city attorney's office until 1963.
In 1964, Ceci made another attempt for election to Wisconsin State Assembly. This time he was unopposed in the Republican primary. He went on to win a narrow victory in the general election, receiving 51% of the vote.[5] He represented Milwaukee County's 18th Assembly district, which then comprised the farthest northern parts of the city and county.[6] During his term in the Assembly, he served on the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Manufacturers, and on the Joint Committee on Repeals, Revisions, and Uniform Laws.[7]
Rather than running for re-election in 1966, he launched a campaign for Attorney General of Wisconsin. He faced a primary against Taylor County district attorney John Olson, but had substantial support from party leadership, boosted by his colleagues in the Assembly,[8] and Olson ultimately dropped out of the race. Ceci went on to defeat in the general election, losing to the incumbent, Bronson La Follette.[9] Two years later, he began another campaign for Attorney General, but this time could not muster significant support at the Republican State Convention. He quit the race before the primary.[10]
Judicial career
editShortly after bowing out of the 1968 primary, Ceci was appointed Milwaukee County judge for the traffic branch by Governor Warren P. Knowles, filling the vacancy caused by the suicide of judge John A. Krueger.[11] He was subsequently elected to a full term as county judge and served until the end of 1973.[12] In 1972, incumbent circuit judge George D. Young was declared medically incapacitated, triggering a new election. Ceci entered the race for the open seat and won the April 1973 election without opposition.[13] He was re-elected without opposition in 1979. As a county judge and circuit judge, Ceci clashed at times with Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann and with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department.[14][15]
In 1980, he ran for Wisconsin Supreme Court. After a strong first place finish in the nonpartisan primary, he was narrowly defeated in the April general election by fellow Milwaukee judge Donald W. Steinmetz.[16] Nevertheless, two years later, when Wisconsin Supreme Court justice John Louis Coffey was appointed to the federal Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Ceci was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Lee S. Dreyfus. He was subsequently elected to a full ten-year term on the court in April 1984, without facing an opponent in that election.[17] With a year left in his term, in 1993, Ceci announced his plans to retire early, allowing Governor Tommy Thompson to appoint a replacement.[18] At the time of his retirement, Ceci's judicial philosophy was classified as one of the most conservative among the court's justices.[19]
Personal life and family
editLouis Ceci married Shirley Haldi in 1956. They had six children together and were married for 65 years before her death in 2022. Ceci resides in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.[20]
Electoral history
editWisconsin Assembly (1956)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican Primary, September 11, 1956 | |||||
| Republican | John R. Meyer | 11,431 | 75.59% | ||
| Republican | Louis J. Ceci | 890 | 19.43% | ||
| Republican | Walter R. Sukowatey | 228 | 4.98% | ||
| Plurality | 2,572 | 56.16% | |||
| Total votes | 4,580 | 100.0% | |||
Wisconsin Assembly (1964)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 3, 1964 | |||||
| Republican | Louis J. Ceci | 11,431 | 50.93% | +12.69% | |
| Democratic | Otto H. Schneider | 11,014 | 49.07% | ||
| Plurality | 417 | 1.86% | -21.66% | ||
| Total votes | 22,445 | 100.0% | +88.82% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | |||||
Wisconsin Attorney General (1966)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 8, 1966 | |||||
| Democratic | Bronson La Follette (incumbent) | 609,216 | 53.56% | −0.76% | |
| Republican | Louis J. Ceci | 528,202 | 46.44% | ||
| Plurality | 81,014 | 7.12% | -1.52% | ||
| Total votes | 1,137,418 | 100.0% | -29.97% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
Wisconsin Supreme Court (1980)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan Primary, February 19, 1980 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Louis J. Ceci | 142,702 | 46.15% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Donald W. Steinmetz | 90,286 | 29.20% | ||
| Nonpartisan | P. Charles Jones | 76,253 | 24.66% | ||
| Total votes | 309,241 | 100.0% | |||
| General Election, April 1, 1980 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Donald W. Steinmetz | 663,378 | 50.18% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Louis J. Ceci | 658,605 | 49.82% | ||
| Plurality | 4,773 | 0.36% | -29.89% | ||
| Total votes | 1,321,983 | 100.0% | +57.39% | ||
References
edit- ^ Dobish, Alex P. (21 March 1982). "Louis Ceci: from Bronx to State Supreme Court". Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ a b c "Former Justices - Justice Louis J. Ceci". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ a b Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1958). "Parties and Elections". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 676. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ "Negro Lawyer Gets Milwaukee Post". Kenosha News. January 15, 1958. p. 7. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Theobald, H. Rupert, ed. (1966). "Elections in Wisconsin". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1966 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 757. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert, ed. (1966). "The Legislative Branch". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1966 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 354. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert, ed. (1966). "Biographies". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1966 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 55. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ "Ceci Favored to Win GOP Atty. Gen. Bid". Racine Journal Times. May 21, 1966. p. 1. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1968). "Elections in Wisconsin". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1968 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 720. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ "Floor Leader McKay Quits Election Race". Wisconsin State Journal. June 18, 1968. p. 2. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Knowles Taps Ceci for Judge in Milwaukee". Wisconsin State Journal. September 15, 1968. p. 15. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ceci, Louis J. 1927". Wisconsin Historical Society. 7 March 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1973). "Addenda". The state of Wisconsin Blue Book 1973 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 874. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ Kerstein, Edward S. (28 August 1975). "Justices Block Ceci on Contempt Charges". The Milwaukee Journal.
- ^ Janz, William (1 August 1969). "Ceci Kicks Up a Storm as Deputy Balks at Order". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ a b Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1981). "Elections in Wisconsin". The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1981–1982 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 864, 866. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1985). "Elections in Wisconsin". The State of Wisconsin Blue Book 1985–1986 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 879. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via University of Wisconsin Libraries.
- ^ "Ceci to retire from high court". Wisconsin State Journal. May 5, 1993. p. 25. Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Walters, Steven (5 May 1993). "Ceci to retire from State Supreme Court in September". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ "Shirley H. Ceci". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. February 5, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
External links
edit- Ceci, Louis J. 1927 at Wisconsin Historical Society
- Justice Louis J. Ceci at Wisconsin Court System