Thompson supports Evans for US court

0 Comments | Milwaukee Journal, The, Jan 20, 1995 | by CRAIG GILBERT

Gov. Tommy G. Thompson is supporting Federal Judge Terence Evans of Milwaukee for a sought-after seat on the Federal Appeals Court.

Evans has been endorsed by Senate Democrat Herb Kohl for the seat, but the final decision is up to President Clinton.

The fact that Thompson, a Republican, is supporting Evans is a strong signal that Evans enjoys bipartisan support and would not face a significant confirmation fight from Senate Republicans should Clinton nominate him.

Evans, 54, is chief judge of Federal Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, a federal trial court.

He and five other candidates are finalists for a vacancy on the Federal Appeals Court in Chicago. That court handles appeals from federal trial courts in Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois. The appeals court is the highest level a jurist can reach short of the US Supreme Court.

The vacancy on the court opened with the retirement of Federal Appeals Judge Richard D. Cudahy of Wisconsin.

Clinton's nominee must be confirmed by the US Senate. Other Recommendations

While endorsing Evans, Kohl also sent on to Clinton five other names recommended by a judicial selection commission appointed by Kohl and fellow Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold: state Sen. Lynn Adelman, a Democrat from the Town of Waterford; Thomas Bell, a New Richmond lawyer; state Appeals Judge Richard Brown of Waukesha; Madison lawyer Percy L. Julian Jr.; and Milwaukee lawyer Joan Kessler.

In a letter to Evans dated Jan. 18, Thompson offered his "strong support" and praised his "demonstrated record of fairness and integrity as a former state prosecutor and as a federal judge for the past 15 years."