Paul C. Gartzke

Paul Coulter Gartzke (October 6, 1927September 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and judge. He served 18 years as presiding judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in the Madison-based District IV court. Early life and education Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Gartzke attended school in the neighboring community of Shorewood, Wisconsin, and graduated from Shorewood High School in 1945. Immediately after graduation, Gartzke enlisted for service in the United States Navy. He received an honorable discharge after two years of service and remained in the United States Navy Reserve until 1949. He attended Milwaukee State Teachers College, then graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Iowa, earning his bachelor's degree in economics. He continued his education at Harvard Law School, where he received his law degree in 1952. He would return to school much later in life, earning his master's degree in judicial process from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1992. Legal career Shortly after his law school graduation, Gartzke joined a law practice in Madison, Wisconsin. He became a partner in the law firm in 1955, which was later known as Bieberstein, Cooper, Bruemmer, Gartzke & Hanson. In 1958, he was hired by the town of Madison to provide legal guidance in their attempt to thwart the annexation of several parts of their town to the city of Madison. The city of Madison already owned a large piece of the town's land and planned to use their voting power with that land to approve the annexation of a large and tax-rich industrial section of the town. Gartzke came to also represent the neighboring town of Fitchburg, which was also impacted by the annexation plan. Together the two towns attempted a plan to incorporate as a village to block the annexation. The dispute wound up before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 1960, which ultimately ruled in favor of the city of Madison, allowing the annexation. Although unsuccessful in their resistance, the situation and its resolution led to the eventual incorporation of the city of Fitchburg to block further annexations.