John C. Shabaz

John Cyrus Shabaz^[1][2] (June 25, 1931 – August 31, 2012) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He served 30 years as a United States district judge for the Western District of Wisconsin, and was Chief Judge between 1996 and 2001. Earlier in his career, he represented Waukesha County in the Wisconsin State Assembly for 16 years as a Republican, serving as minority leader from 1973 to 1981.^[3]

The Honorable John C. Shabaz
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
In office January 20, 2009 – August 31, 2012
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
In office 1996–2001
Preceded by	Barbara Brandriff Crabb
Succeeded by	Barbara Brandriff Crabb
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
In office December 10, 1981 – January 20, 2009
Appointed by	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	James Edward Doyle
Succeeded by	James D. Peterson
Minority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly
In office January 1, 1973 – December 17, 1981
Preceded by	Harold Vernon Froehlich
Succeeded by	Tommy Thompson
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office January 1, 1973 – December 17, 1981
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	John C. Schober
Constituency	83rd district
In office January 1, 1965 – January 1, 1973
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Constituency	Waukesha 4th district
Personal details
Born	(1931-06-25)June 25, 1931 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died	August 31, 2012(2012-08-31) (aged 81) Waunakee, Wisconsin
Resting place	Saint Joan of Arc Cemetery, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Education	University of Wisconsin–Madison Marquette University Law School (LL.B.)
Profession	lawyer, judge
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Captain

Education and early career

Shabaz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison as an undergraduate. He received a Bachelor of Laws from Marquette University Law School in 1957. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956. He was in private practice in West Allis, Wisconsin from 1957 to 1981.^[4][5]

Legislative career

From 1964 to 1981, Shabaz served as a Republican state representative in the Wisconsin State Assembly, from the 83rd Assembly District, representing the Waukesha and New Berlin areas. He was the minority leader from 1973 to 1979 and served as Assistant Majority Leader in 1969.^[6][5]

Federal judicial service

On November 4, 1981, Shabaz was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin vacated by Judge James Edward Doyle. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 9, 1981, and received his commission on December 10, 1981. He served as Chief Judge from 1996 to 2001. He took senior status on January 20, 2009,^[7] serving in that status until his death on August 31, 2012.^[5][8][9] As of 2020, Shabaz is the last judge appointed by a Republican president to the Western District of Wisconsin.

References

1. "Shabaz Named". Waukesha Daily Freeman. March 25, 1968.
2. "Esther Hulda Louise Schwertfeger Doughty Luckhardt". Daily Citizen. Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. January 17, 2011.
3. Associated Press (December 18, 1981). "Shabaz leaves Assembly". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 6. Retrieved February 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (ed.). The State of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book. Madison, Wisconsin: Author. p. 77.
5. "Shabaz, John C. – Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
6. Wisconsin Historical Society, Dictionary of Wisconsin History, "John Shabaz."
7. Marquette University Law School, Judge Shabaz Retires Archived 2011-03-03 at the Wayback Machine.
8. "Former US District Judge John Shabaz Dies At 81". Wisconsin State Journal. August 31, 2012.
9. "Judge John Shabaz Dies". WNFL 1440AM. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014.

Sources

• John C. Shabaz at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Wisconsin State Assembly
New constituency	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 4th Waukesha district January 1, 1965–January 1, 1973	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 83rd district January 1, 1973–December 17, 1981	Succeeded by John C. Schober
Preceded by Harold Vernon Froehlich	Minority Leader of the Wisconsin State Assembly January 1, 1973–December 17, 1981	Succeeded by Tommy Thompson
Legal offices
Preceded by James Edward Doyle	Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 1981–2009	Succeeded by James D. Peterson
Preceded by Barbara Brandriff Crabb	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 1996–2001	Succeeded by Barbara Brandriff Crabb