Honorific-Prefix: | The Honorable |
Kitty K. Brennan | |
Office: | Judge of the |
Term Start: | August 21, 2008 |
Term End: | September 4, 2019 |
Appointer: | Jim Doyle |
Predecessor: | Ted E. Wedemeyer Jr. |
Successor: | Joe Donald |
Office1: | of the 1st District of |
Term Start1: | August 1, 2005 |
Term End1: | August 21, 2008 |
Predecessor1: | Michael P. Sullivan |
Term Start2: | August 1, 1994 |
Term End2: | August 21, 2008 |
Predecessor2: | George W. Greene Jr. |
Successor2: | Ellen R. Brostrom |
Birth Date: | 17 May 1950 |
Birth Place: | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Spouse: | Joseph G. Murphy |
Kitty K. Brennan (born May 17, 1950) is an American lawyer and retired judge. She served on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 2008 to 2019 in the Milwaukee-based District I. Earlier in her career, she served 14 years as a Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge and worked as an assistant district attorney in Milwaukee County.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Brennan received her bachelor's degree from University of Wisconsin - Madison and her J.D. degree from University of Wisconsin Law School. Brennan began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in the office of the Milwaukee County District Attorney. In 1984, she left the office and went into private practice in the firm Murphy & Brennan.[1]
She was elected to the Wisconsin Circuit Court in 1994, defeating George W. Greene in the spring election that year. Greene had been appointed to the role 7 months before the election to replace Judge Robert W. Landry, who had retired. She was re-elected to the circuit court in 2000 and 2006. In 2005, she was appointed Chief Judge of the 1st Judicial Administrative District by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She was re-appointed to a second two years term as Chief Judge in 2007, but in 2008 Governor Jim Doyle appointed her to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals after the death of Judge Ted E. Wedemeyer, Jr.[2] She was re-elected to the Court of Appeals without opposition in 2009 and 2015. She was Presiding Judge for District I from 2016 to 2018.[1]
Judge Brennan was named "Judge of the Year" in 2006 by the State Bar of Wisconsin.[3] She retired in 2019 and was succeeded by Judge Joe Donald.[1]
Judge Brennan is married to Joseph G. Murphy; they have four children.[1]
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, April 5, 1994
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, April 7, 2015