Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice N. Patrick Crooks died in his chambers in the early afternoon Monday, Sept. 21. He was 77 years old.
Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Patience Roggensack said Crooks’ death was a “shock to us all.”
She said Crooks laid down to take a nap in his chambers during lunch, but later died in his sleep.
Prior to announcing his withdrawal from the 2016 presidential race, Gov. Scott Walker began his speech by extending his condolences to the Crooks family.
In a statement issued after his death, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler said Crooks was “not only a dedicated public servant with a keen legal mind, but also a colleague with whom I enjoyed a unique professional relationship.”
Appointed in 1977, Crooks served as a Brown County Court judge before serving as a circuit court judge in 1978.
Wednesday, Sept. 16, Crooks announced he would not be seeking re-election for his seat in the Supreme Court
“While we will all remember him for his legal prowess, I will miss his quick wit and sense of humor,” Ziegler said. “Serving with him was an honor and a privilege.”
