Steffes, Herbert J., 1904-1975.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT: Although the collection spans Steffes' career both as district attorney of Milwaukee County and as a judge, the major portion of the papers concentrate on his activities as a judge during the late 1950's through 1974. Only election campaign records, speeches, and correspondence about public appearances document his activities as district attorney. Similarly, there is little information as to his activities as a municipal judge prior to 1957.

The records documenting Steffes' Election Campaigns consist of texts of radio addresses, correspondence, newspaper clippings, press releases, and contribution lists of the Steffes for District Attorney Club. Since the judicial election in 1943 was contested by Peter Leuch, various correspondence, legal briefs, and judicial decisions related to this matter are also in the collection. Included in the 1936 district attorney campaign materials are constitutions of the Progressive Club of Milwaukee County and the Farmer-Labor Progressive Federation of Milwaukee County. In addition, the 1938 campaign records include typescript texts of radio speeches of Steffes' opponents. If there were substantial differences between drafts of the radio speeches, these various drafts have been preserved. There are no records pertaining to his 1962 and 1968 campaigns for the position of Circuit Court judge.

Besides his election campaigns, Steffes was an extremely popular speaker at non-political events as is evident in his Public Appearances and Speeches. He presented talks before numerous service organizations, luncheon groups, banquets, schools, church organizations, and on civic occasions. Although most of these addresses were to Milwaukee groups, he also spoke in other Wisconsin communities. Steffes' public appearances in the early 1940's and early 1960's are documented by correspondence concerning speaking engagements. Additionally, the papers contain the texts of some of his speeches from 1936 through 1948 and from the early 1960's. The lack of any information on the 1950's illustrates a major weakness in the coverage of the papers.

Only newspaper clippings note some of the trials presided over by Steffes from 1954 through 1959 and the Tucker trial which resulted from rioting during the summer of 1967 in Milwaukee. Instead, a substantial portion of his Judicial Subject Files are devoted to court reorganization and additional legislation affecting judges. The papers include correspondence, newspaper clippings, legislative bills and amendments, and reports. Steffes, along with various judicial groups such as the Milwaukee County Courts Committee and the Circuit Court Judge Reorganization Committee, formulated various recommendations concerning legislative measures. In addition to court reorganization, the collection also included correspondence and texts of judicial bills considered during the 1960's and the early 1970's. Specifically, various legislative measures resulted in the establishment of Branch 2 of the Municipal Court in 1959, requirements for wearing judicial robes, and the adjustment of judicial salaries.

The judicial papers also document some of Steffes activities in committees and organizations. There is correspondence, notices of meetings, statutes, reports, and proposed rules related to his work on the Jury Commission, the Milwaukee County Board of Judges, the Committee for Developing Wisconsin Jury Instructions, and the Youth Court Commission of the Milwaukee Board of Supervisors.

The collection also includes minutes of the Marquette University Athletic Board Meetings for 1963-1964.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: Herbert J. Steffes was born in Milwaukee on 18 June 1904. He graduated with a Ph.B. degree from the College of Liberal Arts at Marquette University in 1927. A year later, he received a J. D. degree from the Marquette University School of Law. Steffes practiced as a private attorney in Milwaukee from 1928 through 1936. As the Progressive Party's candidate for Milwaukee County district attorney in 1936, Steffes lost the election; however, he was appointed by Governor Philip F. La Follette to fill the unexpired term of incumbent district attorney William Zabel, who died on the night of the election. In 1938, Steffes won reelection as a Progressive. After he rejoined the Republican Party, he was reelected district attorney in 1940 and again in 1942.

Upon the death of Judge Max W. Nohl, Steffes was appointed a Milwaukee municipal judge by Republican Governor Walter S. Goodland on 1 April 1943. Since he had not been a candidate for the judicial election of 6 April, a special meeting of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors was required in order to place his name on the ballot. Following his victory in the judicial election, the other candidate, Peter F. Leuch, contested the validity of the election since a sticker containing Steffes' name was placed on the printed ballots. A Wisconsin Supreme Court decision upheld Steffes' election in August 1943. He was reelected without opposition in 1949 and he defeated District Attorney William J. McCauley in 1955 to win reelection a second time. After the reorganization of the Wisconsin court system, Steffes was elected judge of the Circuit Court for a six-year term commencing on 1 January 1962. Six years later, he was reelected and began serving his final six-year judicial term which ended in 1974.

While a judge, Steffes was a lecturer on criminal law and procedure at Marquette University School of Law and a member of the Marquette University Athletic Board from 1963-1966. In addition, he was a member of the Milwaukee and Wisconsin Bar Associations, the Board of Circuit Court Judges, the Advisory Council of Judges of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, and the Wisconsin Judicial Council. Steffes married Ciline Villa on 14 January 1928 while a senior at Marquette University School of Law. They had three children (Carol, Robert, and Herbert John). Steffes died at the age of 71 on 19 July 1975.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Steffes, Herbert J., 1904-1975. Records, 1936-1974. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 7. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

ACQUISITION: Gift of the Milwaukee County Court House, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1978. Acc. No. M78-615.

PROCESSING: Processed by Katherine Unertl and Joanne Hohler, 1980.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

• Court administration--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Elections--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Judges--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Lawyers--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Milwaukee (Wis.)--History--Sources.
• Milwaukee (Wis.)--Politics and government.

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Last edited on March 23, 2005.
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