Everett Mitchell.pdf

EVERETT MITCHELL

Announces Candidacy for Wisconsin Supreme Court DANE COUNTY JUDGE EVERETT MITCHELL

COMMUNIITTY SERVIICE

Judge Mitchell About

Aaccomplishments

Judge Mitchell About J udge Everett Mitchell is a candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court. The election will be held on April 4, 2023. The Honorable Reverend Everett Mitchell was elected to the Dane County Circuit Court and presides over the Juvenile Division in Branch Four. As a juvenile court judge he hears cases involving family re- unification, juvenile delinquency, and other civil and criminal proceedings. He also oversees Dane County’s High Risk Drug Court Program. Judge Mitchell is a graduate of

Morehouse College, Princeton Theological Seminary, and University of Wisconsin- Madison Law School and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Currently, he is an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School where he teaches courses on “Race, Racism and the Law” as well as the “Foundational Principles of the Juvenile Justice System.” During his tenure on the bench, Judge Mitchell has worked with colleagues to change courtroom policies to reflect trauma-informed practices, such as

removing restraints and handcuffs on youth during hearings. He joined several judges in petitioning the Wisconsin Supreme Court to support changing the presumption to ensure that children in Wisconsin can attend their court hearings without restraints and handcuffs. Judge Mitchell worked with the Madison Metropolitan School District, the second- largest district in the state, to create an Office of Youth Engagement that provides a bridge for youth involved in the criminal justice system to educational programming. Judge Mitchell works tirelessly to ensure the youth under his jurisdiction are treated with respect and dignity. While this may be common sense, it is not always common practice. Judge Mitchell has lectured

or spoken at colleges and universities, national conferences, community events, corporate events, professional development workshops, and in front of many other diverse audiences. Judge Mitchell’s social justice lens is steeped in his calling and commitment to justice and equity.

Announces Candidacy for Wisconsin Supreme Court DANE COUNTY JUDGE EVERETT MITCHELL

D ane County Circuit Court Judge Everett Mitchell announced his candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, running for the seat currently held by retiring Justice Patience Roggensack. Judge Mitchell, a former prosecutor, currently serves as the presiding judge of the juvenile division in Dane County. He oversees cases involving child welfare, juvenile delinquency, family law, civil law, and criminal proceedings. Judge Mitchell also presides over Dane County’s High Risk Drug Court Program, which supports adults with drug addictions and criminal cases by connecting participants to treatment and mental health services. He works tirelessly to protect victims of crime, ensures trauma-informed practices are applied to the youth under his jurisdiction, and treats everyone in his courtroom with respect and dignity. “I’m running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court because preserving the integrity and independence of the court has never been more important. Our state Justices have a tremendous responsibility, and the decisions handed down by the court directly impact the lives of the people in our state,” says Judge Mitchell.

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ARTICLE BY WISPOLITICS 4

“Wisconsinites deserve a Wisconsin Supreme Court justice that reflects the growing diversity of ideas and communities within our state. Wisconsinites deserve a justice that has a proven record of applying the rule of law irrespective of undue

legislators, health care providers, and educators around the state to advance the lives of all families so they may have access to the resources they need to thrive. Judge Mitchell graduated from Morehouse College in 2000, and earned a

influence. Wisconsinites deserve a justice who has the highest respect for the Wisconsin Constitution and is committed to ensuring that the Wisconsin Supreme Court is an instrument of balance and justice rather than partisan divide.” Judge Mitchell will bring his life experiences and values steeped in ethics and service to the court. His personal journey shapes not only his career path but his desire to give back. He was the first in his family to attend college. After being accepted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, he experienced homelessness as a single father. It was the

Masters in Divinity in 2003 and a Master of Theology in 2004 from Princeton Theological Seminary. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin- Madison Law School in 2010. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin- Madison Law School and teaches a course in juvenile justice. Judge Mitchell also serves as the Senior Pastor at Christ the Solid Rock Baptist Church in Madison. He lives in Windsor with his wife Dr. Mankah Zama Mitchell. They have two wonderful children, Sydney and Braylon, and a dog Bailey.

compassion of Wisconsinites that enabled him to receive housing, graduate with his juris doctorate, and most importantly, empathize with families experiencing significant challenges. Judge Mitchell is passionate about education, community, equity, and justice. In the 18 years he has lived in Wisconsin, Judge Mitchell has worked closely and maintained relationships with faith groups, law enforcement, civic organizations,

HONORS &

1999

2000

Morehouse College, Student Government Community Service Award

Morehouse College, Top Ranking Religion Senior

Morehouse College, Benjamin Mays Scholar

2012

2015

2016

“Young Professional of the Year", Urban League of Madison

Freedom Inc., Fredrick Douglas Award

Odyssey Partnership Award

2017

GSAFE Judi Devereux Community Organizer Award

Honorary Inductee, Phi Beta Kappa

Black Student Social Justice Award

AWARDS

2000

2003

2008

Wisconsin Black Lawyers Association 1L Award Recipient

Princeton Theological Seminary, Presidential Fellow Award

Princeton Theological Seminary, Jane Swoop Christian Ethics Award

2016

Charles Hamilton Houston, Leadership Award

Omega Psi Phi, Gamma Gamma Gamma Citizen of the Year

Outreach, Ally of the Year Award

2017

2019

Madison Black Chamber of Business

Dane County Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award

Just Dane, Community Justice Award

Helped Change a Life in the Process A Judge in H is C ourt to a Game of Chess, Challenged a Man

C harles Green first saw a chessboard more than 40 years ago at Franklin Elementary School in Madison, Wisconsin. “I saw two kids playing. I remember to this day, because I was a checker player, but I seen the chess and it intrigued me,” he says. “I was like, what the heck is this? And from that point on, I just wanted to learn how to play and I just fell in love with that game.” Turns out, he had a knack for it. He joined the chess club and won a few tournaments, and today he calls himself the chess champion of his barbershop, where he plays almost every day. “I’m the barbershop champion. I’m the people’s champion,” he says. “I mean, I win an awful lot. I don’t like to brag or nothing, but I’m pretty good.”

Green, 52, has also been involved in the criminal justice system in one way or another for a lot of his life, and played a lot of chess while incarcerated. About two years ago, he found himself in front of Judge Everett Mitchell in Dane County’s high-risk drug court, a program of the criminal justice system targeting people who have committed non-violent, drug-related crimes. People who complete the drug court program and stay sober can have their sentences reduced or even have charges dismissed. Mitchell says he tries to approach people in his court as individuals, rather than numbers in a system. He says he doesn’t even use the word “defendant” in drug court, making

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“That made me feel wonderful,” Green says. “I was at a point in my life where I was having a hard time. And to be able to do that, do everything I have to do and get the judge to come sit down with me, I was on it. “And I beat him, too,” he adds with a chuckle. Mitchell didn’t mind taking the loss. “It was just a beautiful

a point to refer to people by their names. “I try to find something that each person has a unique thing about, whether it is their art or their children, or chess, or reading books, or putting together puzzles,” Mitchell says. “You

find something and you build on that strength, because you want them to know that they’re not invisible. And even though they’re adults, they’re still capable of change.” For Green, that unique thing was chess. “That was one of his passions,” Mitchell recalls. “And as he’s been working on his goals … I

thing for us to be together, two Black men playing chess together,” he says. After the game,

Mitchell posted a photo of the game on Facebook, and it was shared more than 200 times. “He won the game. I won his respect,” Mitchell wrote.

heard him talk about it briefly. And I said, ‘Well, let’s just think about us playing chess together. But, in order for me to do that, you have to maintain your goals for yourself and come in with some sobriety and then we will play.’”

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Helped Change a Life in the Process CONTINUED... Man in H is C ourt to a Game of Chess, Challenged a Man A Judge Challenged a

they’re realizing that it’s not like a choice … it’s an epidemic.” He adds that the “Just Say No” campaign launched by the Reagan administration wasn’t particularly realistic or helpful. “If it was that easy, it wouldn’t be like this,” he says. “And I think programs like drug court really recognize that. And they’re doing something about that.” Green says Mitchell represents that shift in mindset. “It’s not strictly about drug court when you go to (Mitchell’s) court,” he says. “He’s just talking about what’s going on with you. And how your day’s going, how your life is going, what’s working for you,

A change in mindset Mitchell and Green both said the drug court represents a shift in the way the system approaches drug-related crimes. “Rather than what happened in the 90s with the crack epidemic, we’ve really turned the corner to say this is not about punishment. It is recognizing that people have a sickness, and we just need to make sure that we’re responding to the sickness and not just treat them as straight criminals,” Mitchell says. “It has taken time to support people in that process of working through their sobriety and then reducing their criminal behavior at the same time. We see a correlation of the two.” “I think people are getting smarter about this drug thing,” Green says. “I think

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“It is recognizing that people have a sickness, and we just need to make sure that we’re responding to the sickness and not just treat them as straight criminals.” -Judge Mitchell

what you need to keep doing to keep it happening for you.” Green has praise for the entire drug court team, as well, which includes caseworkers and counselors to support people and help them stay on track. “Drug court is one of the best things that ever happened to me,” Green says. “I’ve been to treatment many times … and I’ve been to jail many times. In treatment, incarcerated. And … they all forced me. It was like, ‘do this or you go to jail.’ But in drug court, it’s like, they asked what they can do to help you. You make all your own choices. And say for instance, you slip up. I mean, if you’re a drug addict you’re probably going to slip eventually. You’re not going to jump and just become clean automatically. It’s going to be some slips, there’s going to be some bumps in the

road and in drug court, they don’t put you in jail for that … They made me feel like they wanted to help me more than I wanted to help myself until, until I got to the point to, I want to help myself just as much.” Green is now in a recovery program called 5 Door, and living in a sober house. He says he likes to help other people in the program out, giving them rides to appointments and meetings. He goes

to play chess at the Vernee Nycole House of Beauty barbershop on South Park Street nearly every day. And he still attends drug court sessions once a week. “Being around

something like that’s what helped me get on track,” he says. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?”

ARTICLE BY: Robert Chappell PAINTING BY: Jerry Jordan

COMMUNIITTY SERVIICE

• United Way of Dane County, Chair of Community Impact Solution Team

• United Way, Member of the Vision Council

• 100 Black Men of Madison

• WCCA Oversight Committee

• Goodman Community Center, Board Member • Agrace Hospice, Executive Committee, Board Member • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Member

• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Member

• Carter G. Woodson Foundation, Member

• Partnered with the Madison Metropolitan School District to open the Office of Youth Engagement to connect our court ordered children with education. • Worked with MMSD and the Department of Public Instruction to revamp its process of shortened school days given to court ordered children with IEP’s. • Provided opportunities for community leaders to do “ride along” with judges in order to witness the court process and offer support for young people. • Give gift cards to young people who are achieving and staying out of trouble. This gives some food to eat who may not have it otherwise. • More frequent reviews to ensure that children are receiving the adequate mental health services they need in a timely fashion. • Connecting black and brown youth with culturally relevant services that address their trauma and over needs.

In Collaboration with other Dane County Judges, Judge Mitchell has made several accomplishments in his judicial role: collaboration

• Building stability in the family units of the young people so they are less likely to reoffend.

• Connecting at risk young people with mentors to support them and fill in the gap of services.

• Bringing at risk school programs into the courtroom to discuss better options and hopes to reduce their involvement in the juvenile justice and adult criminal justice system.

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• Discussing and explaining to victims the process and ensuring that they have input in the decisions for dispositions.

• Integrating Oral sentencing reflections (many children struggle with reading and writing): Watch 13th Netflix and teach me about it; Speak a poem that reflects on what he/she intends to do differently.

• Providing support to young people who are parenting themselves and their siblings.

• Presenting at social work, detention workers, hospitals, schools, educational conferences, hospitals, addiction and recovery groups, and American Family Insurance Dream Bank in an effort to educate the community about the trauma the children are experiencing, and the steps needed in our community. • Starting book drives to provide culturally relevant material for young people in Shelter, Detention and in our waiting areas.

• Spend Thanksgiving and Christmas Day with Juveniles in Detention.

• Apologizing to the young people who have experienced more trauma as a result of being hurt multiple times by our systems.

Leaders from across Wisconsin including judges, law enforcement leaders, elected officials, and community leaders have endorsed Judge Everett Mitchell for Wisconsin State Supreme Court.

• Judge Carl Ashley - Milwaukee

• Judge Frank Remington - Dane

County Circuit Court

• Judge Kori Ashley - Milwaukee

• Judge Danielle Shelton - Milwaukee

County Circuit Court

• Judge David Conway - Dane County

• Judge Chris Taylor - Dane County

Circuit Court

• Judge Susan Crawford - Dane

• Judge Nia Trammell - Dane County

County Circuit Court

Circuit Court

• Judge M. Joseph Donald - Court of

• Judge Mario White - Dane County

Appeals

Circuit Court

• Judge Brittany Grayson -

• Judge Maxine White - Court of

Milwaukee County Circuit Court

AppealsCommissioner Anton

• Judge Paul Higginbotham - Court

Jamieson, Dane County

of Appeals (retired)

• Commissioner J. Alberto Quiroga,

• Judge Marshall Murray -

Dane County

Milwaukee County Circuit Court

• Assistant Family Court

Commissioner, Lorenzo Edwards,

• Alder Tag Evers - Madison

Milwaukee County

• Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney

• Senator Lena Taylor – Milwaukee

- Madison

County

• Alder Charles Myadze - Madison

• Rep. Dr. LaKeshia Myers –

• Alder Nasra Wehelie - Madison

Milwaukee County

• Alder Nikki Conklin - Madison

• Rep. Samba Baldeh - Dane County

• Alder Syed Abbas - Madison

• Rep. David Bowen - Milwaukee

• Alder Jael Currie - Madison

County

• County Executive Joe Parisi - Dane

• Rep. Dora Drake - Milwaukee

County

• Dane County Supervisor April

• Rep. Francesca Hong - Dane

Kigeya – Dane County

County

• Dane County Supervisor Anthony

• Rep. Shelia Stubbs - Dane County

Gray – Dane County

• Rep. Lisa Subeck - Dane County

• Alder Sheri Carter - Madison

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Leaders from across Wisconsin including judges, law enforcement leaders, elected officials, and community leaders have endorsed Judge Everett Mitchell for Wisconsin State Supreme Court.

• Dane County Supervisor Jacob

Police

Wright – Dane County

• Kalvin Barrett, Dane County Sheriff

• Dane County Supervisor Tim Kiefer

• Andre Sayles, Beloit Chief of Police

– Dane County

• Patrol Officer Kenneth Chung

• Dane County Supervisor Kierstin

• Chief David Couper

Huelsemann – Dane County

• Sheriff David Mahoney

• School District Superintendent

• Chief Sue Riseling

Carlton Jenkins - Madison

• Chief Noble Wray

• Ali Muldrow, Madison School Board

• District Attorney Ismael Ozanne

• Nichelle Nichols, Madison School

• Attorney Truscenialyn Brooks-

Board

Williams

• Savion Castro, Madison School

• Attorney Michael Covey

Board

• Attorney Tracey Lencioni

• Maia Pearson, Madison School

• Attorney Ginger Murray

Board

• Attorney Diane Rondini

• Shon Barnes, Madison Chief of

• Attorney Sir Williams

• Attorney Tim Kiefer

• Attorney Walter Zimmerman

• Attorney Adriana Peguero

• Attorney Sherrice Perry

• Attorney/Professor Michelle

• Attorney Rochelle Johnson

Lavigne

• Attorney SanJuanita Revoy-Lopez

• Attorney Krystal Oby

• Attorney Jim Schlender

• Attorney Richard Jones

• Attorney Kathy Chung

• Attorney Arlington Davis

• Attorney Amy Johnson

• Attorney Peter Maris

• Attorney Faun Moses

• Attorney Marisol Gonzalez Castillo

Justice Louis Butler

EVERETT MITCHELL

1715 Lynnerud Drive, PO BOX 480, Sun Prairie, WI 53590 Questions? Contact us at Hello@JudgeMitchellForJustice.com FRIENDS TO ELECT EVERETT MITCHELL

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