Gibbs announces candidacy for judge

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By The Chippewa Herald
Friday, December 19, 2008 10:05 PM CST

Attorney Steve Gibbs of Chippewa Falls formally announced his candidacy for the vacant Branch II Chippewa County Circuit Court judge position Tuesday.

Gibbs, a partner with the Eau Claire law firm of Hertel and Gibbs, becomes the third candidate to announce for the position left open by the retirement of Judge Thomas Sazama at the end of November. In making his announcement, Gibbs thanked Sazama, calling him “a man of integrity and uncompromising principle.”

Gibbs cited his breadth of legal experience in the areas of juvenile and family law, criminal law, civil rights litigation, municipal and real estate litigation as well as general practice. He has been practicing law for 17 years. Gibbs has also been active in the community as a volunteer providing human services to the disabled, active in the Chippewa Humane Association and is a certified hunter education and firearms instructor.

Gibbs has been married to his wife Pam for 11 years and together they have two children; Marissa, 10, and Reid, 4. They live in Chippewa Falls.

“I want to put my wide range of legal experience to work for my community,” Gibbs stated in making his announcement. “If elected I will be a firm, fair and effective circuit court judge for everyone in Chippewa County. I am humbly asking Chippewa County voters to allow me to use my civil and criminal law experience to give something back to the community I love.“

Gibbs has been active in the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Wisconsin Bar Association, and the Chippewa and Eau Claire Bar Associations. He has volunteered for the Chippewa and Eau Claire free legal clinic, coached youth hockey, volunteered for REACH (an organization providing services to people with disabilities), and is widely known as a leader in protecting Second Amendment rights.

Gibbs will run on the theme of being a firm, fair and effective judge for everyone.

“I look forward to meeting face to face with Chippewa County residents in the following weeks to listen to their concerns and talk about how we can work together to guarantee impartial justice for everyone that steps foot in my courtroom,” Gibbs said.