{{short description|American judge}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Lisa Neubauer | image = | image_size = | caption = | office = Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals | term_start = August 2, 2015 | term_end = July 31, 2021 | predecessor = Richard S. Brown | successor = William W. Brash III | office1 = Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals {{nowrap|for the 2nd district}} | term_start1 = January 7, 2008<ref>{{cite web |title=The Third Branch, Winter 2008 - Vol 16 No 1 |url=https://www.wicourts.gov/news/thirdbranch/docs/winter08.pdf |website=Wisconsin Judiciary}}</ref> | term_end1 = | appointer1 = Jim Doyle | predecessor1 = Neal Nettesheim | successor1 = | birth_name = Lisa Stephens | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|7|21}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Jeffrey A. Neubauer | children = 3, including Greta Neubauer | alma_mater = University of Wisconsin-Madison (BS)<br>University of Chicago (JD) | footnotes = | website = [https://wicourts.gov/courts/appeals/judges/neubauer.htm Wisconsin courts bio] }} '''Lisa Neubauer''' ({{nee}} '''Stephens'''; born July 21, 1957) is an American lawyer and judge from Racine, Wisconsin. She is a judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in the Waukesha-based 2nd district court, since 2007. She previously served as chief judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 2015 through 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Neubauer-announces-candidacy-for-Wisconsin-13068936.php|title=Neubauer announces candidacy for Wisconsin Supreme Court|date=July 12, 2018|work=SFGate|access-date=July 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://judgeneubauer.com|title=Judge Lisa Neubauer {{!}} Judge Neubauer for Justice|website=judgeneubauer.com|language=en-US|access-date=July 12, 2018}}</ref> She was an unsuccessful candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court in the 2019 election.
Her husband, Jeffrey A. Neubauer, is a former chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, and former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Their daughter, Greta Neubauer, is a current member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and the Democratic minority leader.
== Early life and education == Neubauer graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1979. Prior to attending law school, she worked as an aide to state senator Fred Risser of Madison. In 1987, Neubauer graduated from the University of Chicago Law School where she was a member of the Order of the Coif.<ref name=Wicourts>{{cite web|url=https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/appeals/judges/neubauer.htm|title=Presiding Judge Lisa S. Neubauer|publisher=Wisconsin Court System|accessdate=August 2, 2015}}</ref> Following her graduation from law school, she was a law clerk to Judge Barbara Brandriff Crabb of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.<ref name=Wicourts />
=== Community involvement === Neubauer is a recipient of the Community Service Award from the Association for Women Lawyers. She is a former board member of the Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund, Racine Area United Way, the Equal Justice Coalition, and Legal Action of Wisconsin. She has been a reading tutor in the Racine public elementary schools through the United Way Schools of Hope program, a big sister with a Big Sisters of Greater Racine, and a mentor for breast cancer survivors through "After Breast Cancer Diagnosis" (ABCD).
Neubauer is on the Supreme Court Finance Committee and is co-chair of the Wisconsin Bar Association’s Bench and Bar Committee and Chair of the Bench/Bar Court Funding Subcommittee. She previously served on the Planning and Policy Advisory Committee, the Judicial Conduct Advisory Committee, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court Committee on Community Outreach.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}
== Legal career == Neubauer was employed from 1988 until 2007 at the Milwaukee law firm Foley and Lardner, specializing in environmental cleanup litigation and rising to the level of partner. While at the firm, she chaired the Insurance Dispute Resolution Practice Group and co-chaired the firm's national recruiting committee.<ref name="Hetzner">{{cite news|last1=Hetzner|first1=Amy|title=Political ties raise interest in state Appeals Court race|url=http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/29488624.html|accessdate=August 2, 2015|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=March 17, 2008}}</ref>
In December 2007, Democratic governor Jim Doyle appointed Neubauer to a seat on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals vacated by retired Judge Neal Nettesheim. Neubauer was the first woman to serve as a judge of the court's District II, headquartered in Waukesha.<ref name="Appointment">{{cite news|last1=Burke|first1=Michael|title=Racinian is first female judge on District II Court of Appeals|url=http://journaltimes.com/news/local/racinian-is-first-female-judge-on-district-ii-court-of/article_b2d75fe8-1aac-5b8f-ac65-c8f4c7dbb8f5.html|accessdate=August 2, 2015|newspaper =Racine Journal Times|date=December 4, 2007}}</ref> Neubauer was elected to a full term on the court in the April 2008 general election, defeating attorney William C. Gleisner III.<ref name="Retention">{{cite news|title=Judge Neubauer retains Court of Appeals seat|url=http://wislawjournal.com/2008/04/07/judge-neubauer-retains-court-of-appeals-seat/|accessdate=August 2, 2015|work=Wisconsin Law Journal|publisher=The Daily Reporter Publishing Company|date=April 7, 2008}}</ref> She enjoyed bi-partisan support in her campaign for the position, including the endorsement of Michael Grebe, the former state chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. In 2009, Neubauer was appointed presiding judge of District II.<ref name="chief" />
On May 8, 2015, the Wisconsin Supreme Court appointed Neubauer chief judge of the Court of Appeals.<ref name="chief">{{cite news|title=Neubauer Appointed Chief Judge of Appeals Court, District Chiefs Appointed|url=https://www.wisbar.org/NewsPublications/Pages/General-Article.aspx?ArticleID=24067|accessdate=August 2, 2015|work=Wisbar News|publisher=State Bar of Wisconsin|date=May 8, 2015}}</ref> Neubauer took office on August 2, replacing retiring Chief Judge Richard S. Brown.
Neubauer was a candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2019. Despite endorsements from 150 current and former Wisconsin judges, including 18 from the court of appeals,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/07/12/state-appeals-court-judge-lisa-neubauer-announces-supreme-court/778267002/|title=State appeals court judge Lisa Neubauer announces run for Supreme Court|newspaper= Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |access-date=July 12, 2018|language=en}}</ref> she was narrowly defeated by Judge Brian Hagedorn.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wisconsinvote.org/election-results|title=Election Results|website=Wisconsin Vote|language=en|access-date=May 5, 2019}}</ref>
Neubauer was re-elected to another term on the Court of Appeals in 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/04/13/wisconsin-election-results-nuebauer-vs-bugenhagen-appeals-court/5127232002/ |title= Lisa Neubauer defeats Paul Bugenhagen, keeps seat on Court of Appeals |date = April 13, 2020 |accessdate= April 13, 2020 |last= Vielmetti |first= Bruce | newspaper= Milwaukee Journal Sentinel }}</ref> On June 28, 2021, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an order ending her term as chief judge on July 31, 2021; she was replaced by presiding judge William W. Brash III.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Conniff |first=Ruth |date=June 30, 2021 |title=Supreme Court summarily ends Court of Appeals chief judge's term |url=https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/supreme-court-summarily-ends-court-of-appeals-chief-judges-term/ |access-date=July 1, 2021 |website=Wisconsin Examiner |language=en-US}}</ref>
In October 2025, Neubauer announced that she would not run for a fourth term on the Court of Appeals in the 2026 election.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/appeals-court-judge-neubauer-announces-retirement/ |title= Appeals Court Judge Neubauer announces retirement |first= Henry |last= Redman |date= October 6, 2025 |work= Wisconsin Examiner |accessdate= December 13, 2025 }}</ref>
== Personal life == Lisa Stephens took the last name Neubauer in 1986 when she married Jeffrey A. Neubauer, who was then serving as a state representative and would later serve four years as chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28458579/the-journal-times/ |title= Neubauer decides against lieutenant governor bid |first= Mike |last= Hill |newspaper= Racine Journal Times |date= May 20, 1986 |page=1 |accessdate= January 13, 2023 |via= Newspapers.com }}</ref> They have three adult children, including Greta Neubauer, the current Democratic minority leader in the Wisconsin State Assembly. The Neubauers reside in Racine, Wisconsin.
== Electoral history ==
===Wisconsin Court of Appeals (2008, 2014, 2020)=== {{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II Election, 2008<ref>{{cite report|url=https://elections.wi.gov/sites/electionsuat.wi.gov/files/2008_SpringElection_CtofAppeals_CountyReturns.pdf |title= Canvass Summary, Spring General Election |publisher=Wisconsin State Elections Board |page= 2|date= April 1, 2008 |accessdate= April 6, 2019}}</ref>}} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''General Election, April 1, 2008''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Nonpartisan politician |candidate = Lisa S. Neubauer (incumbent) |votes = 138,241 |percentage = 62.60% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Nonpartisan politician |candidate = William C. Gleisner III |votes = 82,302 |percentage = 37.27% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = |candidate = ''Scattering'' |votes = 286 |percentage = 0.13% |change = }} {{Election box plurality |votes = 55,939 |percentage = 25.36% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = 220,543 |percentage = 100.0% |change = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II Election, 2014<ref>{{cite report|url=https://elections.wi.gov/sites/electionsuat.wi.gov/files/Canvass%20Results.4.1.14%20spring%20election%20-%20All%20Offices.pdf |title= Canvass Results for 2014 Spring Election |publisher=Wisconsin State Elections Board |page= 2|date= April 1, 2014 |accessdate= April 6, 2019}}</ref>}} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''General Election, April 1, 2014''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Nonpartisan politician |candidate = Lisa S. Neubauer (incumbent) |votes = 115,521 |percentage = 99.49% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = |candidate = ''Scattering'' |votes = 594 |percentage = 0.51% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = 116,115 |percentage = 100.0% |change = }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II Election, 2020<ref>{{cite report|url= https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/Canvass%20Results%20Summary_spring%20election%20all%20contests_4_7_2020.pdf |title= Canvass Results for 2020 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote - 4/7/2020 |date= May 4, 2020 |publisher= Wisconsin Elections Commission |accessdate=May 15, 2020 |page=2 }}</ref>}} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''General Election, April 7, 2020''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Nonpartisan politician |candidate = Lisa S. Neubauer (incumbent) |votes = 231,788 |percentage = 53.99% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=Nonpartisan politician|candidate=Paul Bugenhagen, Jr.|votes=196,958|percentage=45.88%|change=}} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=|candidate=''Scattering''|votes=540|percentage=0.13%|change=}} {{Election box plurality |votes = 34,830 |percentage = 8.11% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = 429,286 |percentage = 100.0% |change = }} {{Election box end}}
===Wisconsin Supreme Court (2019)=== {{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Supreme Court Election, 2019<ref>{{cite report|chapter-url=https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lrb/blue_book/2019_2020 |title= Wisconsin Blue Book 2019-2020 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |year=2019 |chapter= Election results and Wisconsin parties | pages=618–620 |accessdate= January 19, 2020}}</ref> }} | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| '''General Election, April 2, 2019''' {{Election box winning candidate with party link| |party = Nonpartisan politician |candidate = Brian Hagedorn |votes = 606,414 |percentage = 50.22% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Nonpartisan politician |candidate = Lisa Neubauer |votes = 600,433 |percentage = 49.72% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = |candidate = ''Scattering'' |votes = 722 |percentage = 0.06% |change = }} {{Election box plurality |votes = 5,981 |percentage = 0.50% |change = }} {{Election box total |votes = 1,207,569 |percentage = 100.0% |change = +21.06% }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Ballotpedia|Lisa_Neubauer|Lisa Neubauer}} * {{CongLinks| votesmart= 185971 }} * [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=428488 Neubauer, Lisa] at [https://www.ourcampaigns.com Our Campaigns]
{{s-start}} {{s-legal}} {{s-bef|before = Neal Nettesheim }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II}}|years=2007–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-bef|before = Richard S. Brown }} {{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals}}|years= August 2, 2015{{spaced ndash}}July 31, 2021}} {{s-aft|after = William W. Brash III }} {{s-end}} {{Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neubauer, Lisa}} Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American lawyers Category:21st-century American judges Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Category:University of Chicago Law School alumni Category:Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges Category:Wisconsin lawyers Category:20th-century American women lawyers Category:21st-century American women judges Category:People associated with Foley & Lardner