APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – A long-time Outagamie County judge is stepping down after an investigation into a reported controversy over a choice he made on the bench.
Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Mark McGinnis handed in his resignation to Governor Tony Evers on August 27.
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Judge McGinnis announced that he will be retiring, effective February 1, 2026, shortly after his 55th birthday.
Nonprofit investigative news outlet Wisconsin Watch reported that the announcement came after a Wisconsin Department of Justice investigation stated that Judge McGinnis jailed a cement contractor, who was in court for different charges, over a private financial dispute in 2021.
La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke said that Judge McGinnis will not face any criminal charges.
District Attorney Gruenke also told Wisconsin Watch that Judge McGinnis admitted he could have handled the case differently.
In Judge McGinnis’ resignation letter, he thanked the public for what he called ‘the trust placed in me.’
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He also stated that he intends to be active in the legal field following retirement.
Local 5 reached out to Judge McGinnis and was provided with a copy of the resignation letter; however, no further comments were made.
