Patricia J. Gorence at a glance
- Current role
- Magistrate
- Jurisdiction
- Wisconsin · Federal
- Judicial service
- Active
Patricia J. Gorence
Magistrate · U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Service record and verification
Judicial service and assignments
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin · Magistrate · Active · April 1, 1994–present · Assignment source ↗
Appointment and verification
- Source authority
- CourtListener / Free Law Project
Biography
Professional career
- This experience shaped her commitment to equity and justice
- Distinguished federal judge and the first woman to serve as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, later also serving in the Western District of Wisconsin
- She clerked for Judge Robert W. Warren (E.D. Wis.), held the role of Assistant U.S. Attorney (rising to First Assistant), was Deputy Attorney General of Wisconsin, practiced at Gimble, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, and later returned to the federal bench
Education
- Marquette University Law School — J.D. (1977)
- MA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison (1969).
- BA in Journalism from Marquette University (1965).
Additional information
- Magistrate, District Court, W.D. Wisconsin, 1994-present
- Patricia J. Gorence passed away on August 4, 2025, at age 82.
- Federal bench for 26 years, retiring June 30, 2013, but remained on recall status until 2020.
- Appointed in 1994 to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on a renewable eight‐year term.
- She had previously been appointed in 1991 to the Eastern District of Wisconsin, where she broke ground as the first woman in that role.
- Colleagues remembered her as a trailblazer, quiet, competent, and caring judge who “did her work and went about it respectfully”.
- Active in the Milwaukee Bar Association, the Association for Women Lawyers, and numerous community service initiatives.
- Founding the “START” reentry program (Successful Transition and Reentry Together) to help previously incarcerated individuals reintegrate into communities.
- Supervising law clerks on civil rights cases and mentoring new judges and staff.
- Before law school, Gorence held a position as a reporter for the Waukesha Freeman and for the Southern Courier in Montgomery, Alabama, during the Civil Rights Movement, reporting on politics, protests, and the lived experiences of sharecroppers.
- She was married to John Bach for 56 years and is survived by her children Amy, Mara, and Christopher, and five grandchildren.
- Birth place: Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Camera Notice
Statewide
Wisconsin SCR 61 asks media to give the trial judge advance notice before bringing cameras or recording equipment into the courtroom.
the trial judge shall be given notice, at least 3 days in advanceWisconsin SCR Chapter 61: Electronic Media and Still Photography Coverage of Judicial Proceedings ↗
Courtroom Equipment Control
Statewide
Wisconsin SCR 61 leaves courtroom equipment placement, lighting, and use subject to trial-judge control.
Only equipment approved by the trial judge in advance of the court proceeding may be usedWisconsin SCR Chapter 61: Electronic Media and Still Photography Coverage of Judicial Proceedings ↗
Remote appearances
Statewide
Wisconsin's court system instructs parties that courts will notify them when a hearing is remote and provide joining instructions.
The court will send you instructions on how to join your remote hearing by video or by phone.Wisconsin Court System: Zoom hearing resources ↗
Statewide
Wisconsin remote-hearing guidance tells participants to contact the clerk promptly if they lack reliable internet or phone access.
Contact the clerk of circuit court as soon as possible.Wisconsin Court System: Zoom hearing resources ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-10-27Sources
Identity source checked June 30, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · CourtListener / Free Law Project · effective April 1, 1994 · Source checked August 2, 2026
View U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin current judicial profile ↗Wisconsin SCR Chapter 61: Electronic Media and Still Photography Coverage of Judicial Proceedings
Statewide source · HTML · Wisconsin Supreme Court · effective July 1, 1979 · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Wisconsin SCR Chapter 61: Electronic Media and Still Photography Coverage of Judicial Proceedings ↗Wisconsin Court System: Zoom hearing resources
Statewide source · HTML · Wisconsin Court System · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Wisconsin Court System: Zoom hearing resources ↗