State Supreme Court Justice Hagedorn To Recuse Himself From Act 10 Case

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Brian Hagedorn said Thursday that he will recuse himself from a forthcoming case that will decide the future of Act 10, the controversial 2011 law that stripped collective bargaining rights from some state workers.

Hagedorn helped write the original legislation when he was the chief legal counsel for former Gov. Scott Walker, who helped pass law with the Legislature’s Republican majority despite weeks of protests at the state Capitol.

Hagedorn’s decision was announced in a two-page court filing. He said the law commands that he not hear the case, the Associated Press reported.

Hagedorn’s decision not to participate in the case means the court’s four liberal and two conservatives justices will decide the case’s future.

Earlier this week, Republican state lawmakers had pushed for Justice Janet Protasiewicz, who is a part of the court’s liberal wing, to recuse herself as she had said she thought the law was unconstitutional. Democratic legislators had urged Hagedorn to recuse himself.