Baker to be sworn in via Zoom on Jan. 8
By Patrick Lynn
Attorney Patricia Baker will be sworn into her appointment as a Portage Co. Circuit Court Judge at 2 p.m. on Jan. 8.
Baker, a Gov. Tony Evers appointee, will serve the remainder of Branch III Judge Thomas Flugaur’s term, which expires Aug. 1, 2021. Flugaur retired from the role in November. Judges serve six-year elected terms.
Baker previously worked as an assistant district attorney, and as an assistant city attorney for the city of Wausau. She was appointed as Portage Co. Clerk of Courts in 2011 and was elected to a full four-year term after running unopposed in 2014. She resigned in March 2017, before her term expired.
She was also an elected trustee in Park Ridge beginning in 2012 and was elected as village president in 2017. She resigned from that role after about one year, before the term expired, taking a job in private practice.
During her time in the clerk of courts’ office, she also mounted a campaign for Branch II Circuit Court Judge in 2016 but lost to Judge Robert Shannon by a vote tally of 12,537 to 10,505.
Baker was elected to the Stevens Point Area Public School Board in 2014, a position she still holds. It was not immediately clear if she would keep the seat while serving as a judge.
When asked for comment on becoming the county’s first female judge, and whether she planned to continue serving on the school board, or other committees, Baker replied, “Thanks for the kind invitation but it appears my days of talking to the news media are over. I’m sure you understand.”
Baker will be sworn-in at 2 p.m. in Branch III, but due to gathering restrictions under COVID-19 only Baker’s immediate family is allowed in the courtroom. There will also be no traditional procession of judges.
The public may observe the swearing-in via Zoom, either remotely, or via a monitor in Branch I.
The swearing-in can be found at https://Zoom.us by entering meeting # 972 4276 8370. To attend by telephone, dial 1-312-626-6799 and enter the same meeting number.
