Marvin Bristol Rosenberry (February 12, 1868 – February 15, 1958) was an American lawyer and judge from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He was the 13th Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and was the longest-serving chief justice in the court's history, having served nearly 21 years in the role.

The Honorable
Marvin B. Rosenberry
Rosenberry circa 1940
13th Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
March 23, 1929 – January 1950
Preceded byAad J. Vinje
Succeeded byOscar M. Fritz
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
February 12, 1916 – January 1950
Appointed byEmanuel L. Philipp
Preceded byJohn Barnes
Succeeded byEdward J. Gehl
Personal details
Born
Marvin Bristol Rosenberry

(1868-02-12)February 12, 1868
River Styx, Ohio, U.S.
DiedFebruary 15, 1958(1958-02-15) (aged 90)
Resting placePine Grove Cemetery
Wausau, Wisconsin
Spouses
Kate Landfair
(m. 1897; died 1917)
(m. 1918; died 1958)
Children
  • 3 with Kate Landfair
  • Florence Rosenberry
  • (b. 1898; died 1902)
  • Katherine (White)
  • (b. 1901; died 1947)
  • Samuel Rosenberry
Alma materUniversity of Michigan Law School
Professionlawyer, judge

Biography

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Born in River Styx, Ohio, Rosenberry and his family moved to Fulton, Michigan, where they had a farm. Rosenberry went to what is now Eastern Michigan University and then taught school for a few years. He then received his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and opened a law office in Wausau, Wisconsin.

In 1916, he was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and, in 1929, Rosenberry became chief justice of the Supreme Court serving until his retirement in 1950.[1][2] For almost 21 of his nearly 34 years on the bench, Rosenberry served as chief justice. By the time of his retirement, his opinions were published in 91 volumes of the Wisconsin Reports and he had participated in more than 11,000 cases, approximately 50 percent of all cases heard before the Wisconsin Supreme Court since its inception.

Rosenberry Redistricting Commission

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In 1950, the state had not passed a full redistricting plan in 30 years. Responding to the courts and public opinion, the Legislature appointed a special redistricting committee and asked Judge Rosenberry to chair.[3] Rosenberry took up the duty, the commission produced a viable plan within four months, and the Legislature passed the plan in the 1951 session (1951 Wisc. Act 728).[4][5][6] After two more years of political wrangling, the plan was utilized in 1954 and remained the state district plan through 1963. During the wrangling over the plan, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature could only enact one redistricting plan per census.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Chief Justice Marvin Rosenberry, Wisconsin Supreme Court Archived 2010-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1948,' Biographical Sketch of Marvin B. Rosenberry, pg. 12
  3. ^ "State Civil Defense Committee Named". Wisconsin State Journal. August 22, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved August 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Republicans Get Ready To Scuttle Reapportionment Again". The Capital Times. December 27, 1950. p. 18. Retrieved August 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Another Stall on Reapportionment". The Capital Times. February 27, 1951. p. 22. Retrieved August 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Ignoring Party Pledges, GOP Refuses to Follow Mandate to Reapportion". The Capital Times. June 21, 1951. p. 1. Retrieved August 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ State ex rel. Thomson v. Zimmerman, 264 Wis. 644 (Wisconsin Supreme Court October 6, 1953 ·).
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Legal offices
Preceded by Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
February 12, 1916 – January 1950
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
March 23, 1929 – January 1950
Succeeded by