“My eight years as Circuit Court Commissioner have taught me this — you don’t make judgments in a vacuum. And there aren’t simply two sides to the story. In order to make a judgment that is fair and in keeping with the law, you have to approach a case with a mind free of preconceived notions. You have to respectfully listen and consider all sides of the story — the litigants, their families and the community. And then you have to justly examine the law and apply it to the facts before you.
I approach each day knowing I will learn something new — that every case is unique. And that my decisions must be thoughtful, just and expeditious because the decisions I make impact lives.”
As Marathon County Circuit and Family Court Commissioner, Sandy has played a leading role in several initiatives designed to ensure the rights of individuals.
- Participated in the development of pilot programs for assisting self-represented litigants — making justice accessible to those who represent themselves while ensuring the court can ably manage the challenges this presents to the court system.
- Participated in programs to benefit self-represented litigants in divorce proceedings.
- Assisted state-wide team in establishing a program to assist Hmong interpreters in obtaining certification that will allow them to participate in Wisconsin court proceedings.
- Appointed by Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson to the Commission on Children, Families and the Courts.
- Helped develop the Butterfly Program to assist the children of divorcing parents.
