Wisconsin Supreme Court Leak Probe Notes Missing Digital Records, Unsecure Procedures, But Ends Without Resolution
MADISON, Wis. — An investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of a Wisconsin Supreme Court draft order related to abortion access ended without identifying the source of the leak, despite a six-month inquiry that cost taxpayers more than $165,000.
The report, released Tuesday, concluded that the leak was “likely deliberate” but stated investigators were “unable to identify the source.” The document, a draft order in the high-profile case Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin v. Urmanski, was published by Wisconsin Watch on June 26, 2024—before the court formally accepted the case.
According to the report, investigators conducted 62 interviews with justices, clerks, court staff, and other individuals with access to the draft during the relevant timeframe. They also reviewed emails, network activity, and printer logs.
The investigation flagged an instance where Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s law clerk forwarded the confidential draft to Bradley’s personal email account. “This was the only known instance in which the draft order left the Wisconsin court system prior to its publication,” the report noted. The law clerk described the practice as routine, explaining that important documents were often sent to the justice’s personal account.
“It is highly unusual to conduct official government business on personal email accounts (or at least, it should be),” said Skylar Croy, Associate Counsel with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty and a former law clerk at the Wisconsin Supreme Court. “Here, it raises significant security concerns and may have compromised the confidentiality of the judicial process.”
The report also raised concerns over missing digital records. Browser history logs from June 13 to June 25, 2024, were unavailable, limiting the forensic review. “The lack of full historical log data significantly hampered the ability to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding the leak,” the report stated.
While the justices “unanimously condemned” the leak and called it a “serious breach of trust,” the investigation concluded without naming a suspect. The court announced it will create a task force to review the report’s recommendations and strengthen internal security procedures.
Justice Bradley, who has served three ten-year terms, plans to retire on July 31, 2025. Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford will replace her, having won the April election.
5:35pm April 30, 2025
