Brunette will seek new Clark judge seat

Attorney Jake Brunette has announced his candidacy for judge in the newly created Clark County Circuit Court Branch 2.

The Branch 2 judge is an additional judge added to Clark County by the state legislature to handle the heightened caseload demands.The election is on April 4, 2023 with the 6-year term starting on Aug.1, 2023.

Brunette is a Clark County native who grew up in Neillsville. He graduated from Neillsville High School and obtained his bachelor’s degrees in biology and biochemistry from Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., in 2004. After working in the biomedical industry for more than seven years, Jake received his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in Saint Paul, Minn.,in 2012.

Jake is married to his wife Lyndsey, who was also raised in Clark County just north of Christie. Jake and his family live in Neillsville.

Outside of his legal service to Clark County, Jake has been active in the community serving on the Neillsville School Board, Optimist Club, Clark County Regional Business Fund Loan Committee, and church council. Jake is a member of the Clark County Bar Association and served as president for more than six years. He and his family are members of St. John’s Church of Christie.

Jake served Clark County for nearly 10 years providing corporation counsel duties. While serving Clark County, he provided legal advice to the many county departments and governing bodies in a vast range of legal areas. Much of his time representing Clark County was spent in court, prosecuting hundreds of cases related to mental illness, child protection, adult protection, termination of parental rights, child support enforcement, and county ordinance enforcement. Jake also served the community as a private practice attorney in areas of business law, real estate, and estate planning. He was an active member on several county teams focused on drug endangered children, child death review, elder abuse, and drug treatment court. Jake continues to expand his experience and knowledge by providing corporation counsel duties in Eau Claire County.

“Clark County deserves a court system that the public can trust,” he said. “My experience and respect for the court allow me to serve the public with confidence, compassion, and respect. The role of a circuit court judge is to know the law, uphold the rights of all parties, and render thoughtful decisions based on the law as written. I am committed to bringing these qualities to the bench and rendering decisions that are well-reasoned, impartial, and fair.”