Christine “Chris” Lyn Taylor (born January 13, 1968) is an American lawyer, jurist, and former state legislator who is running for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2026. She currently serves as a judge on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for the 4th District, having been elected in 2023 after serving as a circuit court judge in Dane County from 2020 to 2023. Prior to her judicial career, Taylor represented Madison in the Wisconsin State Assembly for nearly a decade (2011–2020), where she was a vocal supporter of abortion rights, gun-safety measures, labor rights, and access to healthcare. She grew up in Southern California, earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, then practiced law in Milwaukee and Madison before serving as public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. Taylor has spent her career advocating for fairness, individual rights, and equal justice under law, and she is now seeking a seat on the state’s highest court to uphold those principles and protect Wisconsinites’ constitutional rights.
Key Judicial Priorities & Philosophy
Chris Taylor’s campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court emphasizes fairness, judicial independence, and equal justice for all. On the bench and in public life, she has argued that courts should be places where every person is treated with dignity and their constitutional rights are protected. She supports the rule of law free from partisan influence, and believes judges must ensure that all Wisconsinites receive a fair hearing and equal treatment in the justice system. Taylor also stresses the importance of protecting individual freedoms — including reproductive autonomy, fundamental civil rights, and community safety — and maintaining the judiciary as a check on the other branches of government.
Accomplishments & Record of Service
- Judicial Experience: Elected to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in 2023, bringing appellate judicial experience and a strong record of thoughtful, impartial decision-making.
- Circuit Court Service: Served as a Dane County Circuit Court judge (2020–2023) after appointment by Governor Tony Evers and then election to a full term.
- Legislative Leadership: Served nine years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, where she championed abortion rights, gun-safety measures, workers’ protections, and equitable access to healthcare.
- Legal Advocacy: Before public office, worked as an attorney and as public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, defending reproductive rights and advancing civil liberties.
- Endorsed by Liberal Justices: Her campaign has received endorsements from sitting liberal justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, reflecting broad support from peers who value judicial independence and fairness.
The 2026 Wisconsin Supreme Court election — scheduled for April 7, 2026 — will decide a seat currently held by retiring conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley and could expand the current 4-3 liberal majority on the state’s highest court to 5-2 if Taylor wins. Although the overall ideological control of the court will remain Democratic-aligned regardless of this seat (due Susan Crawford's victory), Taylor’s election would further solidify a judicial commitment to upholding constitutional rights, protecting voting access, defending reproductive freedom, and ensuring equal justice.
As an attorney, public servant, and now as a judge, I’ve always been committed to making sure everyone is able to access our justice system. Justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court must be fair, independent, and impartial. Everyone who comes before the court deserves to be heard, respected, and treated equally – that’s exactly what I’ll do as a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice.
- Chris Taylor