Max Raskin

Max Raskin
Max Raskin
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Waukesha Circuit, Branch 1
	Acting
	In office; August 1, 1978 – December 8, 1980
Preceded by	William E. Gramling (Disabled)
Succeeded by	Harry G. Snyder
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 22nd Circuit, Branch 1
	Acting
	In office; May 1977 – July 31, 1978
Preceded by	William E. Gramling (Disabled)
Succeeded by	Circuit abolished
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 2nd Circuit, Branch 2
	In office; October 1963 – August 1973
Appointed by	John W. Reynolds, Jr.
Preceded by	Michael T. Sullivan
Succeeded by	George Burns
Milwaukee City Attorney
	In office; 1932–1936
Preceded by	John Niven
Succeeded by	Walter Mattison
Personal details
Born	November 8, 1902; Vitebsk, Russian Empire
Died	August 22, 1984 (aged 81); Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Resting place	Spring Hill Cemetery ; Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Spouses	Elaine Hilda Rosenblith; (died 2002);
Children	Bonnie Fern (Prager); (b. 1935; died 2011);
Education	Marquette Law School

Max Raskin (November 8, 1902 – August 22, 1984) was a Russian Jewish immigrant to the U.S., who served first as lawyer and then a judge. Raskin was Milwaukee City Attorney from 1932 to 1936 and later a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge in Milwaukee County from 1963 to 1973.

Life and career[edit]

Raskin was born to Jewish parents in Vitebsk, a majority-Jewish city in the Russian Empire (in what is now Belarus), and emigrated with his family at the age of nine.^[1] He graduated from the Marquette University Law School in 1926 and practiced in Milwaukee as a labor law attorney.^[2] Raskin ran unsuccessfully for Milwaukee County District Attorney in 1930.^[3] In 1932, he was elected Milwaukee City Attorney as a Socialist, unseating nonpartisan incumbent John M. Niven.^[4] After his election, Raskin appointed former judge and Socialist politician William F. Quick as his first assistant and employed Edwin Knappe, a former Socialist state Representative, as an assistant city attorney.^[5] As city attorney, Raskin collaborated closely with Mayor Daniel W. Hoan, also a Socialist, and required assistant city attorneys to relinquish any employment in private practice.^[6] He was harshly criticized by the conservative Milwaukee Sentinel for "his refusal to prosecute communistic rioters".^[7]

Raskin was defeated in his 1936 reelection bid and reentered private practice. In 1937, he was elected as a national committeeman of the Socialist Party of America^[8] but, in 1940,^[9] he left the party and joined the Wisconsin Progressive Party. In 1944, he became a Democrat.^[1] Raskin ran for judicial office in 1949 and 1956 but was twice defeated; in 1963, his political ally Governor John W. Reynolds, Jr., appointed him to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.^[10] Raskin served on the court until 1973 and, following his mandatory retirement at the age of 70, continued to serve the state as a reserve judge. In that capacity, he stepped in as Acting Circuit Court Judge in Waukesha County for Judge William E. Gramling during a lengthy struggle with cancer.^[1] He died in 1984 at the age of 81.^[1]

Raskin's nephew,^[11] Marcus Raskin, was a progressive activist and social critic.

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Former circuit judge, Max Raskin, dies of cancer". The Milwaukee Journal. 22 August 1984. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Max Raskin, Two Others Form Law Firm". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 27 December 1958. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "For Circuit Judge in Branch 8". The Milwaukee Journal. 26 February 1949. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Women Voters' League Reports on Candidates". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 13 March 1932. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Raskin Ousts Six Niven Aids". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 20 April 1932. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Rivals Batter Raskin; All 5 See Victory". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 17 March 1936. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Milwaukee Rebukes Radicalism". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 9 April 1936. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Hoan Leaves Party Board". The Milwaukee Journal. 29 March 1937. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Raskin Seeks Judge's Post, Campaign Spending Curb". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 6 November 1955. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Raskin Is Appointed Circuit Court Judge". The Milwaukee Journal. 9 October 1963. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
^ "Milwaukeean Raskin Has Served Presidents". The Milwaukee Journal. 6 January 1968. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

Legal offices
Preceded by Michael T. Sullivan	Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 2nd Circuit, Branch 2 1963 – 1973	Succeeded by George Burns
Preceded by William E. Gramling (Disabled)	Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 22nd Circuit, Branch 1 (Acting) 1977 – 1978	Succeeded by Circuit abolished
Preceded by William E. Gramling (Disabled)	Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Waukesha Circuit, Branch 1 (Acting) 1978 – 1980	Succeeded by Harry G. Snyder

[Obituary-1] "Former circuit judge, Max Raskin, dies of cancer". The Milwaukee Journal. 22 August 1984. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[2] "Max Raskin, Two Others Form Law Firm". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 27 December 1958. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[3] "For Circuit Judge in Branch 8". The Milwaukee Journal. 26 February 1949. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[4] "Women Voters' League Reports on Candidates". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 13 March 1932. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[5] "Raskin Ousts Six Niven Aids". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 20 April 1932. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[6] "Rivals Batter Raskin; All 5 See Victory". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 17 March 1936. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[7] "Milwaukee Rebukes Radicalism". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 9 April 1936. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[8] "Hoan Leaves Party Board". The Milwaukee Journal. 29 March 1937. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[9] "Raskin Seeks Judge's Post, Campaign Spending Curb". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 6 November 1955. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[10] "Raskin Is Appointed Circuit Court Judge". The Milwaukee Journal. 9 October 1963. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

[11] "Milwaukeean Raskin Has Served Presidents". The Milwaukee Journal. 6 January 1968. Retrieved 25 July 2015.

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