Thomas H. Barland

Thomas H. Barland (born March 3, 1930) is a retired American lawyer, politician, and judge. Most recently, he was the last chairman of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board before its dissolution in 2015. He was a Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge and County Judge for 33 years in Eau Claire County and served six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican.

Early life and career

Although descended from one of the pioneer settlers of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Barland was born in San Francisco, California, and received his early education on the island of Oahu in what was then the Territory of Hawaii. Barland's father was employed as an engineer for the War Department at the Schofield Barracks. At age 11, Barland witnessed the Attack on Pearl Harbor, racing home after the first wave of the attack and sheltering in his basement with his parents. A few months later, they were evacuated to the United States and relocated to Eau Claire.

He graduated from Eau Claire High School in 1947 and attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he received his bachelor's degree in economics in 1951. He went on to law school at the University of Wisconsin Law School, but interrupted his education in 1953 to enlist in the United States Army.

Barland declared his candidacy for Wisconsin State Assembly in June 1960, and was unopposed in seeking the Republican nomination. He challenged incumbent Democrat Karl J. Goethel in Eau Claire County's 1st assembly district—composed of most of the city of Eau Claire. He would go on to win re-election in 1962 and 1964, but did not run for a fourth term in 1966, leaving office in January 1967.

During his years in the Legislature, he was chosen as Republican Caucus Chairman and served on the Assembly committees on the judiciary, state affairs, and taxation; he served on the powerful Joint Finance Committee, and was vice chairman of the Legislative Council Taxation Committee. He also served on the Board on Government Operations, which was charged with managing emergency appropriations, and given oversight power over the state Department of Administration.

Judicial career

In March 1967, Governor Knowles appointed Barland County Judge of Eau Claire County, to replace Judge Connor T. Hansen, who he had earlier appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Judge Barland was subsequently elected to a full judicial term in 1968 and re-elected without opposition in 1976.

In 1975, he chose to run for the Wisconsin Circuit Court seat being vacated by retiring judge Merrill R. Farr, covering Eau Claire and Trempealeau counties—under the pre-1978 circuit court organization, this was the 23rd circuit. He was ultimately unopposed in the election and assumed office in January 1976. In 1977, however, Wisconsin voters approved a series of referendums enabling the 1978 Court Reorganization Act, which flattened the circuit and county court systems into a single trial court system. On August 1, 1978, Judge Barland transitioned from the 23rd circuit—which ceased to exist—to the new Eau Claire circuit. He went on to be re-elected as circuit court judge in 1981, 1987 and 1993. He retired in 2000 after 33 years on the bench following the death of his first wife, Ann, in 1999. He continued to hear cases as a reserve judge and arbitrator.

In addition to his reserve judge duties, Barland remained active in community groups after his retirement. He served on the executive committee of the Restorative Justice System, was president of TRY Mediations, and served on the boards of the United Way of Greater Eau Claire and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Chippewa Valley.

Government Accountability Board

In 2009, Governor Jim Doyle appointed Judge Barland to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board for a term to expire May 1, 2015. His appointment to the Board was confirmed by the State Senate in 2010. He became chairperson of the board in 2011.

In 2015, Wisconsin Republicans chose to abolish the Government Accountability Board as part of a broader effort to rein in independent oversight institutions within the state. Judge Barland referred to the action as, "a great step backwards," and said the board had been victim of "a political lynching."

Personal life and history Barland's great-grandfather, Reverend Thomas Barland, was a Scottish American immigrant and the first preacher to conduct a regular Protestant church service at Eau Claire after settling there in 1849.

Judge Barland married his first wife, Ann Marie Johnson, in 1964. Together, they were founding donors to create the Eau Claire Community Foundation. Ann died in 1999. Judge Barland is now married to Jill Broderick and has two adult step-children. Thomas and Jill Barland also maintain a donor fund at the Eau Claire Community Foundation and have been actively involved in the management of the organization.