Thomas P. Corbett
{{Short description|20th century American politician and judge}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = The Honorable
|name = Thomas P. Corbett
|image =
|caption =
|office = {{nowrap|Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge}} {{nowrap|for the Racine Circuit, Branch 2}}
|term_start = August 1, 1978
|term_end = July 31, 1979
|predecessor = Transitioned from 21st Circ.
|successor = Stephen A. Simanek
|office1 = {{nowrap|Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge}} {{nowrap|for the 21st Circuit, Branch 2}}
|term_start1 = July 1969
|term_end1 = July 31, 1978
|predecessor1 = Position Established
|successor1 = Transitioned to Racine Circ.
|state2 = Wisconsin
|state_assembly2 = Wisconsin
|district2 = Racine 1st
|term_start2 = January 6, 1941
|term_end2 = January 4, 1943
|predecessor2 = John L. Sieb
|successor2 = Carl C. Christensen
|birth_name = Thomas Patrick Corbett
|birth_date = {{birth date|1914|9|13|mf=y}}
|birth_place = Marinette, Wisconsin
|death_date = {{death date and age|1995|5|10|1914|9|13|mf=y}}
|death_place = King, Wisconsin
|restingplace = Calvary Catholic Cemetery
Racine, Wisconsin
|spouse = {{unbulleted list
| Lucille K. Tarro
| (m. 1942; died 1996)
}}
|children = 2
|profession = Lawyer, judge
|father =
|mother =
|party = Republican
|relatives =
|religion =
|education = {{unbulleted list
| Marquette University Ph.B.
| Marquette University Law School LL.B.
}}
|allegiance = {{flag|United States|1943}}
|branch = {{flag|United States Navy}}
|rank = 21px Lieutenant
|serviceyears = 1943–1945
|commands =
|unit =
|battles = World War II
}}
Thomas Patrick Corbett (September 15, 1914{{spaced ndash}}May 10, 1995) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He was a {{nowrap|Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge}} for ten years in Racine County. He also served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Biography
Born in Marinette, Wisconsin, Corbett and his family moved to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1918.{{cite report|chapter-url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1942 |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1942 |year= 1942 |publisher= State of Wisconsin| editor1-last= Ohm |editor1-first= Howard F. |editor2-last= Bryhan |editor2-first= Leone G. |chapter= Members of the legislature |page= 62}} Corbett graduated from St. Catherine's High School and then received his bachelor's degree from Marquette University and his law degree from Marquette University Law School. He briefly practiced law, but was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in his first year out of law school, representing the city of Racine, Wisconsin, as a Republican. He served in the legislature for two years, then, in 1943, enlisted with the United States Navy for service in World War II.[http://racinelawyers.com/sites/default/files/memorials/1996.pdf Transcript of Memorial Service, Racine County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, March 22, 1996] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062119/http://racinelawyers.com/sites/default/files/memorials/1996.pdf |date=March 4, 2016 }}
He returned from the war in 1945 and resumed his law practice. In 1949, the Racine city council appointed him City Attorney, where he remained for the next thirteen years. In 1961, he was elected to one of the newly created branches of the Racine County court and was instrumental in establishing the court in Burlington, Wisconsin, in the far western part of the county. He served there until his election as a judge of the Racine-based 21st circuit in 1969. His service bridged the 1978 reorganization of Wisconsin trial courts, which saw the circuit and county courts merged, and finished his judicial service in 1979 as a judge of the Racine circuit.
After his retirement, Corbett served as a reserve judge in Racine and Waushara counties.
Corbett died at the Veteran's Home in King, Wisconsin.
Family
Corbett married Lucille K. "Terry" Tarro in 1942. They had two children.
Electoral history
{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Assembly, Racine 1st District Election, 1940{{cite report|chapter-url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1942 |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1942 |year= 1942 |publisher= State of Wisconsin| editor1-last= Ohm |editor1-first= Howard F. |editor2-last= Bryhan |editor2-first= Leone G. |chapter= Parties and elections |pages= 596, 670}}}}
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| Primary Election, September 1940
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| |party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Thomas P. Corbett
|votes = 2,681
|percentage = 46.96%
|change =
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| |party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Adolphe L. Pezanoski
|votes = 1,747
|percentage = 30.60%
|change =
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| |party = Wisconsin Progressive Party
|candidate = John L. Sieb (incumbent)
|votes = 1,281
|percentage = 22.44%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 5,709
|percentage = 100.0%
|change =
}}
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 1940
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| |party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Thomas P. Corbett
|votes = 5,314
|percentage = 43.27%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party = Wisconsin Progressive Party
|candidate = John L. Sieb (incumbent)
|votes = 4,102
|percentage = 33.40%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Adolphe L. Pezanoski
|votes = 2,864
|percentage = 23.32%
|change =
}}
{{Election box total
|votes = 12,280
|percentage = 100.0%
|change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link no swing
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
| loser = Wisconsin Progressive Party
}}
{{Election box end}}
Notes
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before = New branch}}
{{s-ttl|title = Judge for the {{nowrap|Racine County Court, Branch 3}}|years=1961{{spaced ndash}}1969}}
{{s-aft|after = Richard G. Harvey, Jr.}}
{{s-bef|before = New branch}}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the {{nowrap|21st Circuit, Branch 2}}}}|years=1969{{spaced ndash}}1978}}
{{s-aft|after = Circuit abolished}}
{{s-bef|before = New circuit}}
{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the {{nowrap|Racine Circuit, Branch 2}}}}|years=1978{{spaced ndash}}1979}}
{{s-aft|after = Stephen A. Simanek }}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Thomas P.}}
Category:People from Marinette, Wisconsin
Category:People from Racine, Wisconsin
Category:Marquette University alumni
Category:Marquette University Law School alumni
Category:Military personnel from Wisconsin
Category:Wisconsin circuit court judges
Category:Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly