KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha County Eye editor Kevin Mathewson has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Chad Kerkman after he retaliated against the outlet’s reporting by revoking its long-standing ability to photograph in intake court.
The lawsuit, Mathewson v. Kerkman, et al. (2025CV1492), was filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin on Monday. Although the suit also names Chief Judge Wynne Laufenberg and Court Commissioner William Michel II, both were included as a matter of legal procedure because they enforced Kerkman’s order. Kerkman, however, is the driving force behind the retaliation.
The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Joseph Peter “J.P.” Stadtmueller, who was nominated to the federal bench in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan, when KCE editor Kevin Mathewson was only three years old. Stadtmueller is one of Wisconsin’s longest-serving federal judges, a Marquette Law graduate, and former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
For over five years, KCE has been credentialed to photograph criminal proceedings in Kenosha County Circuit Court’s intake hearings, often multiple times a week. The outlet has also been approved in Racine, Milwaukee, Walworth, and Brown County Circuit Courts, as well as in Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie Municipal Courts. Judges and commissioners statewide have credentialed KCE over a hundred times without issue. Kerkman is the only judge in Wisconsin to ever issue such a denial.
The lawsuit makes clear that Kerkman’s blanket ban came in direct response to KCE’s coverage of misconduct tied to his courtroom, including a report on his bailiff being charged with felony identity theft.
“This is about a bully judge retaliating as an intimidation method to stop what we’ve been doing for five years — reporting the truth and holding public officials accountable,” Mathewson said.
Photography, the lawsuit argues, is not a luxury but a tool for transparency. Many Kenosha residents may not recognize offenders by name, but they know their faces. By publishing photos from the courtroom, KCE helps the public remain informed and aware of dangerous defendants and repeat offenders in the community.
The complaint alleges violations of the First Amendment, equal protection, and due process, citing selective enforcement. While KCE has been categorically denied access, other outlets — including Milwaukee’s TMJ4 — have continued to receive same-day approvals.
The case is now pending in Milwaukee before Judge Stadtmueller. Kenosha County Eye will continue to keep readers updated as the lawsuit moves forward.
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51 Responses
Kerkman appears to be a slow learner!
You go kev!
I find it absolutely absurd we call Kerkman honorable. He is not
Kerkman is going to be keeping an eye on you.
and we will keep an eye on Kerkman!
There’s a new “sheriff” rollin’ into this lawless wasteland they call a courthouse!
That’s an understatement! If you only knew. All of those slugs should’ve resigned or retired years ago! Schroeder is the smart one.
Kevin,
Would you be able to send me a download k
copy of filing. I want to show it to my Law professor because we have been speaking about it in class.
Wow
Everything I have read he should not be a judge anymore!
Congrats to Kevin for standing up to a tyrant who is denying KCE its first amendment rights.
This is just like what what another tyrant, President Trump, did to the Associated Press.
Way to try and conflate the two–President Trump is NOT a tyrant.
What ever you say. You keep on thinking that if it brings you peace.
https://youtu.be/U1FxfR3lg6Q?si=YuvEbIJfHi6VH-bj
I smell antifa each time I read you
That means the kool-aid is working. Every tyrant has to convince his followers there is a common enemy. You are buying it hook, line, and sinker. Sad for you.
Ya, tyrant Jerkman has made Kevin that enemy.
You are an idiot. Trump basically put the spoiled press in time out for the lies they tell the American CITIZENS
I think it will be very interesting to see how this winds its way through the federal courts. However, this should end with the chief judge.
Power to the people.
Jerkman thinks he is king. Nope!
Great Job Kevin take him Down , Kenosha needs this and you !
Drew Burgoyne for judge!
You mean the former Gravely-man Democrat shill who attempted to dismiss a case against a multiple rap-sheet indigent public defended perp who’s been jailed for 2 years so to free him for time-served without trial for allegedly punching another dude’s lights permanently out in a bar fight, who then died in a coma days afterward – but was stopped out by DA Solis personally to proceed with the trial?
You must be a former perp that the Democrat Gravely-Train had allowed to skate – or an ignorant eyes wide shut person and social liability embedded in the local community.
The Gravely – Adams railroad is still ongoing in the Racine DA’s office.
Kevin … the guy is that sensitive he thinks he can borrow you from his court or some BS… another craze the liberal
Could you please rewrite this so it makes sense?
A little proofreading is always prudent.
Though after a couple of beers it’s anyone’s guess which would be better
Kevin, I’m glad to see you’re holding Kerkman accountable and hope you win this case. It should be a landslide victory for you. Now I hope you begin holding Solis more accountable. It’s now been nearly 11 months since he was elected to improve the mess he took over. Yet a huge case backlog and short-staffed office continue to be problematic. At what point is his honeymoon as DA over?
DA Solis has jetstream headwinds of local intergenerational Democrat rot and extreme Comey-like arrogance to buck. And likely, a high amount of internal backstabbing and sabotage, just as the cheat-rigged and rooked out Trump 45 in 2020 – with full RINO backstabbing filth smirking support.
Solis has to be very careful and very astute to expect any measure of success. To date, the Democrat partisan actions against Solis and Eye, just as in Trump 45, their current effect is primarily limited to full exposure. Clean-up and correction remains to be determined.
We don’t need ANY type of scandal to come out of the new DA office.
So slow and steady at the helm is the prudent way to go.
Keep at it Xavier. We are behind you.
Wish we could do more.
Every Assistant District Attorney who posed for talentless, personalityless McNeil’s campaign ad with her have left.
They are all sore loser democrats. They all planned to leave from the beginning; it just took some longer to find beurocrat, government tit jobs than others.
(Notice none went to work for a private law firm or started their own firm? They didn’t because they couldn’t. Also talentless, personalityless hacks.)
Solis will rebuild.
No murders or rapists are going free.
Relax people.
Lots of aggressive republicans commenting on here making it into something its not….. as usual. Aggressors and full of evil. Shame.
Eye is far above the current Lee Enterprises or the former Howard Brown Democrat “happy-talk” Kenosha News clap-trap crap.
That the assigned Federal judge over the
Eye’ s case is a fully seasoned Reagan-appointee, whose perpective has been acid-marinated through the non-consecutive 12 years of Obama-Biden absurdity is a positive development.
You will win, Kevin! The light-in-the-loafers Kerkman is using his position to bully others, and it is so transparent!
Why have I never seen the name Wynne Lauphenberg before ?
Racine County Ultra-Liberal Judge. She’s the Chief Judge for Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth Counties.
Once again…always an alpha-female Democrat pushed into to ensure accelerated societal decay.
Judge Laufenberg was appointed by former Gov. Scott Walker and worked on the campaign of Justice Annette Ziegler.
Interesting. More proof that the MAGA Cult is incapable of comprehending that one their own is messed up. WE WILL JUST BLAME THE LIBS!
Whether liberal or MAGA, what is commissioners Michel’s reasoning for denying you access to his courtroom? Is it a lack of balls, or is he bound by any rule?
Go Kevin! This judge needs to be disbarred!
This is just the first. Wait until the We The People lot come to town. Looks like many judges in Kenosha county have already crossed the resignation threshold. Oh well that’s on them.
You have some silent fans posting about this but too scared to post here.
Caputo, and Landry? lol
LOL even the local radio station in Gurnee reported on this story.. Haaaaaaaaaaaaa. Tax the rich, unless we need a new radio station.
Why is this judge still on Bench ? should he not be pulled until this is resolved , How much more damage to the Citizen of Kenosha, can Happen
Kerman and his “Roomie” need to go frolicking off into the sunset
I stand corrected to previous post ..Jerkman
None of the liberal POS deserve to be a judge. They are denying KCE’s constitutional rights intentionally. Sue for million’s, TMJ included.
Good job kevin. Kerkman has always been a total piece of dog shit. A judge shouldnt be a total liar and fraud. Hope he loses his job for his lies and nonsense. Prolly crooked too
Just a question. Did Kerkman revoke the right of everyone to photograph in intake court or just you? Thanks, Kevin.
Just me