(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. – In what many are calling a blatant act of retaliation, Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Chad Kerkman has now banned all news media from photographing or videotaping proceedings in Intake Court, marking the first time in Kenosha County history that media have been barred altogether from the public courtroom.
The new ban came just days after Kerkman (and others) were sued in federal court by Kenosha County Eye founder and investigative journalist Kevin Mathewson, who accused the longtime judge of violating his First Amendment rights by selectively targeting him and his publication.
For the past five years, Mathewson has been granted permission hundreds of times to photograph and document proceedings in Kenosha’s Intake Court under Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 61, with approvals from multiple commissioners including Loren “Larry” Keating and William Michel II, as well as reserve commissioners Celebre, Smathers, Ginkowski, Heckel, Hughes, and others. Until now, no other media outlet—or photographer—had ever been denied such access.
On Thursday afternoon, around 1:00 p.m., the first media outlet to feel the effect of Kerkman’s sweeping new order was NBC-WTMJ4, whose crew was denied permission to record a defendant accused of nearly killing a motorcyclist while allegedly driving drunk. After being told they could not film in the courtroom, TMJ4 resorted to photographing the courtroom television feed from the waiting area outside.
“It’s clear that Judge Kerkman is panicking,” said Mathewson. “This isn’t about fairness or security—it’s about retaliation. He targeted Kenosha County Eye first because of our reporting on his bailiff being charged with a felony, and now that he’s being sued, he’s trying to save himself by silencing everyone.”
A Pattern of Retaliation
Until the lawsuit was filed, Kenosha County Eye had been the only outlet banned from taking photos or videos in Intake Court. This new order, Mathewson believes, is Kerkman’s latest attempt to disguise his bias by expanding his unconstitutional directive to cover all reporters.
“It’s a desperate move by a man who is seemingly mentally unwell,” Mathewson added. “He knows that singling me out was illegal, so now he’s trying to pretend he treats all media equally. But it doesn’t change the fact that the original motivation was personal and retaliatory.”
Decades of Media Access — Now Gone
For decades, media outlets including the Kenosha News, WISN12ABC, and TMJ4NBC, CBS58. amd FOX6 have freely photographed defendants appearing in Intake Court—ranging from homicide suspects to public officials accused of crimes. Intake Court has long been considered the most transparent courtroom in Kenosha County, giving the public its first look at the accused and the charges they face.
Mathewson said the new ban hurts the community more than anyone. “People recognize faces more than names,” he said. “Photography in court helps victims, families, and the public identify dangerous individuals. Kerkman’s blanket ban doesn’t protect anyone—it only shields the system from scrutiny.”
Federal Lawsuit Ongoing
Mathewson’s federal lawsuit, Mathewson v. Kerkman, et al., Case No. 25-C-1492, is pending before Judge J.P. Stadtmueller of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, a Reagan appointee. The complaint alleges First Amendment retaliation, Equal Protection violations, and denial of access to public proceedings.
According to Mathewson, this latest order will likely be brought to Judge Stadtmueller’s attention. “Kerkman’s reckless actions since being sued have only made my case stronger,” Mathewson said. “He’s spiraling, and this time he’s taking every journalist in Wisconsin down with him.”
Below is a photograph of NBC-WTMJ4 videographer filming the courtroom television screen in the lobby of Intake Court after being denied permission to record inside—a scene that many longtime reporters in Kenosha thought they’d never see.
75 Responses
… the fact is that this guy thinks he’s right !
How does a person who has reached this level of “accomplishment” actually think this is something he can decide on ?
This decision alone shows his incompetence and knowledge of the very subject he’s supposed to be an expert in. Law !
Sadly that’s not the case
… for any lawyer who is thinking of making the career move to judgeship, now is the time !!
Election is right around the corner
Literally less than 7 months
Come on Attn. Michael Cicchinni we need YOU to please step up for the move to judgeship. Help us out here. Solis too.
What you non-lawyers don’t realize is that being a judge isn’t every lawyer’s dream job. Yeah it is good $ for little work, but it comes with a lot of bullshit, hampers vacation schedules, and you have to do cases you may not like. Some lawyers would hate sitting through a child sexual assault trial. Some would hate sitting through a divorce trial. Some would hate sitting through a car accident trial. You go through 7 years of school so you can write your own ticket if you are good. Most Judges are not good and beurocracy is as high as they csn go. Poor Bill can’t even make it there.
All we need is one conservative.
Just one who wants the robe.
Beating Kerkman at the polls can’t be that hard can it ?
Best chance in a very long time !
Step up whoever you are
I get it. Our Judge’s are low hanging fruit grasping at bureaucratic job security due to sucking as Attorney’s (no pun intended Kerkman).
Mr. Cicchini would be the best candidate because he knows what he is doing, is highly motivated, and never lets his clients down. However, he does not conform to the establishment or its nonsense. I have no doubt that if he decided to run for judge, whether in Branch 8 or 4, he would win by a landslide.
Attorney Cicchini I believe is the best Attorney Kenosha has. People put way to much faith in the sickly old liberal man downtown who simply hustles people for money these days based on a reputation he and his family created when Kenosha had brick streets. Mr. Cicchini would be worth his weight in gold as a Judge. He is anyway. Liberals like Bad Chad would fight him every inch of the way though unlike Kerkman, Atty Cicchini is very intelligent and not some genetic defect as Bad Chad.
That the old man downtown still needs to hustle for money rather than retire comfortably is a tell in an of itself that a lifetime of good work may not payoff, even in a high status/paid profession.
Kevin should interview his clerks. Lots of abuse.
Mommy told him to do it.
It is impossible to deny that this Judge’s tyranny is no different than that of our Dear Leader, President Trump. Only those who drink Trump’s Kool-aid will argue otherwise.
I think you meant to say hes no different from any other LIBERAL!
Crybaby wants it his way. LIBERALS are for violence and anti free speech.
Trump did the same thing to the Associated Press. You people are simply too dimwitted and enamored by Epstein’s pedo buddy to see what is perfectly clear.
Trump and Kerkman are cut from the same cloth.
Is your cat the meatloaf in the sandwich?
I deeply apologize; I meant your mom, ya commie, ya.
You again fuck face?
You are an idiot!
Really? You are a Kool-aid drinking member of the Trump Cult.
You imbecilic leftist, every day you write the same nonsense. Who writes your scripts? Sleepy Joe?
You people just can not deal with the cold fact that the pedo-in-chief and Kerkman are one and the same.
Yes, Kerkman is an absolute unhinged tyrant, but so is Trump.
Under his EYE, you f face
What are you babbling about?
The public can still attend, can you attend as a citizen and submit a “readers article” to Kenosha county eye in which you publish?
Yes
When can we vote him out?
The campaign starts next year. We can vote him out April of 2026
“Vote”
TMJ 4 You need to do news articles on this Judge and his Corruption in are town, Please help Kenosha end the corruption that are city officials bring to our town.
Hopefully they will join in the lawsuit and make it more exposed!
Unfortunately TMJ4 was an interested. Now that it affects them personally maybe they will be. It said that all media can’t unite for the interest of the first amendment.
They are all bought and paid for. ALL OF THEM.
1-888-369-4762 Fox news.
Call them. They won’t let you down. They’ll magnify this local story and turn it into national news. Our Commander in Chief will not allow any further abuse once this entire situation comes to light. We need a little law and order here. Jerk is the new judge Dugan.
I can’t believe this is not a story for Milwaukee news or even the Chicago news about this judge who now is censoring media
Isn’t THAT a twist! Maybe they will.actually do a story on it!
I wish they would do something too. So far they have refused, but now that it affects them maybe they will change their mind.
Unfortunately, the other media who come to Kenosha occasionally I probably happy that they get the scoop. Not until it affects them directly will they care. I think Chad for being such an arrogant prick that he is now opened that door for me
This country is becoming more like Russia and North Korea everyday…
Wow. Do I feel for the future generations.
You are correct. Who is to blame?
humans
Mossad
Hey Libs,
No kings. Remember?
They are ok with kings if they are liberal kings
Allegedly, every photo that he isn’t wearing sunglasses looks like the Charles Manson mugshot.
C’mon don’t insult Charlie
Come on TMJ 4 , expose the corruption
He looks like the terminator
Chad Kerkman must share some DNA with der Führer. Some say Adolf was attracted to men too.
🤣🤣🤣
Adolf was right.
Same fate
So you think…..history is written by the victors…
I blame the Chief Judge of Kenosha County for not stepping up and telling him to knock it off. I believe the Chief Judge has the final say so or the influence to change this.
He ain’t no Chief.
TMJ is woke as hell, in the corrupt liberal cities pockets.
Kerkman is absolutely mentally defective, come on, he takes it in the ass by buddy Fu Fu. He thinks he’s a tyrannical Superman. Double standard justice he practices. Not Judge material at all.
KCE is focused on this one judge. Kenosha is fulled with corruption. There are other judges, commissioners and gals who have totally messed things up. Time to expose them all.
Yes, there are other bad judges in the state of Wisconsin. I am not suing the other judges. I am suing this maniac. He keeps doing crazy things, even this morning.
This morning?
What happened this morning KM?
Wisconsin? We do not need to go far. Kenosha is filled with incompetence.
Chad has a sore ass , and I’m responsible.
Indeed you are. With all due respect, you’ll have to step up your game because he doesn’t seem completely satisfied with your service, T Claire B. You know how he is, the bigger, the better.
The courts should have to have an High Definition of every hearing then, with feed of judge, prosecutor, and defense table. This crap cctv is like having a court reporter work in crayon……. We live in an age of open records and freedom of information. This seems very petty and uncalled for.
That’s how those who struggle to come out of the closet react toward those who criticize them, even when the criticism is accurate. He brought to work with him, as a bailiff, a former stripper to show everyone that he can do whatever he wants. Not the kind of individual you bring to a courtroom just because you want to show how powerful you are.
What?! She was a stripper? Really?
It’s weird as fuck for you to quote yourself on an article you wrote….
It took you time to realize it. Wow you liberals are slow!
Kerk definitely has to go. But first things first, the one who needs to go ASAP is Michel. This entire ordeal has made it clear that his position is effectively vacant; he’s nothing more than a puppet, turning our judiciary into the laughingstock of the Midwest. Someone who can’t control his own courtroom or make his own decisions must step down and leave the position to someone who truly deserves it
Another day for Jerkman to live up to his nickname. How unfortunate for Kenosha County.
Bill Michels is a totally useless Democrat.
He has no clue what he’s doing.
Agreed. He is completely lost.
Michel is the son of a union representative who taught him to apply for every position until he finally succeeded. The poor fatso certainly tried. Fortunately, judge Iverson won, otherwise, he might have been a judge today. Go figure.
Chad is keeping his eye on the media
and the media is keeping its EYE on him.
Psycho needs to be demoted next April to the public defender’s office
I think Team SPD will graciously decline your kind offer.