(File Photos by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
BRISTOL, Wis. — When Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Chad Kerkman (D) signed an order on November 17 moving the Village of Bristol’s lawsuit against the Jackson family to Racine County, it immediately raised alarms across the legal community. And for good reason: Judge Chad Kerkman is related to Bristol Village Administrator Randy Kerkman, the same official accused of orchestrating a years-long campaign to stop the Jacksons — a biracial family — from building their home after a white neighbor told deputies, “It’s the color of the goddamn skin.”
Jackson didn’t welcome the transfer. He says he wanted the case heard by a judge who is elected by, and accountable to, Kenosha County taxpayers — including himself. Instead, the case was quietly rerouted to another county, where the presiding judge faces no consequences from the community directly harmed by Bristol’s conduct.
For the Jacksons, this wasn’t just a procedural decision. It felt like the latest maneuver in a system designed to protect insiders at all costs. They and several legal observers believe the reassignment was done to spare the Kenosha bench from having to rule against one of their own — and against a powerful village administrator connected to the Kerkman family.
Multiple attorneys familiar with the case see the timing and lack of transparency as blatant. “This looks like Judge Kerkman doing a favor for his relative,” one longtime practitioner told Kenosha County Eye. “He removed every Kenosha judge from the equation and made sure none of them would have to take heat for ruling on a controversy created by someone inside their political circle.”
(Photo by Nathan DeBruin, Kenosha County Eye)
By sending the case to Racine County, Judge Kerkman ensured it would be overseen by Judge Eugene A. Gasiorkiewicz, a jurist with no ties to Kenosha’s political structure — and no accountability to the voters who have been footing the Village’s legal bills. The Jackson family sees that as the opposite of justice. To them, accountability means standing before a judge who is answerable to the same taxpayers harmed by the Village’s actions.
(Photo by Nathan DeBruin, Kenosha County Eye)
Behind the scenes, courthouse insiders were blunt. “No Kenosha judge wanted this case,” one source said. “It’s radioactive. It involves racism, a politically connected administrator, and more than $126,000 in taxpayer money spent trying to keep a Black man’s family out of Bristol. Nobody here wanted their fingerprints on the decision.”
The Jacksons say what makes this worse is the family link. For seven years, they’ve battled a Village government led by Randy Kerkman, and now a relative of his has ensured the case will be decided somewhere else. “It’s hard to see this as anything but a political move,” another legal observer said. “He didn’t recuse himself. He didn’t disclose anything publicly. He just moved the case.”
(Photos by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The case, born from a neighbor’s openly racist comments, has now been placed in the hands of a Racine judge. But in Kenosha, the damage to public trust runs much deeper. Many believe Judge Chad Kerkman has done exactly what people fear most: use his position to protect a relative and a political ally, even if it means stripping local citizens of the judicial accountability they deserve.
For the Jackson family, seven years of fighting Bristol wasn’t enough — now they’re fighting the courthouse, too.
68 Responses
Wow, this is terrible! Judge Kerkman needs to step down for his disgusting actions! He with a D behind his name is acting just like Biden did when in office! This poor family! There is a stain on Kenosha’s court system!
Yes!
The Plaintiff should ask for the case to be moved to Madison Wisconsin.
With all the evidences they have, they will sure win the case. This is Racism, pure and simple.
What on earth is wrong with the Kerkmans? Is this the 1960s or 2025? This horrible racism has no place anywhere, let alone in village and city government. What was the name of the racist neighbor? We can know the names of this innocent family, so we should know the disgusting neighbor’s name.
Felix and Martina Siordia, second set is Byron and Susan Aslett. Put Jackson on KCE search and you’ll see pics and video of them
The Asletts are harmless- good people too.
Harmless to who? If theyre being racist towards this family….theres nothing harmless about that. I cant believe this is still going on all these years later. I hope they win and win big. I hope they get paid big time for not only having to deal with all of this,but also for the amount of time. This is absolutely unacceptable and disgusting.
Wanna see some video to change your mind? I have some
Village of Bristol next board meeting is November 24th. What’s the hell are they hiding or what’s so significant about that piece of land?
Maybe that they are putting up a solar farm,, a water tower, and piping in a gas line to supply the AI center that Kenosha is fighting against. Fun thing is Kenosha is fighting against it, however the water tower is already half built and the ball is rolling on the other projects… weird.
That pipe is going down MB, not to disturb Pritzkers house.
Wheres joey bag of donuts house located?
That’s what I keep thinking, what’s buried over there that they want back??!!!
It’s Racism!
Lol
Everyone is allowed to live in a White society, except Whites…..
The Kerkman’s are only powerful because people are stupid enough to vote for anything with a D after its name and in one recent embarrassing RINO exception, an R.
It is a shame that we have to have the impression that no judge in Kenosha would be able to look at this strictly from a legal standpoint, without being afraid of people’s feelings afterwards?
TRUTH! Very well said!
Not a Kerman fan but if every Kenosha judge backed out it had to be reassigned. It doesn’t mean that the Racine judge will (or won’t) make the right decision according to law. And it’s the law, not the ballot box, that matters.
Yes but it sounds like judge.Kerkman , handpicked a specific judge in racine , which is scary and shouldn’t be allowed.
No, once he recuses he’s out of the picture.
Did not recuse, just moved it is what Kevin stated in the article you should actually read it before opining on it.
I read it. He recused.
Who gives them the power to back out of this ??
Does every judge know Randy Kerkman ?
Know him enough to socialize with him ?
To say he’s a friend ?
If that’s all it takes to get preferential treatment then I’m taking every judge out to lunch !
Just because you know who he is and what his job is doesn’t mean you can’t sit and judge him ?
And even at that, if it’s a jury trial then all his job is, is to make sure the lawyers follow the rules !
And any rule not followed or decision turned in the wrong direction, then that’s grounds for an appeal !
Then it goes out of Kenosha.
Not until then.
Any and all these judges should have to explain their so called “reasons or conflicts “ that keeps them from sitting on the bench for this case.
Because they for sure all know who Kevin Mathewson is. You think any of them would not want to hear a case against him ?!?
The logic doesn’t track to not hear Quentin Jackson’s case.
Well said, before it gets sent out of the city, all the other judges should have to submit in writing why in this case, they don’t feel like doing the job that Kenoshans pay them for.
The judges are paid by the taxpayers of the entire state.
And last time I checked, I was one of those taxpayers that live in the state.
Just so happens I live in this county. The county that elects these do call state paid judges.
You are splitting hairs here.
It’s our case. Our judges.
Did anyone ask Quentin where and who he wants to have his case heard ?!?!?
I doubt it. Seems one sided before it even starts !
This case has a messy history not mentioned in Kevin’s story.
It was first assigned to Judge David Wilk who did quite a bit of work on the case. At the first hearing the Jackson did not have a lawyer and asked that the case be adjourned. Then when they got a lawyer the case was adjourned again so that he could do work on their behalf, including filing a counterclaim and naming third party defendants. Judge Wilk did more work on the case and set it for trial. We don’t know why but on July 15, 2025 Judge Wilk recused himself and the case was assigned to Judge Heather Iverson who then recused herself because she knows one of the parties who was her former court clerk. The case was then assigned to Judge Angelina Gabriele. The Jacksons’ lawyer filed a request for substitution to have Judge Gabriele removed from the case. The parties have one free strike against the assigned judge. Then it was assigned to Judge Gerad Dougvillo. Then somehow he got off the case and it was assigned to Judge Kerkman who recused himself. Then it was reported that ALL eight Kenosha County judges recused themselves.
The minutes don’t say everything but it’s a good guess that because one of the defendants is the village clerk who is a former court clerk who worked with all of the judges they all backed off. She was added as a defendant after Judge Wilk did his original work on the case. If that’s so. recusal was not improper.
An explanation !
Why not then bring a judge here using local citizens for the jury ?
Or is that unheard of ?
There is no jury in this type of case and a judge will come here to hear the case.
What happened with Judge Milisauskas?
Juries are allowed in civil cases, but there is a deadline to request one and a fee that has to be paid for it.
I’ll bet money on it , they know the a judge in Racine that will take this case . Why Racine ? How about another city ?
I guess what Kevin is saying is that none of the Kenosha judges have the integrity and courage to rule in favor of the Jackson family. They didn’t want that exposed by appeal, so they just shuffled the case off to Racine. I don’t know if the Supreme Court rules governing judicial conduct permit this move. It bears looking into.
I would hope that Kevin is NOT saying “that none of the Kenosha judges have the integrity and courage to rule in favor of the Jackson family.” The case has not been tried and nobody has heard all of the evidence. Maybe the Jacksons should win the case but we have trials in court, not online, for a good reason. Sheesh.
Kerkman didn’t want to keep his eye on this case.
A judge is required to recuse when they are related to any party or a party’s lawyers (or their spouses). State law.
Just Kerkman.
None of the others
We need to make sure not one of these Kerkman’s gets to keep their jobs !!!
Chad. Sam at the polls.
Then vote out Randy’s bosses. And then fire him !!
All these next elections.
Find people to run against all these people.
Not a one should keep their jobs !
And the Bristol Village board members are also culpable, each and every one of them, especially President Farrell. These people are a disgrace.
When speaking during citizens’ comments, the Jacksons are very articulate, very civil and very informed, and when Administrator Kerkman and board members respond, their tone is so disrespectful.
Bristol needs an entire new administration, and hopefully good people with good values, like the Jacksons, will run for office.
That would be a great idea…he SHOULD run for office!
It was not that long ago that Sammy K was hanging close with Leker, Kordecki, and Nedweski. Lots of chummy photos together.
Twenty years is enough.
Even for an administrator.
Randy could move 500 miles north.
We’re all tired of these losers
This wetland thing is still going on? Just remove the damn dirt and build the house. Good grief.
No shit.
Kerkman strikes again……is there anyway possible to get this so called judge out of here.Enough of his nonsense….something definitely wrong with him !!!!!
Kudge Jerkman gives another display of the Reprobate mind he possesses.
He should have recused himself.
Chad’s days are numbered if he keeps up with that. I wad involved with him at a property in somers and king George. 1226 80th Ave. They actually went as so far to do scrupulous things to force me off that property. I’ve got a 60 plus letter about that. In the end it cost somers and taxpayers. These pos need to be held accountable. I lost 180 thousand. Why beats me I was there 23 years. Maybe certain village board members should look into the corruption and see actually what’s going on. Get rid of these scumbags. I’m now out by Alma center with our cows. Screw kenosha county.
Actually, the parties got a better judge.
In the end, let’s pray justice is served for the Jackson family in spite of likely political shenanigans.
Every time I see this man in the news I instantly imagine him on his knees bobbing on a cock. It’s okay, you can come out now, it’s 2025.
I see the Village is represented by no less than 5 attorneys. Are the Bristol taxpayers on board with this?
No, we are not on board with the Village paying these high-priced attorneys from Milwaukee. The Village has already spent $250,000 of taxpayer money in their lawsuit against the Jacksons. $250,000. Unbelievable. And the Village has hidden those legal fees under some other program budget. Can the taxpayers of Bristol sue the village administration for this criminality and corruption? Maybe.
So just use the tax payers money? Nice…
Sounds like discrimination to me against the Jackson’s. Don’t know how scum kerkman and bristol board are getting away with that.
There should be a referendum on whether to spend that $ on lawyers, and let the the family build on their land. It’s a disgrace and waste of time and resources.
Seems like Judge Kerkman and Administrator Kerkman are both on a power trip. Time to clean house.
Sounds like quit a battle. Maybe the Jackson’s could get a Go Fund Me going to help get the better legal help against the Village which have all the money( tax payers) they need to fight against the Jackson’s.
Sounds like the right thing to do. Otherwise you’d be writing about the conflict of interest.
This is one of the few times Kerkman did the right thing. Judges Bastianelli and Schroeder are both retired so maybe sending it out to an experienced judge is a good thing.
Look at Jerkman ….he looks like he’s out of his mind 🤔
Kerkman is a shit judge guys always been an effing jerk off needs to step down immediately or be taken out at whatever cost cant be having such bitter weirdos in office ruining peoples lives which is all hes ever does
If they were to keep the case in Kenosha, the headline after Quentin Jackson losing, it would read:
“Judge Chad Kerkman and Administrator Kerkman in conspiracy against Black Bristol Resident”
Filling in wetlands and causing water problems on neighboring properties is not going to fly in any decent town/village or city.
Had Quentin Jackson followed DNR, local ordinances like any other person has to do when building a home in a community he would have his house up. Instead, he has chosen to play the race card.
Quentin Jackson will lose in court because he is in the wrong. I hope the Village of Bristol follows suit to recoup the communities legal fees fueled by Quentin Jackson’s racism narrative. Repeating a lie numerous times does not make it fact.
I’m usually in lockstep with KCE but not on this story.
One of the dangers here is that people try to litigate cases in the media rather than in court where it’s supposed to be.
Maybe you should go to KCE first story on this. They had permits but Kerkman tried to override them with no jurisdiction. Those properties show that they share a wetland as pictured. Then look at the video where the cop said” you didn’t mean to lie about the water backup”. Then watch the video when he admitted there was no flooding. Ohhhhhh then watch the other video where the guy makes his displeasure for blacks……… I mean damn, all Jackson lawyer has to do is get a screen and play videos, case closed!!!!! Smart of him to record that stuff!!!!! Video don’t lie
Now it makes sense why the push on that Bess property in the town of Wheatland Randy will be getting sued big time -he will need the money .