(File Photos by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — A former Kenosha County judicial assistant who courthouse insiders describe as one of the most respected and well-liked employees in the courthouse has prevailed in her appeal of a decision denying her unemployment benefits after she was fired over an Amazon Echo Show device that sat openly on her desk for years.
The former judicial assistant worked for Kenosha County for more than 15 years and spent time assigned to both a branch courtroom and later Intake Court before her termination.
According to multiple courthouse employees, attorneys, and others familiar with the situation, the employee was widely respected by judges, court commissioners, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and courthouse staff.
Several courthouse insiders who spoke to Kenosha County Eye on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation alleged that Judge Chad Kerkman had wanted the employee removed from the courthouse long before her termination.
Sources described a strained relationship between Kerkman and the former clerk while she worked in his courtroom. Multiple insiders alleged that Kerkman frequently lashed out at litigants, attorneys, and courthouse staff. According to those sources, the employee eventually transferred from Kerkman’s courtroom because she could no longer tolerate the work environment.
One incident repeatedly mentioned by courthouse insiders involved a dispute over the height of the employee’s computer monitor. Sources alleged that Kerkman became angry when she resisted moving the monitor because she believed doing so would cause neck pain.
After transferring from Kerkman’s courtroom, the employee spent approximately two years assigned to Intake Court. According to courthouse insiders, she had no disciplinary issues during that time and was well-regarded by court commissioners, attorneys, and courthouse staff.
At the center of her eventual termination was an Amazon Echo Show device that sat on her desk and displayed photographs of her children. According to numerous courthouse employees and attorneys, the device was openly visible for years. Court commissioners, prosecutors, defense attorneys, courthouse staff, and members of the public regularly passed through the courtroom and observed the device without complaint.
(facebook.com)
Records indicate the matter came to the attention of management after judicial assistant Brittney Stamborski reported concerns regarding the device.
Stamborski’s own personnel records show that before transferring to the courthouse, she received a five-shift unpaid suspension while working as an Admissions/Release Supervisor at the Kenosha County Jail. The discipline stemmed from supervisory failures involving inmate-release paperwork and a missing credit-card receipt. County investigators concluded that she failed to properly supervise the process and failed to promptly report the issue through the chain of command.
Records show Stamborski received the discipline in early 2025 and transferred to the courthouse as a judicial assistant only a few months later, officially beginning her courthouse assignment on June 15, 2025.
According to courthouse insiders, it quickly became apparent that the employee’s job was in jeopardy after the complaint was made. Several sources told Kenosha County Eye they believed the Echo Show became a convenient justification to remove an employee whom Kerkman no longer wanted working within the court system.
Some courthouse insiders further alleged that Kerkman enlisted the assistance of his former wife, Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman, and county human resources officials in efforts that ultimately resulted in the employee’s termination. Kenosha County Eye has not independently verified those allegations.
The employee was placed on paid administrative leave on March 27, 2026, and her employment was terminated on April 14, 2026. County records show the termination was based on allegations that the Echo Show created a security risk and violated county policies.
The matter was also referred to the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office for investigation.
That investigation found no evidence that private communications had been intercepted and no evidence that sensitive information had been transmitted or recorded by the device. Investigators ultimately found no evidence supporting criminal charges.
Following her termination, the employee applied for unemployment benefits. Kenosha County opposed those benefits, resulting in a denial that was later appealed.
In a decision issued June 12, 2026, a Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Appeal Tribunal reversed the denial and ruled in the employee’s favor. The tribunal noted that the Echo Show had been present in Intake Court for years, was visible to supervisors and courthouse personnel, and that the employee had never been warned about possessing the device. The decision also noted that investigators found no evidence private communications had been intercepted and no evidence information had been transmitted or recorded.
The Appeal Tribunal found that the employee was entitled to unemployment benefits, reversing the earlier determination that had denied them.
According to courthouse insiders, the county’s effort to block unemployment benefits only added insult to injury. Those sources said the employee retained attorney Terry Rose and successfully challenged the denial, resulting in a ruling that now requires the county to pay benefits that had previously been withheld.
Court insiders who spoke to Kenosha County Eye said the case has intensified concerns about management within the courthouse and the influence wielded by powerful county officials.
“This wasn’t about an Echo Show,” one courthouse insider told Kenosha County Eye. “Everybody knew it was there.”
Samantha Kerkman refused to respond to several inquiries.
34 Responses
The Kerkman Circus goes on.
Baseline homosexual character has been proven by Psychology to be insecure, weak, easily threatened, and microtriggered to unprofessional emotive explosions. In prior Eras, they were blocked automatically, if revealed, from positions of high official, military, and business responsibilities due to the risks posed by their warped, flawed perceptions and high probability of poor judgment. There were rare exceptions; however, Kerkman is not among them based upon his demonstrated behavior pattern.
Wackadoodle
You have to have a mental illness to go against nature and be homo.
Wow. The kiss ass wanted to move up the ladder so bad she became Kerkboy’s stooge. I bet the other employees are shooting daggers right now.
Realistically, ********** lost her job the very same day she was removed from Br8. Brittney has too much blood on her hands for less than a year of work, and she keeps pointing fingers to justify her employment because she’s definitely pretty mediocre at performing as a clerk.
She is a vindictive bitch. Jail is much better without her in it though. Courts should give her the boot for not disclosing her discipline.
Kerkman is a homo
She should get her job back, if she wants it of course.
She can have the narc’s job…
Hiring standards must be pretty low for the courts. They’ll scoop up anyone.
Anonymous says:
June 12, 2026 at 7:06 PM
We should be grateful for the dedicated employees who take care of the County, even when they have needs at home. So, a big thank you to all of them in our time of need. Some might say we pay for that, but you can’t put a price on dedication. Once again, thank you.
Kerkman= corruption!!!
“did a Kerkman”……rare double header.
Isn’t there a policy prohibiting transfers or promotions within a certain time period after receiving disciplinary action?
Not for kiss asses and “friends”. The special people get what they want in Keno County. The rest just stand by and watch the corruption.
Taking applications now (cough)
This is a true statement! There are definitely “special people” that the Clerk of Court and the Court Management Team will do anything to appease….going as far as acting out scenarios based on straight out LIES! I didn’t find many happy employees that worked there, most were counting their days until retirement. Worst place I have ever worked at for corruption and it was not at the hand of any Judge.
Yes there is. It’s 12 months
ABSOLUTELY
Straight from the county employee handbook…
Internal Applicants
County employees who have been employed for at least 12 months, have a satisfactory performance record, are not currently serving in an evaluation period, have not been issued any corrective disciplinary action in the previous 12 months and meet the education and experience level of the vacant position, may apply for job vacancies. In the event of extraordinary circumstances, any of the above may be waived with the approval of the Human Resources Director. This may also be waived for those in an evaluation period to be considered for advancement opportunities within their own division.
Sounds like a good reason to look into Clara Tappa, as well as Samantha. Lots of right-leaning staff figured that ultra-left Tappa would be on the chopping block, but instead, Sam just has Tappa sweeping up over the mud tracks she leaves behind.
Tappa can’t give a straight answer, and openly lies during the budget hearings.
Everyone knows Human Resources and the County Board members are either related, screwing someone or paying off someone to be there. No one normal and honest ever gets those positions.
Geertsen was especially disappointing during the budget hearings. He was on the inside for YEARS, he should have known that this budget was a mess and they were sticking it to the employees— despite Clara “Tap”- dancing around reality, as she talked about how this would still be good for the employees.
SAMANTHA is such a disappointment.
CHAD was never a Schroeder quality person. He is an example of PETER PRINCIPLE.
Citizens should consider that the Kerkman family and those close to them influence the way the Kenosha County legislative and justice system operate and how Millions of tax payers dollars are spent.
They spent a lot of money just on this! Probably more than they would’ve paid in the unemployment. Hiring an outside Atty & 4 county employees to testify! I know this employee personally and she will find a job quickly. Anyone will be lucky to have her as an employee.
I wonder who pays her for all the suffering she has to endure? All this conspiracy just to justify the carefully tailored termination of her position and the hiring of that useless jailer in violation of the handbook—in the end, to have someone willing to spy and report not only on her but on Kevin FIRST. A vindictive, emotionally unstable person who will do anything to keep her employment
So… has Kerkman hired the stupid clerk yet? She cleared out the competition. Now she can lie about some more people for Lord Kerkjerk.
Even if the “Echo” HAD been transmitting — so what? The courts are open and public. But I understand that it wasn’t doing anything except shuffling photos — the electronic version of a framed picture. Congrats to the county, and any other individuals involved, for firing a GREAT employee over nothing more than the digital equivalent of a desk photo! Nice work.
The same mole they sent to spy on Billy the fatso—and to report you in a so-called redacted memo, making her colleague look guilty—was also the one who pulled the trigger on Heather.
All these comments such that seem so assertive and tough and know everything then it’s from ‘anonymous” or “bird watcher”
Grow a spine and be bold with no fear otherwise you are seen as a pretender
I haven’t found ONE judicial assistant in Kenosha who hasn’t committed felonies while working for the clerk of court queen of kenosha mentink, they do her bidding which is to commit felonies on citizens. For example, in minutes of hearings on court record that is disseminated on wi circuit court access for all to see they defame and slander defendants by stating defacto of what transpired in a hearing with no court order ever filed in the court file meaning whatever the judge said on the record means nothing and what judge said does not exist if not backed up with documentation signed by the court, a judge signature not a JA, pun intended, but conveniently enough the public would never know these things even if they knew the law as wi circuit court access does not give access to documents filed in court file or even a list of documents in the court file
You can view documents on clerk of court computer which if anyone can go do that why does court access not just give access to the public from their own device?
You can hopefully figure out that anomaly on your own if you have any independent thought and critical thinking skills whatsoever
Oh look !!! /\ Stamblahski is here. Such ramblings.
Kevin… this should really be bumped to the top of the page for a while. It is worthy news.
Jerkman and BINGO!
What a package