Stuart Allen Schwartz

Stuart A. Schwartz (Judge) died on July 23, 2025. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Darlene; son, Jeffrey (Devra) Schwartz, and daughter, Deborah (John) Carbone; grandsons, Jacob and Benjamin Carbone, Levi and Judah Schwartz. His family was most important to him and he will be remembered as a kind and loving husband, father, and grandfather.

Schwartz graduated from the UW Law School in 1971 beginning his legal career as a trial staff attorney at Wisconsin Indian Legal Services. He joined the Dane County Probate Court in 1973 as Deputy Register/Registrar in Probate subsequently, becoming a Judicial Court Commissioner in 1976. In 1992, he was elected to the Dane County Circuit Court; a judicial position he held until his retirement in 2009.

He was a member of the Wisconsin State Bar, served as President of the Dane County Bar Association, served terms as Chief Judge of the Dane County Probate and Criminal Divisions, and was a Wisconsin representative to the National Probate College. He played an important role in helping to draft Wisconsin’s mental health and guardianship laws. He was involved in the statewide creation of Drug Treatment Courts and presided over Dane County’s Treatment Court for 10 years. During his career, Schwartz authored a booklet on mental health and guardianship laws, wrote several sections of the Wisconsin Judicial Handbook, often served as guest lecturer at the UW Law School, and spoke at numerous public forums. Throughout his career, he endeavored to make sincere and lasting contributions to the legal profession and the community.

In addition to his legal career, Schwartz was a member of Temple Beth El where he served on the Board of Directors and was a Temple Vice-President. In 1976, he sat on the Board of Directors of the Dane County Mental Health Center. He co-coached in the Madison Little League and youth soccer when his children were young. He nurtured friendships and mentored young law students as his interns. He enjoyed travel, music, Wisconsin Badger sports, Packers, Brewers, Bucks, reading, movies, and most of all family life events. He was admired and loved by all who knew him, and his wit, wisdom, and tremendous heart will be deeply missed.

A funeral service will take place on Tuesday, July 29th at 11:00 am at Temple Beth El, 2702 Arbor Drive, in Madison, WI, followed by burial at Forest Hill Cemetery.   

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: JustDane.org- Advocates for Underserved Populations in Dane County.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Services

608-238-3434