Burton A. Scott (February 16, 1935 – April 2, 2007) was an American attorney and judge. He was Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 1983 to 1989, near the end of a 19-year judicial career in Wisconsin.

Quick Facts The Honorable, Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ...

The Honorable Burton A. Scott
Chief Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
In office August 1, 1983 – July 31, 1989
Preceded by	John A. Decker
Succeeded by	William Eich
Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals District II
In office August 1, 1980 – 1991
Preceded by	Harold M. Bode
Succeeded by	Harry G. Snyder
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the Kenosha Circuit, Branch 5
In office August 1, 1978 – July 31, 1980
Preceded by	Transitioned from County Court
Succeeded by	Robert V. Baker
County Judge of Kenosha County, Branch 3
In office 1972 – July 31, 1978
Appointed by	Patrick Lucey
Preceded by	Urban J. Zievers
Succeeded by	Transitioned to Circuit Court
District Attorney of Kenosha County
In office January 1, 1971 – August 1972
Preceded by	Joseph B. Molinaro
Succeeded by	Bruce E. Schroeder
Personal details
Born	(1935-02-16)February 16, 1935 Hazel Green, Wisconsin
Died	April 2, 2007(2007-04-02) (aged 72) Somers, Wisconsin
Spouses	Evelyn C. Magnuson (m. 1957; died 2019)
Children	2
Parents	Robert Scott (father) Helen (Lampson) Scott (mother)
Alma mater	University of Wisconsin-Madison (B.A.) University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D.)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army U.S. Army Security Agency
Years of service	1953–1956

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Scott was born in Hazel Green, Wisconsin, on February 16, 1935. He attended high school in Randolph, Wisconsin and served in the United States Army before graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin Law School.^[1][2]

After working with a private practice, in 1964 Scott became the first corporation counsel to Kenosha County, Wisconsin.^[3] The next year he became City Attorney for the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin, serving from 1965 to 1970. In 1970, he was elected District Attorney of Kenosha County but served only one year, when he was appointed County Judge in Kenosha County by Governor Patrick Lucey. He served as County Judge until 1978, when the county courts were merged into the state circuit courts to create a new single level of trial courts. At that time, he became a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge for Kenosha County. In 1980, he was elected to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in Waukesha-based District II. After 3 years on the court, he was appointed Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, serving until 1989. In 1988 he served as chair of the National Council of Chief Judges of the Courts of Appeals of the United States.

He retired in 1991 and became an associate dean of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada.^[1]

Burton Scott married Evelyn C. Magnuson on December 31, 1957. They had two children.^[1] His and his wife's passion for education led them to play an important role in the 1960s campaign to establish a University of Wisconsin branch in the Kenosha area—University of Wisconsin–Parkside. And they also campaigned for the 1978 referendum to fund construction of a new Mary D. Bradford High School building.^[2]

Judge Scott died on April 2, 2007, at his home in Somers, Wisconsin.^[2][3]