Herbert J. Steffes was born in Milwaukee on June 18, 1904. He graduated with a Ph.B. degree from the College of Liberal Arts at Marquette University in 1927. A year later, he received a J.D. degree from the Marquette University School of Law. Steffes practiced as a private attorney in Milwaukee from 1928 through 1936. As the Progressive Party's candidate for Milwaukee County district attorney in 1936, Steffes lost the election; however, he was appointed by Governor Philip F. La Follette to fill the unexpired term of incumbent district attorney William Zabel, who died on the night of the election. In 1938, Steffes won reelection as a Progressive. After he rejoined the Republican Party, he was reelected district attorney in 1940 and again in 1942.
Upon the death of Judge Max W. Nohl, Steffes was appointed a Milwaukee municipal judge by Republican Governor Walter S. Goodland on April 1, 1943. Since he had not been a candidate for the judicial election of April 6, a special meeting of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors was required in order to place his name on the ballot. Following his victory in the judicial election, the other candidate, Peter F. Leuch, contested the validity of the election since a sticker containing Steffes' name was placed on the printed ballots. A Wisconsin Supreme Court decision upheld Steffes' election in August 1943. He was reelected without opposition in 1949 and he defeated District Attorney William J. McCauley in 1955 to win reelection a second time. After the reorganization of the Wisconsin court system, Steffes was elected judge of the Circuit Court for a six-year term commencing on January 1, 1962. Six years later, he was reelected and began serving his final six-year judicial term which ended in 1974.
While a judge, Steffes was a lecturer on criminal law and procedure at Marquette University School of Law and a member of the Marquette University Athletic Board from 1963 to 1966. In addition, he was a member of the Milwaukee and Wisconsin Bar Associations, the Board of Circuit Court Judges, the Advisory Council of Judges of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, and the Wisconsin Judicial Council. Steffes married Ciline Villa on January 14, 1928 while a senior at Marquette University School of Law. They had three children (Carol, Robert, and Herbert John). Steffes died at the age of 71 on July 19, 1975.
