Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Bill Bablitch has died at age 69.

Court officials say Bablitch died Wednesday evening at his winter home in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Bablitch retired in 2003 after serving 20 years on the court. Justice David Prosser tells the Journal Sentinel that Bablitch wrote many important and memorable decisions and that he was proud to call him a friend.

Bablitch was the Portage County district attorney until his election to the state Senate in 1972. He served seven years as Senate majority leader.