Born in Milwaukee, Steffes attended
South Division High School before graduating from
Marquette University and the
Marquette University Law School. He worked as a private practice attorney in Milwaukee and was a founding member of the
Wisconsin Progressive Party in 1934. Zabel was reelected but died fifteen minutes prior to the closing of polls on Election Day, prompting Progressive Governor
Philip La Follette to appoint Steffes as district attorney. In 1940, Steffes broke from the Progressives and was reelected on the
Republican ticket; he was again reelected as a Republican in 1942. While district attorney, Steffes employed
Charles J. Kersten as a prosecutor; Kersten was later elected United States Representative for
Wisconsin's 5th congressional district. In 1944, Republican
Governor Walter Goodland appointed Steffes to the Milwaukee County Municipal Court, the county's felony trial court. In 1955, Steffes was nominated to a judgeship on the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin by President
Dwight D. Eisenhower but withdrew his name from consideration. While his nomination was pending, Steffes was reelected to the Municipal Court, handily defeating
Democratic District Attorney
William J. McCauley. ==References==