Wisconsin State Public Defender

It’s Gault Day – the 59th anniversary of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming that youth accused of crimes have the same fundamental rights as adults. At the SPD, our youth defenders fight every day to keep that promise alive.

The verdict is in: Our Trial Skills Academy volunteers are top-tier.

A huge thank you to all the community members who showed up this week to help our attorneys hone their jury selection skills!

Today is , and the ABA’s theme this year is “The Rule of Law and the American Dream.”
At the Wisconsin State Public Defenders, we believe the American dream is meant for everyone, not just those with the financial resources to defend themselves. That’s why we fight every day to keep the promise of equal justice alive.
Today, we honor and thank our dedicated attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and support staff across Wisconsin who work tirelessly to turn that promise into a reality.

Today public defender offices nationwide are participating in a Day of Action for Public Defense by wearing black.

Last month San Francisco Chief Public Defender Mano Raju was held in contempt and fined $26,000 for refusing to let his office take on more cases without more resources. This situation highlights a national crisis of underfunding and understaffing that threatens the constitutional right to counsel.

Wearing black symbolizes a constitutional breaking point: when public defenders are punished for refusing unconstitutional workloads, the right to counsel is compromised.

Call on policymakers in Wisconsin and across the country to fund public defense and protect your right to an attorney.

Last month in San Francisco, Chief Public Defender Mano Raju was held in contempt for refusing to let his office take on more cases without more resources. When public defenders are punished for refusing unconstitutional workloads, the promise of a fair trial is effectively dead.

We cannot stand by and watch our constitutional rights erode. Join us in wearing black this Thursday as we call on policymakers in Wisconsin and across the country to fund public defense and protect your right to an attorney.

Are you the kind of person who checks their mail every day just hoping for that beautiful jury summons to arrive? Is your Netflix history a 24/7 loop of true crime documentaries?

Your time has come!

We’re looking for mock jurors to help our lawyers hone their skills at our Trial Skills Academy in Lake Geneva on May 5. You’ll spend the afternoon participating in simulated jury selection and getting a behind-the-scenes look at how we prepare for trial.

It’s all the fun of jury duty without being stuck in a courthouse for two weeks.

Don’t wait for the county to pick you. Pick us! Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJeuoaLHlNnPr2Hyf9sddr9vl90qAPmFTcnX6ikTiSoqebJA/viewform

Governor Tony Evers is establishing a state commutation board, creating a clear path home for thousands of Wisconsinites written off by the legal system.

“For the many Wisconsinites who have done the hard work of redemption and are ready to come home, this is a chance to start anew. For our state, this is an opportunity to heal the scars left by decades of over-incarceration,” State Public Defender Jennifer Bias said.

See our full statement on our website.

Tony Evers issues orders restoring prison sentence commutations Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed two executive orders to restore the state's process for commuting prison sentences.

Bridget Krause on Wisconsin's public defender staff shortage Bridget Krause on the public defender's office staff shortage and a criminal case backlog.