Attorney General of Wisconsin

Chief law officer of the state of Wisconsin

Attorney General of Wisconsin

Seal of the attorney general of Wisconsin

Incumbent
Josh Kaul

since January 7, 2019

Wisconsin Department of Justice
Style|

* Mr. or Madam Attorney General (informal)
* The Honorable (formal)

Seat| Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
Appointer| General election
Term length| Four years, no term limits
Constituting instrument| Wisconsin Constitution of 1848, Article VI
Inaugural holder| James S. Brown
Formation| June 7, 1848
(176 years ago) (June 7, 1848)
Salary| $148,242[1]
Website| Official page
Official twitter

The attorney general of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Forty-five individuals have held the office of attorney general since statehood. The incumbent is Josh Kaul, a Democrat.[2][3][4]

## Election and term of office

[edit]

The attorney general is elected on Election Day in November, and takes office on the first Monday of the next January.[5] There is no limit to the number of terms an attorney general may hold. From 1848 to 1968, the attorney general was elected to a two-year term in the November general election. Since 1970, following ratification of a constitutional amendment in April 1967, the attorney general has been elected to a four-year term.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of the attorney general, the governor of Wisconsin may appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of the term. The attorney general may be removed from office through an impeachment trial.[6] They may also choose to resign from office.

## Powers and duties

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The attorney general is the chief law officer of the state of Wisconsin, and amongst other duties has charge and conduct for the state of all suits instituted for and against the government thereof, certifies all bonds issued by the state, protects the School Trust Funds managed by the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, and provides written opinions on questions of law to either house of the Wisconsin Legislature or the head of any state agency.[7][8] By virtue of office, the attorney general directs and supervises the Wisconsin Department of Justice.[9] In accordance with Article X, Section 7 of the Wisconsin State Constitution, the attorney general is a member of the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands; the same is also a member of, or designates members to, the Claims Board, Crime Victims Rights Board, Group Insurance Board, Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions, Judicial Council, Law Enforcement Standards Board, Public Records Board, and the Board of Directors of the Insurance Security Fund.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

## List of attorneys general of Wisconsin

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This is a list of attorneys general for Wisconsin, from before statehood to present.

Number of attorneys general of Wisconsin by party affiliation  Party  | Attorneys

|

Republican | 28
Democratic | 16
Progressive | 1

### Wisconsin Territory

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Before statehood, the Wisconsin Territory also had several attorneys general appointed by the governor of the territory.[18]

Image  | Name  | Took office  | Left office  | Territorial governor

|
|
|
|

| Henry S. Baird | 1836  | 1839  | Henry Dodge
| Horatio N. Wells | 1839  | 1841  | Henry Dodge
| Mortimer M. Jackson | 1842  | 1844  | James Doty
| William Pitt Lynde | 1844  | 1845  | Nathaniel P. Tallmadge
| Mortimer M. Jackson  | 1845  | 1846  | Henry Dodge
| A. Hyatt Smith | 1846  | 1848

### State of Wisconsin

[edit]

Democratic Republican Progressive

#  | Image  | Name  | Party  | Took office  | Left office

|
|
|
|
|

1  |  | James S. Brown
(1824–1878)  | Democratic | June 7, 1848[19] | January 7, 1850
2  |  | S. Park Coon
(1820–1883) | Democratic  | January 7, 1850[19] | January 5, 1852
3  |  | Experience Estabrook
(1813–1894) | Democratic  | January 5, 1852[19] | January 2, 1854
4  |  | George Baldwin Smith
(1823–1879) | Democratic  | January 2, 1854[19] | January 7, 1856
5  |  | William Rudolph Smith
(1787–1868) | Democratic  | January 7, 1856[19] | January 4, 1858
6  |  | Gabriel Bouck
(1828–1904) | Democratic  | January 4, 1858[19] | January 2, 1860
7  |  | James Henry Howe[note 1]
(1827–1893) | Republican | January 2, 1860[19] | October 7, 1862[19][20]
8  |  | Winfield Smith[note 2]
(1827–1899) | Republican  | October 7, 1862[19] | January 1, 1866
9  |  | Charles R. Gill
(1830–1883) | Republican  | January 1, 1866[19] | January 3, 1870
10  |  | Stephen Steele Barlow
(1818–1900) | Republican  | January 3, 1870[19] | January 5, 1874
11  |  | A. Scott Sloan
(1820–1895) | Liberal Republican  | January 5, 1874[19] | January 7, 1878
12  |  | Alexander Wilson
(1833–1888) | Republican  | January 7, 1878[19] | January 2, 1882
13  |  | Leander F. Frisby[note 3]
(1825–1889) | Republican  | January 2, 1882[19] | January 3, 1887
14  |  | Charles E. Estabrook
(1847–1918) | Republican  | January 3, 1887[19] | January 5, 1891
15  |  | James L. O'Connor
(1858–1931) | Democratic  | January 5, 1891[19] | January 7, 1895
16  |  | William H. Mylrea
(1853–1916) | Republican  | January 7, 1895[19] | January 2, 1899
17  |  | Emmett R. Hicks
(1854–1925) | Republican  | January 2, 1899[19] | January 5, 1903
18  |  | Lafayette M. Sturdevant
(1856–1923) | Republican  | January 5, 1903[19] | January 7, 1907
19  |  | Frank L. Gilbert
(1864–1930) | Republican  | January 7, 1907[19] | January 2, 1911
20  |  | Levi H. Bancroft
(1861–1948) | Republican  | January 2, 1911[19] | January 6, 1913
21  |  | Walter C. Owen[note 1]
(1868–1934) | Republican  | January 6, 1913[19] | January 7, 1918[19]
22  |  | Spencer Haven[note 2]
(1868–1938) | Republican  | January 7, 1918[19] | January 6, 1919
23  |  | John J. Blaine
(1875–1934) | Republican  | January 6, 1919[19] | January 3, 1921
24  |  | William J. Morgan
(1883–1983) | Republican  | January 3, 1921[19] | January 1, 1923
25  |  | Herman L. Ekern
(1872–1954) | Republican  | January 1, 1923[19] | January 3, 1927
26  |  | John W. Reynolds Sr.
(1876–1958) | Republican  | January 3, 1927[19] | January 2, 1933
27  |  | James E. Finnegan
(1892–1966) | Democratic  | January 2, 1933[21] | January 4, 1937
28  |  | Orland Steen Loomis
(1893–1942) | Progressive | January 4, 1937[22] | January 2, 1939
29  |  | John E. Martin[note 1]
(1891–1968) | Republican  | January 2, 1939[23] | June 1, 1948[20]
vacant | June 1, 1948  | June 5, 1948
30  |  | Grover L. Broadfoot[note 2][note 1]
(1892-1962) | Republican  | June 5, 1948[20] | November 12, 1948[20]
31  |  | Thomas E. Fairchild[note 2]
(1912–2007) | Democratic  | November 12, 1948[20] | January 1, 1951
32  |  | Vernon W. Thomson
(1905–1988) | Republican  | January 1, 1951[24] | January 7, 1957
33  |  | Stewart G. Honeck
(1906–1999) | Republican  | January 7, 1957[25] | January 5, 1959
34  |  | John W. Reynolds Jr.
(1921–2002) | Democratic  | January 5, 1959[26] | January 7, 1963
35  |  | George Thompson
(1918–1992) | Republican  | January 7, 1963[27] | January 4, 1965
36  |  | Bronson La Follette
(1936–2018) | Democratic  | January 4, 1965[28] | January 6, 1969
37  |  | Robert W. Warren[note 1]
(1925–1998) | Republican  | January 6, 1969[29] | October 8, 1974[20]
38  |  | Victor A. Miller[note 2][note 1]
(1916–1984) | Democratic  | October 8, 1974[20] | November 25, 1974[20]
39  |  | Bronson La Follette[note 2]
(1936–2018) | Democratic  | November 25, 1974[20] | January 5, 1987
40  |  | Don Hanaway
(1933–1995) | Republican  | January 5, 1987
[citation needed] | January 7, 1991
41  |  | Jim Doyle
(born 1945) | Democratic  | January 7, 1991[30] | January 6, 2003
42  |  | Peggy Lautenschlager
(1955–2018) | Democratic  | January 6, 2003[31] | January 3, 2007
43  |  | J.B. Van Hollen
(born 1966) | Republican  | January 3, 2007[32] | January 5, 2015
44  |  | Brad Schimel
(born 1965) | Republican  | January 5, 2015  | January 7, 2019
45  |  | Josh Kaul
(born 1980) | Democratic  | January 7, 2019  | Incumbent
Notes:

1. ^ a b c d e f Resigned from office.
2. ^ a b c d e f Appointed to fill unexpired term.
3. ^ Some sources record Leander Frisby's surname as "Frisbie".[19]

## See also

[edit]

* Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands

## References

[edit]

### General

[edit]

* Wisconsin Blue Book, 2005–2006
* "Wisconsin as a Territory" from History of Crawford and Richland Counties, Wisconsin. Springfield, Illinois: Union Publishing Company, 1884. pp. 34–41.

### Specific

[edit]

1. ^ Salaries of Wisconsin State Elected Officials (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. 2019. p. 2. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
2. ^ "Executive Profiles | Wisconsin Department of Justice".
3. ^ "Kaul for Attorney General". Kaul for Attorney General. April 4, 2023.
4. ^ "Constitutional Offices".
5. ^ Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2007). "Chapter 3: Wisconsin Constitution (Article XIII)". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007-2008 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 234\. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Retrieved 2008-05-10.[permanent dead link‍]
6. ^ Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2007). "Chapter 3: Wisconsin Constitution (Article VII)". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007-2008 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 218\. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Retrieved 2008-05-10.[permanent dead link‍]
7. ^ "Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter 165".
8. ^ "Wisconsin Legislature: VI,3". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov.
9. ^ "Wisconsin Department of Justice | WisDOJ".
10. ^ "Wisconsin Legislature: 15.255(1)(a)6". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov.
11. ^ "Claims Board Home". claimsboard.wi.gov.
12. ^ "Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund - Welcome". www.wilifega.org.
13. ^ "Wisconsin Legislature: ARTICLE X".
14. ^ "2019 Joint Survey Committee on Tax Exemptions".
15. ^ "Group Insurance Board".
16. ^ "Wisconsin Judicial Council".
17. ^ "Public Records Board Home".
18. ^ "Wisconsin Territory". Archived from the original on October 12, 2008.
19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Anderson, William J. (1929). William A. Anderson (ed.). The Wisconsin blue book, 1929. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company. p. 152. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
20. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2007). "Chapter 8: Statistical Information on Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007-2008 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. pp. 722–724\. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2008-05-08.722-724&rft.pub=Wisconsin+Legislative+Reference+Bureau&rft.date=2007&rft.isbn=978-0-9752820-2-1&rft_id=http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lrb/bb/07bb/statistics.htm&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Attorney+General+of+Wisconsin" class="Z3988">
21. ^ "Governor Takes Oath Amid Cheers of 5,000" (PDF). Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. January 3, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
22. ^ "New Administrations Started" (PDF). Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. January 4, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
23. ^ "Gov. Julius P. Heil Takes Office" (PDF). The Sheboygan Press. Sheboygan, Wisconsin. January 2, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
24. ^ "Highlights of Inauguration Ceremony as Five State Republican Officials Take Oaths in Capitol" (PDF). Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. January 2, 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
25. ^ "Thomson Takes Oath, Pledges Common Sense" (PDF). Stevens Point Daily Journal. Stevens Point, Wisconsin. January 7, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
26. ^ "Gaylord Nelson Becomes State's 34th Governor" (PDF). Stevens Point Daily Journal. Stevens Point, Wisconsin. January 5, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
27. ^ "Reynolds Calls for Unity At Inaugural Ceremonies" (PDF). Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. January 7, 1963. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
28. ^ "Knowles Seeks State's Aid in Move Forward" (PDF). Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. January 5, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
29. ^ "Knowles Stresses Need for Priorities" (PDF). Manitowoc Herald Times. Manitowoc, Wisconsin. January 6, 1969. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
30. ^ "Thompson takes oath, praises school choice" (PDF). Ironwood Daily Globe. Ironwood, Michigan. January 8, 1991. p. 7. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
31. ^ "The guard changes". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. January 7, 2003. p. 1A. ProQuest 261710319.
32. ^ "At inauguration, Doyle keeps focus on health care, schools; Legislative leaders make bipartisan pledges after Capitol ceremonies". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. January 4, 2007. p. 1B. ProQuest 263656000.

## External links

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* Wisconsin Department of Justice official website
* Press releases at Wisconsin Attorney General
* Claims Board
* Wisconsin Insurance Security Fund
* Wisconsin Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
* News and Commentary at FindLaw
* Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations at Law.Justia.com
* U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Wisconsin" at FindLaw
* State Bar of Wisconsin
* Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel profile at National Association of Attorneys General

* v
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Constitutional officers of Wisconsin

|  |

Governor (list)
Lieutenant Governor (list)

Secretary of State (list)
State Treasurer (list)

Attorney General (list)
Superintendent of Public Instruction (list)

|
|
|

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Attorneys general of the United States

United States Attorney General: ▌Pam Bondi (R)

▌Steve Marshall (R)

▌Treg Taylor (R)

▌Kris Mayes (D)

▌Tim Griffin (R)

▌Rob Bonta (D)

▌Phil Weiser (D)

▌William Tong (D)

▌Kathy Jennings (D)

▌James Uthmeier (R)

▌Christopher M. Carr (R)

▌Anne E. Lopez (D)

▌Raúl Labrador (R)

▌Kwame Raoul (D)

▌Todd Rokita (R)

▌Brenna Bird (R)

▌Kris Kobach (R)

▌Russell Coleman (R)

▌Liz Murrill (R)

▌Aaron Frey (D)

▌Anthony Brown (D)

▌Andrea Campbell (D)

▌Dana Nessel (D)

▌Keith Ellison (DFL)

▌Lynn Fitch (R)

▌Andrew Bailey (R)

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▌Matt Platkin (D)

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▌Drew Wrigley (R)

▌Dave Yost (R)

▌Gentner Drummond (R)

▌Dan Rayfield (D)

▌Dave Sunday (R)

▌Peter Neronha (D)

▌Alan Wilson (R)

▌Marty Jackley (R)

▌Jonathan Skrmetti (R)

▌Ken Paxton (R)

▌Derek Brown (R)

▌Charity Clark (D)

▌Jason Miyares (R)

▌Nick Brown (D)

▌JB McCuskey (R)

▌Josh Kaul (D)

▌Bridget Hill (R)

Federal districts:

▌Brian Schwalb (D)

Territories:

▌Fainu'ulelei Alailima-Utu

▌Doug Moylan (R)

▌Ed Manibusan (D)

▌Janet Parra (PNP)*

▌Gordon Rhea

Political party affiliations

* ▌29 Republicans (28 states, 1 territory)
* ▌24 Democrats (22 states, 1 territory, 1 district)
* ▌1 New Progressive (1 territory)
* ▌2 Unknown (2 territories)
An asterisk (*) indicates that the officeholder is serving in an acting capacity.
State abbreviations link to position articles.

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