Attorney General of Wisconsin

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Attorney General of Wisconsin
Seal of the Wisconsin Attorney General.png
Seal of the attorney general of Wisconsin
Attorney Josh Kaul.jpg
Incumbent
Josh Kaul
since January 7, 2019
Wisconsin Department of Justice
Style
Seat Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin
AppointerGeneral election
Term length Four years, no term limits
Constituting instrument Wisconsin Constitution of 1848, Article VI
Inaugural holder James S. Brown
FormationJune 7, 1848
(177 years ago) (June 7, 1848)
Salary $148,242 [1]
Website Official page
Official twitter

The attorney general of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer of the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the chief law enforcement officer of Wisconsin, and the head of the Wisconsin Department of Justice. It is part of Wisconsin's administrative branch as defined in Article VI of the Constitution of Wisconsin. The attorney general is elected to four-year terms by statewide partisan election in non-presidential election years. If a vacancy occurs, the governor of Wisconsin is empowered to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the unexpired term; there are no term limits for this office.

Contents

Forty-five individuals have held the office of attorney general since Wisconsin achieved statehood in 1848. The incumbent is Josh Kaul, a Democrat; he was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. [2] [3] [4]

Election and term of office

The attorney general is elected in a partisan general election held on Election Day in November of even-numbered non-presidential election years, for a four-year term which starts on the first Monday of the January following the election. [5] There is no limit to the number of terms an attorney general may serve. 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 or by recall election. [6] They may also choose to resign from office. In Wisconsin's history, six attorney generals have resigned, none have ever been recalled or impeached.

Powers and duties

The powers of the attorney general are largely defined in chapters 15.25 and 165.015 of the Wisconsin statutes. Chapter 15.25 establishes the Wisconsin Department of Justice and assigns the attorney general as the head of that department. [7] Chapter 165.015 defines the primary powers and duties of the attorney general, but other powers and duties of the attorney general can be found throughout chapter 165.

Under current law, 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 of Wisconsin, 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. [8] [9]

In accordance with Article X, Section 7, of the Wisconsin Constitution, the attorney general is also 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 state Insurance Security Fund. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

List of attorneys general of Wisconsin

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

Number of attorneys general of Wisconsin by party affiliation
PartyAttorneys
Republican 28
Democratic 16
Progressive 1

Wisconsin Territory

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

ImageNameTook officeLeft officeTerritorial governor
Henry S. Baird.jpg Henry S. Baird 18361839 Henry Dodge
Horatio N. Wells 18391841Henry Dodge
Mortimer M. Jackson.png Mortimer M. Jackson 18421844 James Doty
William Pitt Lynde (Wisconsin Congressman) (3x4a).jpg William Pitt Lynde 18441845 Nathaniel P. Tallmadge
Mortimer M. Jackson.png Mortimer M. Jackson18451846Henry Dodge
A. Hyatt Smith 18461848

State of Wisconsin

   Democratic    Republican    Progressive

#ImageNamePartyTook officeLeft office
1 James Sproat Brown (3x4a).png James S. Brown
(1824–1878) 		Democratic June 7, 1848 [19] January 7, 1850
2 S. Park Coon
(1820–1883)		DemocraticJanuary 7, 1850 [19] January 5, 1852
3 Experience Estabrook (Nebraska Congressman).jpg Experience Estabrook
(1813–1894)		DemocraticJanuary 5, 1852 [19] January 2, 1854
4 George Baldwin Smith.png George Baldwin Smith
(1823–1879)		DemocraticJanuary 2, 1854 [19] January 7, 1856
5 William Rudolph Smith.png William Rudolph Smith
(1787–1868)		DemocraticJanuary 7, 1856 [19] January 4, 1858
6 GabrielBouck.jpg Gabriel Bouck
(1828–1904)		DemocraticJanuary 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.png Winfield Smith [note 2]
(1827–1899)		RepublicanOctober 7, 1862 [19] January 1, 1866
9 Charles R Gill.png Charles R. Gill
(1830–1883)		RepublicanJanuary 1, 1866 [19] January 3, 1870
10 Stephen Steele Barlow
(1818–1900)		RepublicanJanuary 3, 1870 [19] January 5, 1874
11 Andrew Scott Sloan (Wisconsin Congressman).jpg A. Scott Sloan
(1820–1895)		Liberal RepublicanJanuary 5, 1874 [19] January 7, 1878
12 Alexander Wilson
(1833–1888)		RepublicanJanuary 7, 1878 [19] January 2, 1882
13 Leander F. Frisby.png Leander F. Frisby [note 3]
(1825–1889)		RepublicanJanuary 2, 1882 [19] January 3, 1887
14 Charles Edward Estabrook.png Charles E. Estabrook
(1847–1918)		RepublicanJanuary 3, 1887 [19] January 5, 1891
15 James L. O'Connor
(1858–1931)		DemocraticJanuary 5, 1891 [19] January 7, 1895
16 William H. Mylrea
(1853–1916)		RepublicanJanuary 7, 1895 [19] January 2, 1899
17 Emmett R. Hicks
(1854–1925)		RepublicanJanuary 2, 1899 [19] January 5, 1903
18 Lafayette M. Sturdevant
(1856–1923)		RepublicanJanuary 5, 1903 [19] January 7, 1907
19 Frank L. Gilbert
(1864–1930)		RepublicanJanuary 7, 1907 [19] January 2, 1911
20 Levi Horace Bancroft.png Levi H. Bancroft
(1861–1948)		RepublicanJanuary 2, 1911 [19] January 6, 1913
21 Judge Walter C. Owen.png Walter C. Owen [note 1]
(1868–1934)		RepublicanJanuary 6, 1913 [19] January 7, 1918 [19]
22 Spencer Haven [note 2]
(1868–1938)		RepublicanJanuary 7, 1918 [19] January 6, 1919
23 John J Blaine Bain crop.jpg John J. Blaine
(1875–1934)		RepublicanJanuary 6, 1919 [19] January 3, 1921
24 William J Morgan.png William J. Morgan
(1883–1983)		RepublicanJanuary 3, 1921 [19] January 1, 1923
25 Herman Ekern (WI).jpg Herman L. Ekern
(1872–1954)		RepublicanJanuary 1, 1923 [19] January 3, 1927
26 John W. Reynolds Sr.
(1876–1958)		RepublicanJanuary 3, 1927 [19] January 2, 1933
27 James E. Finnegan (WI).png James E. Finnegan
(1892–1966)		DemocraticJanuary 2, 1933 [21] January 4, 1937
28 Orland Steen Loomis (Wisconsin governor-elect).jpg Orland Steen Loomis
(1893–1942)		 Progressive January 4, 1937 [22] January 2, 1939
29 John E. Martin (1891-1968) (8254108492) (1).jpg John E. Martin [note 1]
(1891–1968)		RepublicanJanuary 2, 1939 [23] June 1, 1948 [20]
vacantJune 1, 1948June 5, 1948
30 Grover L. Broadfoot (WI).png Grover L. Broadfoot [note 2] [note 1]
(1892-1962)		RepublicanJune 5, 1948 [20] November 12, 1948 [20]
31 Thomas E. Fairchild (WI) (3x4a).png Thomas E. Fairchild [note 2]
(1912–2007)		DemocraticNovember 12, 1948 [20] January 1, 1951
32 Vernon Wallace Thomson (1905-1988) (8276634634) (1).jpg Vernon W. Thomson
(1905–1988)		RepublicanJanuary 1, 1951 [24] January 7, 1957
33 Stewart G. Honeck (WI).png Stewart G. Honeck
(1906–1999)		RepublicanJanuary 7, 1957 [25] January 5, 1959
34 John W. Reynolds Jr. (WI).png John W. Reynolds Jr.
(1921–2002)		DemocraticJanuary 5, 1959 [26] January 7, 1963
35 George Thompson (WI).png George Thompson
(1918–1992)		RepublicanJanuary 7, 1963 [27] January 4, 1965
36 Bronson La Follette (WI) (cropped).jpg Bronson La Follette
(1936–2018)		DemocraticJanuary 4, 1965 [28] January 6, 1969
37 Robert W. Warren (WI).png Robert W. Warren [note 1]
(1925–1998)		RepublicanJanuary 6, 1969 [29] October 8, 1974 [20]
38 Victor A. Miller [note 2] [note 1]
(1916–1984)		DemocraticOctober 8, 1974 [20] November 25, 1974 [20]
39 Bronson La Follette (WI) (cropped).jpg Bronson La Follette [note 2]
(1936–2018)		DemocraticNovember 25, 1974 [20] January 5, 1987
40 Don Hanaway (WI).png Don Hanaway
(1933–1995)		RepublicanJanuary 5, 1987
[ citation needed ]		January 7, 1991
41 Jim Doyle (3x4) a.jpg Jim Doyle
(born 1945)		DemocraticJanuary 7, 1991 [30] January 6, 2003
42 Peg Lautenschlager Headshot.jpg Peggy Lautenschlager
(1955–2018)		DemocraticJanuary 6, 2003 [31] January 3, 2007
43 J.B.VanHollen (cropped).jpg J.B. Van Hollen
(born 1966)		RepublicanJanuary 3, 2007 [32] January 5, 2015
44 Brad Schimel.jpg Brad Schimel
(born 1965)		RepublicanJanuary 5, 2015January 7, 2019
45 Attorney Josh Kaul.jpg Josh Kaul
(born 1981)		DemocraticJanuary 7, 2019Incumbent
Notes:
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Resigned from office.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appointed to fill unexpired term.
  3. ↑ Some sources record Leander Frisby's surname as "Frisbie". [19]

See also

References

General

Specific

  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 May 10, 2008.[ 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 May 10, 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ "Wisconsin Department of Justice | WisDOJ".
  8. ↑ "Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter 165".
  9. ↑ "Wisconsin Legislature: VI,3". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov.
  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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Anderson, William J. (1929). William A. Anderson (ed.). The Wisconsin blue book, 1929. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company. p. 152. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 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 August 11, 2011. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  21. ↑ "Governor Takes Oath Amid Cheers of 5,000" (PDF). Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. January 3, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  22. ↑ "New Administrations Started" (PDF). Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. January 4, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Gov. Julius P. Heil Takes Office" (PDF). The Sheboygan Press. Sheboygan, Wisconsin. January 2, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  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 April 21, 2010.
  25. ↑ "Thomson Takes Oath, Pledges Common Sense" (PDF). Stevens Point Daily Journal. Stevens Point, Wisconsin. January 7, 1957. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  26. ↑ "Gaylord Nelson Becomes State's 34th Governor" (PDF). Stevens Point Daily Journal. Stevens Point, Wisconsin. January 5, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  27. ↑ "Reynolds Calls for Unity At Inaugural Ceremonies" (PDF). Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. January 7, 1963. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  28. ↑ "Knowles Seeks State's Aid in Move Forward" (PDF). Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. January 5, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  29. ↑ "Knowles Stresses Need for Priorities" (PDF). Manitowoc Herald Times. Manitowoc, Wisconsin. January 6, 1969. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  30. ↑ "Thompson takes oath, praises school choice" (PDF). Ironwood Daily Globe. Ironwood, Michigan. January 8, 1991. p. 7. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  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.
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