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.
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.
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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. 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. They may also choose to resign from office. In Wisconsin's history, six attorneys general have resigned, none have ever been recalled or impeached.
Powers and duties
The powers of the attorney general are largely defined in chapters 15 and 165 of the Wisconsin State Statutes. Section 15.25 establishes the Wisconsin Department of Justice and assigns the attorney general as the head of that department. Section 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. By law, the attorney general is the chief law officer of the state of Wisconsin. Amongst other duties, the attorney general 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.
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.
List of attorneys general of Wisconsin
This is a list of attorneys general for Wisconsin, from before statehood to present.
Wisconsin Territory
Before statehood, the Wisconsin Territory also had several attorneys general appointed by the governor of the territory.
State of Wisconsin
Democratic
Republican
Progressive