Sept. 23, 2024 – Wisconsin's courts, like any other necessary part of government, require sufficient funding from the state’s biennial budget to operate. Ensuring legislators crafting the budget understand and act to adequately fund all aspects of the justice system is among the highest priorities of the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors' legislative advocacy work. This article will review some of the key components of judicial funding and highlight successes in past years.
Prosecutor and State Public Defender Funding
The State Bar of Wisconsin BOG policy is to support adequate funding for all state prosecutors and public defenders to ensure both effective representation of the public in criminal cases and ethical, effective representation for each defendant.
In the 2023-24 session, the legislature passed and the Governor implemented historic funding increases to the criminal justice system, increasing both starting pay and pay progression for state prosecutors and public defenders, as well as increasing the rate paid to attorneys who take private bar cases.
Calls for increased funding came from many stakeholders and leaders within the criminal justice system, including judicial members, the State Public Defender, and District Attorneys and Assistant District Attorneys around the state. It also came from the grassroots support of hundreds of State Bar members like you, who took the time to reach out to their lawmakers and show support for an increase in funding to these crucial components of the justice system.
By combining the voices of justice system leaders with those of everyday working attorneys in legislative districts across the state, the State Bar played a role in making this funding increase possible.
New Circuit Court Branches
The State Bar of Wisconsin BOG policy also supports increases in Circuit Court branches after an analysis of caseload standards demonstrated that additional Circuit Court branches are needed.
In 2020, legislation was enacted creating twelve new circuit courts. Since then, new courts have been established, four per year, in Adams, Calumet, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Manitowoc, Marathon, Sawyer, Vilas, Waushara, and Wood counties.
Judicial Compensation
The judicial system should have the ability, through an independent Judicial Compensation Commission, to set judicial salaries at a level that properly compensates the work of the judiciary, allowing courts to attract and retain judges capable of administering justice fairly and efficiently.
Compensation for State Attorneys
The State Bar BOG support compensation adequate to attract and retain experienced and qualified attorneys employed by the State of Wisconsin.
Devin Martin, is the grassroots outreach coordinator with the State Bar of Wisconsin. He can be reached by
email, or by phone at (608) 250-6145.
Department of Justice Funding
The State Bar BOG support adequate funding for the Wisconsin Department of Justice to ensure that it can maintain its responsibilities to support the legal community and the justice system.
Judicial Council
The 21-member statutory body studies and makes recommendations relating to court pleading, practice and procedure and the organization, jurisdiction and methods of administration and operation of Wisconsin courts. To carry out these statutory responsibilities, the Judicial Council needs state support.
Our Role
The State Bar’s Government Relations team will continue to monitor and advocate for judicial system funding in the upcoming budget negotiations beginning in 2025. With a state legislature that holds fewer and fewer attorneys each session, however, it has become vital that State Bar members become advocates themselves, reaching out to their lawmakers to ensure that they understand the importance of an effective, efficient and adequately funded justice system in Wisconsin.
You can familiarize yourself with all of the State Bar Board of Governors' policy positions by visiting the Policy Positions page on Wisbar. Stay tuned to Rotunda Report and be on the lookout for Advocacy Network “action alerts” that ask for your help and input in delivering this message to all 132 members of the legislature during the upcoming legislative session.
