State Bar President Pleased to See Increase in Funding for DAs/Defenders in Proposed State Budget

Tuesday, February 21st, 2023 -- 9:01 AM

(Raymond Neupert, WRN) Governor Tony Evers wants to spend some of the state budget surplus shoring up pay for prosecutors and public defenders.

The Wisconsin State Bar is hopeful that a proposed increase in funding for prosecutors and public defenders will survive the budget process. Governor Tony Evers wants to raise the base pay for both, and State Bar President Margaret Hickey says Wisconsin desperately needs to raise the pay for public defenders. 

"It's just as stressful and the pay is not good. So you know, for lawyers, the choice might be well, why do I want to do this job that A is very stressful, and B might actually be dangerous."

The plan is to hire 50 more of both prosecutors and defenders, and State Bar President Hickey says the state is hurting for justice. "There are lots of open positions. And that means that cases are not being processed the way they should be. So victims are waiting for justice, and people who are charged with crimes are waiting."

The governor's proposal would spend 36 million dollars to pay prosecutors and public defenders more across the board. State Bar President Hickey says we need that funding to retain and attract lawyers. "You go to three years of law school and come out and make $56,000 a year. It's not surprising that people can't make ends meet and look for something different."

Evers also wants to hire 50 more prosecutors and public defenders, and increase the pay for elected district attorneys. That proposed budget is now in the hands of the legislature's joint finance committee.

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