Wisconsin Department of Justice

The Wisconsin Department of Justice is a state law enforcement agency with jurisdiction throughout the state of Wisconsin. Its headquarters are in Madison, the state capital, with main offices in the Risser Justice Center in downtown Madison. The Wisconsin Attorney General oversees the agency. The current attorney general is JB Van Hollen, who was elected to his first 4 year term in November, 2006, and assumed the office on January 1, 2007. The WDoJ manages the state's three crime labs, and investigates major crimes involving, among other things, illegal drugs, fugitives, public corruption, official misconduct, organized crime, domestic terrorism, Medicaid fraud and patient abuse.

Responsibilities

The agency provides legal advice and representation, criminal investigation, and other law enforcement services for the state. It represents the state in civil cases and handles criminal cases that reach the Wisconsin Court of Appeals or the Wisconsin Supreme Court. It also represents the state in criminal cases on appeal in federal courts and participates with other states in federal cases that are important to Wisconsin. The department provides legal representation in lower courts when expressly authorized by law or requested by the governor, either house of the legislature, or a state agency head. It also represents state agencies in court reviews of their administrative decisions. The department consists of four divisions and...
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