Relating to: authorizing additional circuit court and criminal justice system positions. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Eric Wimberger

The bill adds four circuit court branches and related staffing (judges, reporters, ADAs, public defenders) across Brown, Kenosha, and Menominee/Shawano counties to expand capacity.

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

Main purpose

Authorize four new circuit court branches in specified Wisconsin circuits and create related judicial and criminal‑justice staffing positions to support expanded court capacity. The bill staggers the new branches and associated positions across two effective dates (August 1, 2027 and August 1, 2028), and requires affected agencies to request funding in the 2027–29 biennial budget and report to the Legislature on workload and personnel needs.

Key provisions

Adds four circuit court branches:

Brown County: +1 branch effective August 1, 2027; +1 branch effective August 1, 2028 (increasing Brown from 8 → 10 branches).
Menominee & Shawano counties: +1 branch effective August 1, 2027 (2 → 3 branches).
Kenosha County: +1 branch effective August 1, 2028 (8 → 9 branches).

Establishes initial election schedule for the new judges at the spring elections immediately preceding each branch’s commencement (terms begin August 1 of the corresponding year).

Authorizes associated court and criminal‑justice positions (position authority and start dates shown):

Circuit judges: 2 judges (1 on Aug 1, 2027; 1 on Aug 1, 2028).
Court reporters: 2 reporters (1 on Aug 1, 2027; 1 on Aug 1, 2028).
Assistant district attorneys (ADAs): 30.5 FTE added July 1, 2027; 34.0 FTE added July 1, 2028.
Assistant state public defenders: 13 FTE added July 1, 2027; 9 FTE added July 1, 2028.
State public defender support staff: 23 FTE added July 1, 2027; 18 FTE added July 1, 2028.

Budget and reporting requirements:

Director of State Courts, district attorneys, and the Public Defender Board must include funding requests for these positions in their 2027–29 biennial budget submissions.
Those entities must submit a report to the Legislature by December 31, 2032, analyzing workload and personnel needs.

Who is affected

Directly: the circuit courts and judicial circuits in Brown, Kenosha, Menominee and Shawano counties; prospective judicial candidates; court staff (reporters); prosecutors (district attorney offices) and defense offices (state public defender and support staff); county-level court administration.

Indirectly: parties to litigation in those circuits, local governments (logistics, workspace), and state budget planners/taxpayers (through future funding decisions).

Timeline / procedural notes

Effective dates for branches: August 1, 2027 and August 1, 2028 (as specified).

Initial judicial elections scheduled at spring elections immediately preceding branch start dates.

Funding must be requested in the 2027–29 biennial budget cycle; a legislatively required workload/personnel report is due by 12/31/2032.

Fiscal impact (summary)

Fiscal impact is indeterminate. The bill increases authorized FTEs and creates new positions; those positions will require appropriations (the bill directs agencies to include funding in the 2027–29 budget request).

Departmental/fiscal analyses note possible modest to moderate increased costs for state and county operations (DA offices may face transition/coverage needs). Some costs might be absorbed in agency budgets in the short term, but ongoing personnel funding will be needed if positions are filled.

Source: bill text and state fiscal estimate materials (Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau; Department of Administration fiscal estimate).

Bill