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Report a suspected crime

To report a crime that has or may have occurred, dial 911 or contact the local law enforcement agency in the area in which it occurred.

 

Report suspected child abuse or neglect

Reports of alleged child abuse or neglect should be made to the county department of social/human services where the child or the child’s family resides.  Reports also can be made to local law enforcement offices.

 

Report a concern about my elderly parent or neighbor’s financial or physical safety

If someone is in immediate, life-threatening danger, you should call local police or 911.  You may otherwise call  your county’s Elder Adults-at-Risk Help Line  to report what you have observed.  Every county has one, typically operated by the county department of health or human services.

 

Report an environmental violation or emergency

Report spills, leaks or potentially illegal activity to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources or to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

 

Serve a notice of claim upon the Attorney General under Wis. Stat. § 893.82

A notice of injury and claim [PDF] should be directed to: 
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen
114 East State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702-7857

 

Serve the Attorney General’s office

For formal service, please serve the document at the Attorney General’s office in the State Capitol at 114 East.

 

Make a public records request for records of the Department of Justice

For the records of the Department of Justice, send your request in letter form to the attention of Kevin C. Potter, Office of the Attorney General, Wisconsin Department of Justice, 17 W. Main St., P.O. Box 7857, Madison, WI 53707-7857.  No special form is needed to submit your request.  The response time will vary depending on the type of documents you seek, whether it is related to a criminal activity and whether or not the case is closed.  We respond to all requests as soon as practicable and without delay. 

 

Information on charges to obtain records can be found on the Public Records Notice [PDF].

 

Make a public records request for the records of another state agency

For records of another governmental agency, please send your request directly to the agency. 

 

Talk to someone about the quality of care a relative is receiving in a state-licensed facility for the elderly

Patient abuse or neglect occurs when a care facility and/or employee knowingly or recklessly causes physical harm to a resident or fails to provide a resident needed medical services.  Suspected abuse or neglect of residents in Wisconsin nursing homes, boarding homes and adult family homes may be reported to the Division of Quality Assurance at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services at 1-800-642-6552.  If you suspect that a resident may be the victim of a criminal act, report it immediately to local law enforcement.

 

Report Medicaid provider fraud

Medicaid provider fraud occurs when a Medicaid provider knowingly makes, or causes to be made, a false or misleading statement or representation for use in obtaining reimbursement from the medical assistance program.  This may include, but is not limited to, billing for services not provided, charging Medicaid more than the reasonable value of the services, and providing services that were medically unnecessary.

 

Medicaid provider fraud should be reported to the Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit at the Wisconsin Department of Justice at 1-800-488-3780.

 

Have the Attorney General’s Office provide me with legal advice or representation

The primary role of the Attorney General's Office is to provide legal representation to the State of Wisconsin, its agencies, and state officials acting in their official capacities.  The office is not authorized to advise or represent private citizens on personal legal matters.  If you need help with a personal legal matter-such as filing a lawsuit, creating a will, or defending against a criminal charge-you may want to contact a private attorney.

 

Find a lawyer to represent me

The State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral and Information Service can help you figure out if you need a lawyer, and how to proceed if you do.

 

Report an elections-related complaint

Report irregularities you witnessed at or around the polling place to the Government Accountability Board.

 

 

Request an investigation of agency misconduct

State agencies operate under the direction of their cabinet secretaries, who are appointed and answerable to the governor, with the authorization and funding by the legislature.  Concerns about state agency regulation or conduct should be brought to the attention of the agency head, the governor, or the legislature.

 

Find information about pending criminal prosecutions in Wisconsin state courts

The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access Program website.

 

Find information about pending criminal appeals in Wisconsin state courts

The Wisconsin Supreme Court and Courts of Appeals Access Program website.

 

Find information about Wisconsin appellate law and procedure

The Wisconsin State Legislature’s website provides online access to Wisconsin’s laws.

 

Find information about Wisconsin criminal law and procedure

The Wisconsin State Legislature’s website provides online access to Wisconsin’s laws.

 

Find a Wisconsin Supreme Court opinion

Opinions released since 1995 may be found at the Wisconsin Court System website. Google Scholar Advanced Search also has Wisconsin Supreme Court decisions prior to 1995, as well as opinions from other jurisdictions and scholarly articles on legal topics.

 

Find a Wisconsin Court of Appeals opinion

Opinions released since 1995 may be found at the Wisconsin Court System website. Google Scholar Advanced Search also has Wisconsin Court of Appeals decisions prior to 1995, as well as opinions from other jurisdictions and scholarly articles on legal topics.

 

Find legal information

The Wisconsin State Law Library’s website contains a wealth of information about Wisconsin law and federal law, and has some resources that are not available on agency-specific websites.

 

Find information about a pending 28 USC § 2254 (federal habeas corpus) case involving a Wisconsin state prisoner

The Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) website is an electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket information from federal courts.

 

Find legal briefs and papers filed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice in criminal appeals

The Wisconsin Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Access website provides access to some documents filed with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

 

Find a state law

The Legislative Reference Bureau website provides online access to statutes, administrative rules, constitutions and other laws.

 

Find a county or municipal law

Some county and municipal websites make their ordinances available online.  The Wisconsin State Law Library provides a comprehensive list at Wisconsin Ordinances & Codes.

 

File a complaint against a judge

The Wisconsin Judicial Commission reviews complaints against judges and court commissioners in Wisconsin.  For additional information on filing a complaint, visit the Commission’s website.

 

File a complaint against an attorney

Grievances against lawyers who are licensed to practice law in Wisconsin should be filed with the Office of Lawyer Regulation. The Attorney General has no authority to discipline private attorneys.

 

File a complaint against a law enforcement officer who I believe is guilty of misconduct

The place to start is usually with the head of the police department or sheriff’s office where the officer works.  Some departments have internal affairs units, whose responsibility it is to investigate complaints against officers.  In some cases, it is also appropriate to notify the mayor or town manager of the municipality involved.