Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB170

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/9/25
• Refer: 4/9/25

Caption

Prohibiting the Department of Justice from using the legal services of nongovernmental employees. (FE)

Impact

The enforcement of AB170 could significantly shift the landscape of legal operations within the Wisconsin DOJ. By prohibiting the use of nongovernmental individuals, the bill intends to prioritize the employment of professional legal staff who are directly accountable to the state or federal government. This could lead to increased job security for state employees and a more consistent legal strategy dictated by government policies and regulations. Furthermore, legal interns will only be able to work under specific financial constraints, which may affect the availability of legal aid for less funded cases.

Summary

Assembly Bill 170 aims to restrict the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) from employing the legal services of nongovernmental individuals in civil and criminal cases. The primary objective is to ensure that legal work related to state investigations and prosecutions is conducted solely by state or federal employees, with limited exceptions for legal interns. This initiative seeks to tighten control over legal processes handled by the DOJ, emphasizing the need for official governmental oversight within legal proceedings.

Contention

One notable area of contention surrounding AB170 is whether the bill unduly restricts the DOJ's ability to engage with qualified external legal professionals, particularly in complex cases that may require specific expertise not available internally. Critics may argue that limiting the external legal avenues could hinder the DOJ's effectiveness and adaptability in tackling diverse legal challenges. On the other hand, proponents justify this bill as a measure to uphold the integrity and accountability of legal services while minimizing potential conflicts of interest that may arise from a more open-ended approach to hiring legal experts.