Back in June the Wisconsin Supreme Court created a committee to address the attorney shortage in the state and it is especially prevalent in areas like Wausau and the rest of North Central Wisconsin.
Almost half the state's lawyers live in the most populated counties like Milwaukee according to a 2021 report by the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Assistant District Attorney for the Marathon County District Attorney's Office, Kyle Mayo, said for public defender cases in the county, people can be waiting up to 8 months to sit down with a lawyer.
Those lawyers often come from the southern part of the state.
When someone has enough money where they cannot be given a public defender, but do not make enough to hire their own lawyer, they get a county appointed attorney.
Those are in shortage as well.
"There's a list of attorneys that take those cases and last I checked we're down to 4 or 5 attorneys that are taking those cases," said Mayo.
That not only takes a toll on people in custody who need defense, but victims as well.
"They're traumatized again after the incident. Now they're waiting and have to keep on waiting for justice," said Mayo.
Mayo said pay has gotten better, but that is one thing the new committee should look to address.
Also, promoting Northern Central Wisconsin and the great things it has to offer could be a major factor in enticing lawyers who get their schooling in the southern part of the state and are not from the area.
