Court grants former Waushara County DA’s request for indefinite license suspension

Michaela Paukner, [email protected]//April 28, 2021//

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court has indefinitely suspended the law license of the former Waushara County district attorney.

Laura Waite was appointed as the Waushara County district attorney in April 2020. After a months-long, unexplained absence from the district attorney’s office, a judge found her to be absent in August and appointed a special administrative prosecutor to fill the role.

In March, Waite filed a request for indefinite suspension of her law license because of her medical incapacity. The Office of Lawyer Regulation filed a response supporting the request and a summary of its investigation into the medical-incapacity allegations against Waite.

The high court’s opinion said Waite acknowledged that she can’t successfully defend herself against the allegations, and the justices granted her indefinite-suspension request on Tuesday.

In November, voters elected Matthew Leusink as the new Waushara County district attorney. He assumed the role in January. Follow @WLJReporter