Cousins appointed Portage County District Attorney

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Cass Cousins has been appointed to serve as Portage County District Attorney by Gov. Tony Evers. Cousin’s appointment, announced Friday, fills the vacancy created by Louis Molepske following Molepske’s election to Portage County Circuit Court. Cousins will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending January 2025.

A University of Wisconsin Law School graduate, Cousins has served as a prosecutor for the entirety of his legal career. He was an assistant district attorney in Portage County from 2011 to 2018. Since 2018, Cousins has served as an assistant attorney general in the Criminal Litigation Unit of the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Over his career, he has tried over 100 jury trials, prosecuting complex cases like first degree intentional homicide, drug trafficking conspiracies and first degree sexual assault of a child.

“Governor Evers has made an excellent choice in appointing Cass Cousins as Portage County District Attorney,” said Portage County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Eagon in a statement. “Cass is intelligent, thoughtful and a skilled attorney who has earned the respect of those in the justice community. Cass has served Portage County for many years and is a proven leader who will assure all persons are treated fairly.”

In the community, Cousins has judged moot court competitions and served as a mentor for students considering attending law school or becoming a prosecutor. He also has extensive experience training law enforcement and prosecutors on a broad range of topics.