John Chisholm

John is the District Attorney of Milwaukee County. A lifelong resident of the greater Milwaukee area, he attended Marquette High School and graduated from Marquette University.

John began his career in public service by enlisting in the US Army in 1986. After his service he attended the University of Wisconsin Law School. After graduating from law school, John prosecuted cases as a Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney, supervising complex conspiracy prosecutions before his election in 2006.

Since taking office, John has worked to keep Milwaukee County safe while reforming its justice system. John expanded the Community Prosecution Unit, created a Child Protection and Advocacy Unit, helped develop the Sojourner Family Peace Center and helped create treatment opportunities for nonviolent offenders and works tirelessly to ensure equal justice for all.

John participated in the second Square One Roundtable convening “Examining Criminalization, Punitive Excess, and the Courts in the United States: Implications for Justice Policy and Practice.”