Wisconsin Wrongful Conviction Lawyers

Thousands of people in the United States have been exonerated after serving years — sometimes decades — in prison for crimes they did not commit. Behind most wrongful convictions is a failure of the system: fabricated evidence, Brady violations (prosecutors withholding exculpatory information), coerced confessions, false eyewitness identifications, or junk forensic science. At Strang Bradley, we fight to free the wrongfully convicted and, when they are exonerated, to recover everything the system took from them.

Strang Bradley attorney Dean Strang’s work on the Steven Avery case — documented in Making a Murderer — brought national attention to the real and devastating consequences of wrongful conviction in Wisconsin. This firm’s commitment to justice for the wrongfully accused is at the core of who we are.

Common Causes of Wrongful Convictions

• Brady violations — prosecutors failing to disclose evidence favorable to the defense
• Police or prosecutorial misconduct — fabricating or planting evidence
• False or coerced confessions, including those obtained from juveniles or people with cognitive disabilities
• Eyewitness misidentification — the leading cause of wrongful convictions nationally
• Flawed or discredited forensic science (bite marks, hair analysis, blood spatter)
• Jailhouse informants providing false testimony in exchange for consideration
• Bias at any stage of the investigation or prosecution

The Path to Overturning a Wrongful Conviction

Post-conviction relief in Wisconsin may be available through several pathways, depending on the nature of the error:

• Direct appeal (if still within the appeal window)
• Motion for post-conviction relief under Wis. Stat. § 974.06, based on newly discovered evidence or constitutional violations
• DNA testing petitions (Wis. Stat. § 974.07) — available even after a conviction is final
• Federal habeas corpus petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2254

Civil Rights Claims After Exoneration

Exoneration opens the door to civil claims against the individuals and institutions responsible for the wrongful conviction:

• Section 1983 claims for fabrication of evidence, coerced confessions, or malicious prosecution
• Brady violation claims (where prosecutorial immunity does not apply to investigative conduct)
• Claims against detectives and officers who manufactured evidence or withheld it

Compensation You May Be Entitled To From A Wrongful Conviction

• Federal civil rights damages for fabricated evidence, coerced confessions, or malicious prosecution
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Emotional distress and psychological harm from incarceration
• Damage to family relationships, including loss of time with children
• Punitive damages against individual officers or prosecutors in appropriate cases
• Attorney’s fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988

Why Choose Strang Bradley for a Wrongful Conviction Case

This is not an area where you want a generalist. Wrongful conviction cases require mastery of post-conviction procedure, deep knowledge of Brady doctrine and prosecutorial misconduct law, the ability to investigate systemic failures, and the determination to fight institutions that will resist at every step. Our attorneys have been fighting for the wrongfully accused for their entire careers. It is personal for us.