Lafayette County District Attorney
There are two candidates for Lafayette County district attorney. Jenna Gill and incumbent Kate Findley are running.
Position sought: Lafayette County District Attorney
Age: 31
City/town of residence: Darlington
Family: My husband, Reid, and I reside in Darlington with our two daughters, Reese and Blythe. I grew up on my family's farm in Darlington and am the daughter of Tom and Kris Reichling. My husband grew up on his family farm in Shullsburg where he continues to farm with his dad and brother. Our family is elated to be back to our roots in Lafayette County near our family.
Education: I graduated from Darlington High School in 2004 and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008 with degrees in both legal studies and communication arts. I received my law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN in 2011, with honors.
Occupation: I have been in private practice as an attorney with Russell Law Offices, S.C. for the past five years and serve as Co-Corporation Counsel for Lafayette County. I have successfully litigated numerous complex cases, including cases before the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and against some of the largest firms in the state. I work routinely with members of the community and local businesses in all aspects of the law. Recently, I successfully prosecuted open meetings violations on behalf of the State of Wisconsin when the District Attorney determined that violations occurred, but she did not have the time to prosecute them due to her caseload.
Previous elected positions held: This is my first time running for an elected position.
What are the top issues facing the office you seek and how would you work to resolve them?
Currently, our county is experiencing a large drug abuse problem. Drug abuse often leads to other crimes and if it is not handled effectively, it will escalate quickly to impact the youth and safety in our communities. Finding the right process for correcting this behavior is challenging because some method of punishment is necessary for prevention. However, these individuals need resources to recover from their addictions or they become repeat offenders and Lafayette County doesn't currently have a program for that. I believe it is important to develop a drug court program, as other neighboring counties have been doing, to see the best results for our communities. Another important issue facing the office is ensuring that the office runs efficiently. Lafayette County only has a single District Attorney, unlike neighboring counties, so it is important to effectively manage the caseload. This can be done by creating proper internal processes that ensure cases are charged in a timely manner so as to not clog the justice system or leave a threat to the public. Systems need to be developed to handle the lesser level, routine cases and the disposition of them in a timely fashion to leave more time available for the more serious, severe cases. It is simply a matter of being organized, developing internal systems and consistently following them, and being prepared.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
My desire to become an attorney started back in grade school when I started to learn more about the role attorneys and, particularly, the District Attorney, play in holding a community together. I was born and raised in Lafayette County. I know the members of the communities, the businesses, the families, and the people. I know what is best for our county and what is necessary to protect our communities and maintain safety and I am committed to doing so. Our county is in a vulnerable state right now because of the increase of crime and drug abuse. Efficiency is the key to handling these issues. I am proven to be timely, efficient, and prepared, which is required to successfully manage the District Attorney's office. I have great working relationships with fellow attorneys, court staff, law enforcement, and community members. If I am successful, my ultimate goal is to implement processes that ensure consistent prosecution of cases in a timely manner with dispositions that provide justice for the county as a whole. Efficiency and professionalism need to be implemented back into the role of the Lafayette County District Attorney, and I am the only candidate that can do that.
Age: 31
City/town of residence: Darlington
Family: My husband, Reid, and I reside in Darlington with our two daughters, Reese and Blythe. I grew up on my family's farm in Darlington and am the daughter of Tom and Kris Reichling. My husband grew up on his family farm in Shullsburg where he continues to farm with his dad and brother. Our family is elated to be back to our roots in Lafayette County near our family.
Education: I graduated from Darlington High School in 2004 and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008 with degrees in both legal studies and communication arts. I received my law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN in 2011, with honors.
Occupation: I have been in private practice as an attorney with Russell Law Offices, S.C. for the past five years and serve as Co-Corporation Counsel for Lafayette County. I have successfully litigated numerous complex cases, including cases before the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and against some of the largest firms in the state. I work routinely with members of the community and local businesses in all aspects of the law. Recently, I successfully prosecuted open meetings violations on behalf of the State of Wisconsin when the District Attorney determined that violations occurred, but she did not have the time to prosecute them due to her caseload.
Previous elected positions held: This is my first time running for an elected position.
What are the top issues facing the office you seek and how would you work to resolve them?
Currently, our county is experiencing a large drug abuse problem. Drug abuse often leads to other crimes and if it is not handled effectively, it will escalate quickly to impact the youth and safety in our communities. Finding the right process for correcting this behavior is challenging because some method of punishment is necessary for prevention. However, these individuals need resources to recover from their addictions or they become repeat offenders and Lafayette County doesn't currently have a program for that. I believe it is important to develop a drug court program, as other neighboring counties have been doing, to see the best results for our communities. Another important issue facing the office is ensuring that the office runs efficiently. Lafayette County only has a single District Attorney, unlike neighboring counties, so it is important to effectively manage the caseload. This can be done by creating proper internal processes that ensure cases are charged in a timely manner so as to not clog the justice system or leave a threat to the public. Systems need to be developed to handle the lesser level, routine cases and the disposition of them in a timely fashion to leave more time available for the more serious, severe cases. It is simply a matter of being organized, developing internal systems and consistently following them, and being prepared.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
My desire to become an attorney started back in grade school when I started to learn more about the role attorneys and, particularly, the District Attorney, play in holding a community together. I was born and raised in Lafayette County. I know the members of the communities, the businesses, the families, and the people. I know what is best for our county and what is necessary to protect our communities and maintain safety and I am committed to doing so. Our county is in a vulnerable state right now because of the increase of crime and drug abuse. Efficiency is the key to handling these issues. I am proven to be timely, efficient, and prepared, which is required to successfully manage the District Attorney's office. I have great working relationships with fellow attorneys, court staff, law enforcement, and community members. If I am successful, my ultimate goal is to implement processes that ensure consistent prosecution of cases in a timely manner with dispositions that provide justice for the county as a whole. Efficiency and professionalism need to be implemented back into the role of the Lafayette County District Attorney, and I am the only candidate that can do that.