Feb. 4, 2026 – Lifetime enforcer Chadwick M. Elgersma received appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on Monday.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge James D. Peterson signed the order on Jan. 22.
“I am honored to serve as United States Attorney,” Elgersma said. “I thank the Court, President Trump, and Attorney General Bondi for the trust they placed in me, and I pledge to work closely with my federal, state, and local law enforcement partner to keep our communities safe.”
Elgersma served on an interim basis in the position since July, when he replaced Timothy M. O’Shea, who retired after 34 years of service.
Jay D. Jerde, Mitchell Hamline 2006, is a legal writer for the State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison. He can be reached by
email or by phone at (608) 250-6126.
A Waupun native, Elgersma graduated from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. A year after his 2005 graduation, he began serving the FBI as a special agent. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2017.
As U.S. Attorney, Elgersma will be responsible for overseeing federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the Western District of Wisconsin, based in Madison and serving 44 counties.
