Donna Kuchler

Donna was born and raised in Wisconsin. After raising a family, she returned to college and graduated summa cum laude from Concordia University in 1993. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1995.

Since her admission to the Wisconsin Bar, she has practiced law in Wisconsin. Her son and law partner, Anthony Cotton, joined the firm in 2005. The attorneys at Kuchler & Cotton specialize in all types of criminal defense. The firm has handled many high-profile and difficult cases.

Donna specializes in serious state felonies and, in particular, sex crimes and child abuse including shaken baby or abusive head trauma allegations. Our entire team provides aggressive and exceptional legal representation. We are the premier SVU (Sexual Victim’s Unit) defense firm in southeastern Wisconsin.

Recently, the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL) honored Attorney Donna Kuchler. They named an award after her called the Kuchler, Nicholson & Stilling Award. This Sensitive Crimes award will be given to attorneys who receive not guilty verdicts in felony sexual assault trials. Donna has received not guilty verdicts in her last 7 sexual assault trials in Waukesha, Jefferson, Kenosha, Dane and Walworth Counties. She has a reputation for providing vigorous, high quality legal defense in complex criminal cases.

Attorney Kuchler has successfully argued and won a major federal drug case in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago – United States v. Fidel Robeles-Ortega, 348 F.3d 679. In addition, Donna J. Kuchler won an operating while intoxicated case at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in State of Wisconsin v. Begicevic, 270 Wis.2d 675 and again recently in State of Wisconsin v. Bertrand.
Donna was awarded the Martin Hanson Award by the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers on two separate occasions. This prize is awarded to those lawyers who have accomplished the rare and difficult task of winning a criminal homicide trial. Donna J. Kuchler won this award for her successful defense in the case of State of Wisconsin v. Dittberner, 2004 CF 147 (Jefferson County, WI). In that case, the defendant (father) was charged with shaking his infant baby and causing his death. The jury found Mr. Dittberner not guilty. She further won the award for her successful defense of a death penalty case in Ocala, Florida in the matter of State of Florida v. Rishi Ramgoolie which concluded in March 2014. In that case, the defendant was charged with killing his infant niece. The defense was successful in showing that the Medical Examiner was negligent. The verdict was a resounding not guilty.

In 2014 Donna was given the prestigious William Coffey Memorial Award for exceptional contributions to professionalism in the field of criminal justice. She was named a leading lawyer in Wisconsin in 2015 and also a leading woman in law in 2014. Donna has been voted by her peers as a Super Lawyer every year since 2015.

Donna practices in every county in Wisconsin and elsewhere in the United States on a pro hoc vice basis. She frequently works as a consultant for attorneys around the country who are defending an abusive head trauma (AHT) or shaken baby (SBS) case or a difficult sexual assault case. She has frequently lectured on the subject at continuing legal education conferences. She attends the National and International conferences on child abuse. Because child abuse cases often involve sensational allegations which must be objectively examined, she believes that it is critical to keep abreast of the most current medical, scientific and psychological research and studies.

Donna has been successful in numerous jury trials throughout the State of Wisconsin, maintaining an acquittal average significantly higher than her colleagues. She has won acquittals on homicides, child sexual assaults, adult sexual assaults, felony drug delivery/manufacture, child abuse, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, substantial battery, burglary, operating while intoxicated, PAC charges, child neglect, bail jumping, possession of controlled substances, among others.

If you want an attorney who will pay attention to your case; who is willing to invest the time and energy into your defense; and who has an outstanding reputation, please give Donna a call or email her at donna@kuchlercotton.com.