State Programs, Administration & Revenue Unit

The State Programs, Administration and Revenue (SPAR) Unit provides legal advice and handles litigation in a variety of areas, with an emphasis on issues relating to governmental authority, constitutional and administrative law and revenue and finance. 

The unit represents state constitutional officers and about 50 agencies and boards in constitutional and civil rights litigation, and in judicial review of administrative agency actions. 

The unit’s substantive areas of law include:

The unit defends its clients in litigation challenging the lawfulness of state statutes or the administration of state programs and handles the defense of complex systemic challenges affecting entire agency programs or substantial agency functions. 

The unit provides legal advice relating to state bonds, contracts relating to the procurement of goods and services, intellectual property, and economic development matters, and represents state agencies in lawsuits relating to those matters. 

In addition, the unit:

• Brings actions to recover debts owed to the state
• Represents the state’s interest in bankruptcy proceedings and foreclosures
• Provides advice and renders opinions with respect to the acquisition, sale and lease of property
• Brings actions to recover unpaid wages owed to private sector employees
• Defends the state’s interest in disputes involving real property 
• Enforces the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement and related legislation
• Defends state agencies before the Claims Board
• Advises the public and governmental agencies on open meetings and public records issues
• Defends state agencies in these cases

The majority of the Attorney General Opinions to the governor, the Legislature, state agencies, district attorneys and county corporation counsel are drafted by staff in this unit.  Information on requesting an Attorney General opinion can be found here.

Please visit the Open Government page for information on Wisconsin’s open meetings and public records laws provided by SPAR.

Wisconsin law does not authorize the Attorney General and employees of the Department of Justice to provide legal advice to private individuals. If you need legal advice or representation you may want to contact a private attorney. The State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral and Information Service can help you determine if you need a lawyer, and how to proceed if you do.