Sept. 3, 2025 9:10p; Updated at 11:20 with Solis' reaction
(WGTD)---In a highly unusual move, Kenosha County’s chief judge slammed the county’s district attorney in comments at a county board committee meeting Wednesday night.
Judge Chad Kerkman said a mass exodus of prosecutors from the office under Xavier Solis has created a mess. Referring to the remaining prosecutors, Kerkman said: "They're showing up unprepared. They're not giving (plea) offers. They're not providing discovery. It's causing lots and lots of delays. We have people sitting in jail because of this. That is a mess."
Kerkman was at the meeting of the Judiciary and Law Enforcement Committee as part of a routine review of circuit court operations. Most of the comments on the topic were made by Clerk of Courts Rebecca Matoska-Mentink.
But at the end of the meeting, the committee’s vice-chair, with a bit of a chuckle, inquired of Kerkman how the county’s judges were doing.
That’s when Kerkman unexpectedly lashed out, saying that Solis has refused to meet with them to discuss the prosecutor shortage.
By WGTD’s count, 16 assistant district attorneys have left the office since the first of the year.
Committee Vice-Chair John Franco told Kerkman that Solis is due to appear before his committee next month. Kerkman said he for one plans to show up to listen to what Solis has to say.
Solis was elected last November, replacing Michael Graveley, who retired.
When contacted by WGTD, Solis declined to comment on Judge Kerkman's observations.
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