Christopher T. Van Wagner Attorney at Law

Attorney Christopher T. Van Wagner is one of the most experienced and accomplished criminal defense attorneys in Wisconsin. Chris has practiced law for 35 years and has focused entirely on criminal defense for the past 25 years. Christopher Van Wagner provides assertive and intelligent legal representation for people who face a wide range of criminal charges, from operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) to assault, sexual assault and homicide. Many of these cases pose difficult challenges because of the nature of the crimes and the negative public reaction to them. Chris also aggressively defends people who face charges of drunk driving, including repeat OWI/DWI offenses, OWI accidents with injuries and OWI accidents that resulted in a fatality. Through all of this, Chris has earned a stellar reputation across the “left side” of the state of Wisconsin as a trial lawyer who fights for his clients. Prosecutors know – or soon learn – that Christopher T. Van Wagner does not fold his cards merely because they claim to have a strong case. Christopher T. Van Wagner has an “AV” rating* in the peer review system created by Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest rating an attorney can receive. This honor comes from lawyers across the state and across the spectrum of practice areas. Chris has been recognized numerous times as a Super Lawyer, an honor given only to the top 5 percent of attorneys in Wisconsin. Additionally, Chris has appeared as a legal analyst and expert commentator on national shows such as Court TV, the Dan Abrams Report on MSNBC, the Today show, Good Morning America and ABC News, as well as local broadcasts such as ABC Madison Channel 27 and Madison Channel 3000 (C3K).