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Meet Mindy
Mindy has served the citizens of Outagamie County as a prosecutor for nearly 17 years, starting as an Assistant District Attorney in 2003 before being appointed Deputy District Attorney in 2006. She was appointed District Attorney by Governor Scott Walker in 2017.
Mindy has prosecuted thousands of cases, including homicides and other major felonies and is particularly passionate about prosecuting crimes against women and children.
Mindy has developed and implemented county-wide policies in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking and officer-involved matters.
She is at the forefront of breakthrough practices and initiatives addressing mental illness, elder abuse, young adult offenders, first responder safety and more that have served as models across Wisconsin.
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Our success is made possible by you! Help Mindy by volunteering your time; help with parades, get yard signs up, knock on doors, make phone calls and talk to people you know about Mindy. we'd love to have you part of the team!

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Recent
Upcoming
Pleased to be Endorsed By
Brad Gehring
Retired Outagamie County Sheriff
Toby Paltzer
Retired Outagamie County Executive
Ruth Wulgaert
Retired Outagamie County Coroner
Joe Troy
Retired Outagamie County Judge
Clint Kriewaldt
Outagamie County Sheriff
Barb Bocik
Outagamie County Clerk of Courts
Sarah VanCamp
Outagamie County Register of Deeds
Trent Woelfel
Outagamie County Treasurer
Andre Jacque
State Senator
Luther Olsen
State Senator
Roger Roth
State Senator
Rob Cowles
State Senator
Kevin Peterson
State Representative
Ron Tusler
State Representative
Jim Steineke
State Representative
Gary Tauchen
State Representative
Dave Murphy
State Representative
Tim Hanna
Former Appleton Mayor
Dave Schowalter
Grand Chute Town Chairman
Jeff Nooyen
County Board Chariman
Nadine Miller
County Board Supervisor
Katrin Patience
County Board Supervisor
Dan Gabrielson
County Board Supervisor
Lee Hammen
County Board Supervisor
Nick Thyssen
County Board Supervisor
Justin Krueger
County Board Supervisor
Christine Lamers
County Board Supervisor
Dan Dillenberg
Former County Board Supervisor
Jim McDaniel
County Board Supervisor
Jason Wegand
County Board Supervisor
Don DeGroot
Former County Board Supervisor
Brian Peterson
County Board Supervisor
Kelly Schroeder
County Board Supervisor
Chris Croatt
County Board Supervisor
Pete Marcks
County Board Supervisor
Mike Thomas
County Board Supervisor
Travis Thyssen
County Board Supervisor
Joy Hagen
County Board Supervisor
Ron Klemp
County Board Supervisor
Dean Culbertson
County Board Supervisor
Kevin Sturn
Former County Board Supervisor
Dennis Clegg
County Board Supervisor
Debbie VanderHeiden
County Board Supervisor
Dan Rettler
County Board Supervisor
Keith Suprise
County Board Supervisor
Cathy Thompson
County Board Supervisor
Curt Konetzke
County Board Supervisor
Cathy Spears
County Board Supervisor
Dominic Renteria
County Board Supervisor
BJ O'Connor-Schevers
County Board Supervisor
Mike Woodzicka
County Board Supervisor
Bob Buchman
County Board Supervisor
Dan Melchert
County Board Supervisor
Eric Davisdon
County Board Supervisor
Pete Helein
Retired Law Enforcement
Brad Dunlap
Retired Law Enforcement
Joe Martin
Appleton City Council
Michael Siddall
Attorney
Charles Koehler
Attorney
Kevin Lonergan
Attorney
Andrew Rossmeissl
Attorney
Tyler Claringbole
Attorney
Kelly S. Kelly
Attorney
Richard Elrod
Attorney
Paula Hamer
Attorney
Kyle Thelen
Attorney
The best thing about Mindy is her caring and compassionate work with victims of crime. She always makes time to thoroughly explain the process to them and their families…something critical during what is often the most difficult experience of their lives. Mindy is a wonderful asset to the citizens of Outagamie County and should remain our District Attorney!
In my 26 years in law enforcement, Mindy Tempelis is hands down the finest prosecutor I have worked with. Her trial preparation is extremely thorough and her presentation of a case is truly impressive. She cares about the officers involved in cases, and especially about the victims of crime. As a law enforcement professional who lives and works in the county, I appreciate that she has the best interests of our officers and our community in mind
During my time as an Appleton Police Detective (I’m now retired), I had the opportunity to work closely with Mindy Tempelis on numerous felony prosecutions and witnessed firsthand her diligence to seek justice for victims of serious crimes. She also continuously supports and motivates others to do the same. She has been a true friend of law enforcement and the citizens of Outagamie County. Let’s keep Mindy Tempelis in office as our District Attorney!
I have had the pleasure of working with Mindy for the past 13 years on various projects to advance service delivery to members of our community. In 35 years of working in health care, I have never met anyone with the focus, tenacity and collaborative nature like Mindy Tempelis. She has continually strived to make the process better for victims and has been their voice when they aren’t able to speak for themselves. Let’s keep Mindy Tempelis in office so she can continue this important work.
Mindy embraces all that defines a successful officer of the court. She displays at all times a profound respect for the ethics of the law, demands truth throughout every aspect of the judicial process, prioritizes exceptional working relationships with fellow officers of the court and exemplifies perfection in protecting the citizens of Outagamie County. Mindy diligently defends the sanctity of the law while supporting each victim with unfaltering empathy. I know this to be true because I was one of those victims. Outagamie County needs Mindy Tempelis!
I’ve known Mindy Tempelis as a friend and colleague for nearly two decades. I appreciate her commitment to both justice and safety and her ability to balance the two. I have seen her tireless dedication to her cases, her community and her calling as a public servant. As someone who chooses to live, work and raise our daughter in this community, I know I want Mindy Tempelis to remain our District Attorney
I have had the pleasure of knowing Mindy since she joined the District Attorney’s office in 2003. I worked with her on a number of of county-wide initiatives, including the annual legal update training for law enforcement, officer-involved matters and other important criminal justice matters. She is a skilled prosecutor who is not only well-prepared for court, but ensures victims, officers and witnesses are prepared to testify. Mindy’s commitment to justice does not end in the courtroom. She is a respected leader and other professionals often seek her input and direction on a variety of issues related to the criminal justice system. Mindy Tempelis has my full support and endorsement for Outagamie District Attorney. I am confident she will continue to serve and lead our county with continued dedication and commitment.

Child Maltreatment
Child maltreatment includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse/psychologic abuse, and neglect which creates a risk of causing physical or emotional harm. The statistics are astounding – 25% of all adults report having been physically abused as children, one in five women and one in thirteen men report having been sexually assaulted as a child. The consequences have lifelong impacts to the victims, including physical and mental health issues, such as perpetrating or being a victim of violence, depression, substance abuse, high risk behaviors, and obesity. This in turn impacts families, businesses and the community as a whole for generations to come.
Mindy has been dedicated to helping protect children. In addition to prosecuting child maltreatment cases, Mindy was one of the founding members of the Child Death Review Team and was instrumental in creating the Child Abuse Response Team (CART). She worked with the County Executive and County Board to bring on attorneys to assist in the effective handling of Children in Need of Protection and Services (CHIPS) and Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) cases. With the increasing crisis in number of children in out of home care, Mindy’s leadership is helping children find permanency, stability and their forever homes. Mindy has also trained Outagamie County staff, law enforcement and Guardian Ad Litem (GALs) regarding CHIPS and youth justice cases. Mindy was also instrumental in helping improve how youth are handled when a young offender enters into the juvenile justice system having been a victim of child maltreatment from the child welfare system. She is also recognized as a trainer, where she works closely with a small team of prosecutors to provide specialized training in child maltreatment prosecution to prosecutors around the State. In addition, she is one of the Wisconsin Forensic Interview Guildelines (WIFIG) prosecutor trainers, and trains social workers, law enforcement and community interviewers on an evidence-based approach to interviewing children who are potential victims of child maltreatment.
Youth Justice
Mindy strongly believes that a strong, evidence based juvenile justice system leads to a safer, stronger, better community in the future. The goals of the youth justice system are not only to promote safety for victims and the community, but also to rehabilitate youth by providing treatment and services aimed at helping youth develop the skills necessary to successfully reintegrate back into the community. Tragically, it is not uncommon that youth involved in the juvenile justice system have been victims themselves, subject to various forms of abuse and neglect and formerly involved in the child welfare system. Therefore, it is imperative the juvenile justice system be trauma informed, to help address their treatment needs and work to help youth gain the necessary skills for youth to be positively involved in the community. By leveraging partnerships within the criminal justice system and the community, Outagamie County has become a leader in juvenile justice work.
For over ten years, Mindy was the lead prosecutor for all delinquency and juvenile in need of protection and services (JIPS) cases referred to the DA’s Office. She worked collaboratively with Outagamie County Youth and Family Services (YFS) and law enforcement to redefine how Youth Justice cases were handled in Outagamie County, with a focus on evidence-based practices. She participated in the Disproportionate Minority Contact Committee, the Trauma-Informed Care committee, the Human Trafficking committee and others to ensure Outagamie County was handling youth justice cases effectively and appropriately. Mindy also worked with YFS to develop the Young Adult Offender (YAO) program, which has become a model for other communities. In Wisconsin, 17 years old offenders are prosecuted in the adult criminal justice system. While this is always an option, it is often not the most effective approach. The YAO program has demonstrated 17-year-old youth can be served more effectively and immediately in the youth justice system, eliminating the adverse and counterproductive effects of having a criminal record for minor offenses. While holding a young adult accountable for his or her offenses, the YAO program provides services to address identified developmental needs and risks factors while also building on strengths. By doing so, the YOA program interrupts the trajectory toward repeated and more serious offenses
Mindy was recognized by both Governor Walker and Governor Evers as a leader in juvenile justice work when they appointed her to the Governor’s Juvenile Justice System in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
Mental Health
Officers are called to scenes for criminal activity and mental health crises. It is important for them to recognize when individuals belong in the criminal justice system versus the civil mental health system. Unfortunately, the criminal justice system has often been the default for dealing with behavioral and mental health issues and law enforcement does not have adequate tools and options to address these challenges. This approach does not serve the public health or improve public safety for our community and has a significant impact on those who struggle with mental illness, their families, our tax dollars and our county system.
Mindy has been instrumental in helping address this through her work on the Outagamie County Coordinating Council. In addition to supporting the work of the Outagamie County Mental Health Court, Mindy has helped lead innovative ideas aimed at keeping our community safe, while helping those who struggle with mental illness. Mindy has worked with the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department and New Mental Health Connection to successfully apply for funds through the Community Foundation for funds for a Behavioral Health Officer (BHO), who will be hired by the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department and help establish the SAFE (Safety Plan and Flag Enrollment) Project. Mindy understands the importance of a countywide BHO, who can assist during calls for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis and connect them with resources, do important community outreach and be a liaison between the criminal justice system and mental health professionals. This also gives officers time for other important patrol duties and makes them available to respond to other emergencies.
The SAFE Project, combined with the BHO, is an innovative strategy for increasing community and first-responder safety, improving the outcomes for those with mental illness and reducing the impact of incarceration on those who are mentally ill. The SAFE Project is a voluntary program that will allow those with mental illness who interact with law enforcement to voluntarily put a “flag” on their name and address, in advance of any calls for service. The “flag” will alert first-responders, much like an ID bracelet, prior to arrival with a personalized safety plan that includes helpful strategies for calming the individual, actions to be avoided or that could provoke or escalate the situation, a description of behaviors, visual indicators, and triggers officers might observe so they don’t cause alarm and a list of family/friends or professionals to be called upon to help de escalate and support the individual. The goal is to increase community safety, decrease mental health incident calls, decrease in escalated/violent mental health incidents leading to criminal charges and a decrease in those with mental illness in the jail.
If you or someone you know struggles with mental illness, please reach out to NAMI-Fox Valley for help.
Domestic Abuse
Domestic violence and abuse stem from a person’s desire to gain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner. People who behave this way believe they have the right to control what their partner does and does not do and believe their feelings and needs should be the priority in the relationship. Abuse is learned behavior and as a result can have a devastating impact on children who grow up in homes were domestic abuse exists. Anyone can be abusive and anyone can be the victim of abuse regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race or socioeconomic background. Victims often feel responsible for the abuse. However, it is the abuser who is responsible and makes the choice to behave in a way to gain power or control over their partner.
While at the UW-Law School, Mindy had the privilege of being taught by Tess Meuer, a leading attorney and domestic violence advocate in Wisconsin. This fueled Mindy’s interest and passion in helping victims of domestic violence and their children. Throughout her career, Mindy has prosecuted first time domestic violence offenders, where she has helped connect victims to services and help offenders get treatment and hold them accountable; and has also prosecuted major felony domestic violence cases, including homicides. Understanding the importance of a collaborative, team approach, Mindy has helped bring law enforcement, advocates, medical professionals and others together to improve the investigations by using a victim-centered, evidence-based approach. She has been recognized for her statewide training on investigating strangulation cases, where she has trained law enforcement, advocates, first responders, medical professionals, judges, and probation agents.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please call Harbor House for help.
Harbor House
- (920)832-1666
- harborhousewi.org
Elder Abuse
In 2018, over 27% of Outagamie County’s citizens were 50 and older. They have and are the leaders, mentors and community members who have made the Fox Valley the wonderful place it is to live. They deserve respect and dignity and the quality of life they have built for us.
Wisconsin has seen a 160% increase in reported elder abuse since 2001. For every one case that is reported, 24 cases go unreported. These numbers will continue to increase, as Wisconsin’s senior population is set to increase by 72% in the coming decade. In over 90% of the reported cases, a family member is the perpetrator. Research also shows when older adults are victimized they are at a significantly higher risk of early death.
Abuse in later life and elder abuse are terms used to describe harm to adults over 50. This can happen to any older adult and can occur in any setting and across all communities and backgrounds. It is described as the willful abuse, neglect, abandonment, or financial exploitation of an older adult by someone in an ongoing, trust-based relationship with the victim, such as a spouse, partner, family member, or caregiver. Elder abuse also highlights the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault among older people.
Through Mindy’s leadership, Outagamie County was chosen as one the Wisconsin Department of Justice partners, when it received a 3-year grant from the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life. This partnership brings together prosecutors, law enforcement, judges, victim services, community programs, aging network professionals, faith-based programs, and adult protective services in Outagamie County. As part of the grant, a team of local experts, including Mindy, will provide training for local professionals to help identify and improve investigations related to elder abuse, as well as common dynamics prevalent in elder abuse cases, and aging. The team will also establish a coordinated community response to elder abuse to improve services.
Human Trafficking
Does human trafficking happen in the Fox Valley? Sadly, it has become an epidemic happening not just in in developing countries, but in Wisconsin and the Fox Valley, too. Traffickers target the most vulnerable among us, frequently preying on disadvantaged young people who have suffered abuse, mental illness, and addiction. The internet and the Highway 41 corridor has made commercial sex convenient for those seeking to pay, but has also created a devastating business where women and young girls and boys are sold for sex by others. Mindy was a stakeholder in the Outagamie County Human Trafficking Steering Committee, which has worked to better identify trafficking that occurs in our community. In her work with this committee, Mindy has been instrumental in developing a victim-centered, evidence-based strategies to investigate and hold offenders accountable. While drug crime is often seen as a victimless crime, human traffickers control victims by encouraging and supporting their addiction to controlled substances. These crimes often go hand in hand. Mindy has partnered with the Sexual Assault Crisis Center and law enforcement throughout Outagamie County to provide trainings to various community organizations, including the City of Appleton Public Works, in an effort to increase awareness of human trafficking within Outagamie County and help citizens know what to look for and when to report suspicious behavior.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking or you want to learn more, please contact one of the following organizations for help:
SACC Fox Cities
- (920) 733-8119 or toll free (800) 722-7797
- info@sacc-foxcities.org
- sacc-foxcities.org
Eye Heart World
- (920) 395-5825
- eyeheartworld.org
Damascus Road
- (920) 659-0050
- damascusroadproject.org
Sexual Violence
Sexual violence has a devastating psychological, emotional and physical impact on survivors. One out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault in her lifetime and one in 33 men has experienced an attempted or completed sexual assault. Unfortunately, the perpetrator is almost always someone they know.
Mindy is committed to helping improve the investigations and prosecutions of these terrible acts. Prosecuting those who sexually assault children and adults has been a passion of Mindy’s throughout her career. She is recognized statewide as a trainer for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), Wisconsin Forensic Interview Guildelines (WIFIG) Training for interviewing children who are potential victims of child maltreatment, and has also trained other prosecutors around the State on sexual assault trial advocacy skills. Mindy has been a featured speaker for community presentations at local companies and organizations, like Kimberly-Clark and Miron Construction, to discuss myths of sexual assault, how adults can help keep kids safe and available resources within our community. Mindy has also actively helped support the victim advocacy services of the Sexual Assault Crisis Center as a community dancer, judge and speaker at Shall We Dance.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, advocates at the Sexual Assault Crisis Center can help:
SACC Fox Cities
- (920) 733-8119 or toll free (800) 722-7797
- info@sacc-foxcities.org
- sacc-foxcities.org