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 with her husband, Gerard Kuchler. Her son, Anthony Cotton, joined the firm in 2005.

Donna specializes in serious state felonies, federal crimes, sex crimes and in the field of child abuse including shaken baby allegations. She has a reputation for providing vigorous, high quality legal defense in complex criminal cases. She has successfully argued and won a major federal drug case in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago of United States v. Fidel Robeles-Ortega, 348 F.3d 679. In addition, Donna won an operating while intoxicated case at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals entitled State of Wisconsin v. Begicevic, 270 Wis.2d 675.

Donna was awarded the Martin Hanson Award by the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. This prize is awarded to those lawyers who have accomplished the rare and difficult task of winning a criminal homicide case. Donna 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.

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 a shaken baby case. She was a speaker at the Wisconsin Criminal Defense Conference in Spring 2008 and lectured on The Defense of Shaken Baby Cases. She attends the national and international conferences on child abuse. Because child abuse cases often involve sensational allegations which must be objectively examined, Donna 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, felony drug delivery/manufacture, child abuse, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, substantial battery, 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 dkuchler@gmail.com.

Criminal Defense
Federal Charges
Drug Charges
Child Abuse and Neglect