Kent Lovern

Kent Leroy Lovern (born 1971) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He is the district attorney of Milwaukee County since 2025. Prior to his election as district attorney, Lovern worked 27 years as a prosecutor in Milwaukee County, serving 9 years as an assistant district attorney and 18 years as a deputy district attorney.

Early life and education Lovern was raised in Wichita, Kansas, and Sioux City, Iowa, graduating from Bishop Heelan Catholic High School in 1989. He went on to Briar Cliff University, also in Sioux City, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1993. He continued his education at the University of Iowa College of Law, and received his J.D. in 1995.

Legal career Shortly after completing his education, Lovern moved to Racine, Wisconsin, where he worked as criminal defense attorney. In 1998, he was hired as an assistant district attorney under Milwaukee County district attorney During that time, he worked in the Firearms Enforcement Unit led by supervising assistant district attorney John T. Chisholm. In 2006, Chisholm was elected district attorney, and, in 2007, he appointed Lovern as a deputy district attorney.

A year later, Lovern was promoted to chief deputy district attorney, the second-ranking position in the office. He served in that role until Chisholm's retirement in 2025.

District attorney On January 5, 2024, district attorney John Chisholm announced that he would not run for re-election. Five days later, Lovern announced his candidacy to succeed Chisholm as district attorney.

Personal life and family On August 26, 1995, Kent Lovern married Susan E. Hanna at Sioux City, Iowa. They now reside in Shorewood, Wisconsin, and have two sons.