Keith A. Belzer

Keith A. Belzer is a criminal defense attorney representing clients in Hudson and across western Wisconsin, with decades of trial experience in serious criminal cases. His practice includes homicide defense, sex crimes, violent crimes, and gun crimes. He combines courtroom preparation with an emphasis on presenting clear, persuasive accounts of the evidence. His work includes defending people facing major criminal allegations as well as teaching other attorneys how to prepare and present cases before judges and juries.

Keith earned a B.A. from Knox College in 1985 and a J.D. from Loyola Law School of Chicago in 1992. His legal education provided the foundation for a career focused on trial advocacy and the defense of people accused of crimes. He also draws on a background in theater, including acting, directing, and playwriting, when organizing evidence and presenting a client’s account. This combination informs his approach to witness testimony, courtroom communication, and defense strategy.

Keith has represented three clients associated with the Wisconsin Innocence Project who were ultimately exonerated. Among them was Evan Zimmerman, whose retrial and exoneration were documented in Facing Life: The Retrial of Evan Zimmerman. Beyond individual cases, Keith serves as Assistant Executive Director at the National Criminal Defense College and teaches trial techniques to defense lawyers. His instructional work has reached attorneys in many U.S. states and included presentations for public defender groups in Israel, Puerto Rico, and China.

Keith A. Belzer received the William M. Coffey Defender Award in 2026 for contributions to criminal defense representation and trial-skills education. He has been selected as a Wisconsin Super Lawyer annually since 2005 and received the Wisconsin Law Journal’s Leaders in the Law award in 2006. His other honors include the Martin Hanson Memorial Advocates Prize and the Kuchler-Nicholson-Stilling Sensitive Crimes Award. His experience in exoneration cases and attorney training reflects a career devoted to challenging convictions and strengthening criminal defense advocacy.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Nelson Defense Group
• Member, State Bar of Wisconsin
• Faculty, Wisconsin Trial Skills Academy
• Faculty, Oregon Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Assistant Executive Director, National Criminal Defense College

Licensed State

• Wisconsin

Education

• Loyola Law School of Chicago
  Juris Doctor (JD)

Awards & Badges