In Wisconsin, all felonies are serious criminal matters that can permanently strain one's reputation and livelihood.
The state legislature has classified nine different classes of felonies, from Class A, the most serious to class I. Depending on what a defendant is convicted of, sentencing for these crimes can be as severe as life imprisonment for a Class A felony to a fine of up to $10,000 for a class I felony and/or up to 3 1/2 years in prison.
According to Wisconsin law, a felony is a crime whose punishment could potentially result in a jail term of one year or longer. Crimes that fall within this category are assigned sentences within the Wisconsin State Prison System rather than in a county jail.
Within the broad category of felonies, crimes are further divided into a series of nine classes delineated by alphabetical titles, A through I. Class A felonies, for example, represent the most severe punishments given in Wisconsin. Penalties include a lifetime sentence with further stipulations for repeat offenders and those with specific criminal records.
When a person hears the word "felony," many different ideas come to mind, and often the assumption is that they have committed, or have been accused of, a very severe crime.
But in Wisconsin, the state legislature has classified nine different classes of felonies, from Class A, the most serious to class I. Depending on what a defendant is convicted of, sentencing for these crimes can be as severe as life imprisonment for a Class A felony to a fine of up to $10,000 for a class I felony and/or up to 3 1/2 years in prison.
Attorney Patrick Stangl sets himself apart from other Wisconsin OWI attorneys in many ways, but one in particular is unique to him: He's trained in administering and evaluating Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs) just like law enforcement officers.
This gives attorney Stangl incredibly deep insight into how these tests are designed, what their weaknesses are, and where law enforcement commonly make mistakes when administering them.
If you've ever been pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving in Wisconsin, you've likely already participated in one or more field sobriety tests or FSTs.
Don't be fooled by what police might say when telling you what the test is for. These tests are designed with the intention of identifying sufficient reason or probable cause to arrest you on suspicion of driving under the influence –– nothing more.
Unlike most first offense OWI violations, which are civil penalties, OWI with a minor passenger (someone under the age of 16) elevates the case to a criminal charge.
The penalties of a first offense OWI with a minor passenger are significantly more severe: double the penalties you would normally receive for the offense without a minor in the vehicle. In some cases, certain penalties are more than doubled.
Wisconsin's OWI laws can seem complex and confusing, especially to someone facing charges and looking for a clear and simple guide to the penalties they face and actions they can take to defend themselves.
As of 2018, a 4th DUI offense in Wisconsin is classified as an automatic class H felony.
This means it's absolutely imperative to contact an experienced Wisconsin OWI attorney as soon as possible to avoid conviction and face serious penalties (described below).
If you've ever been pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving in Wisconsin, you're likely already familiar with a breathalyzer test.
There are two times law enforcement is likely to ask you to submit to a breathalyzer or breath test to try to establish whether or not you might be intoxicated: during an OWI traffic stop and after an OWI arrest.
This article will address both of these circumstances when the request or option to take the breathalyzer test might arise and answer whether or not you are allowed refusal of breathalyzer testing under Wisconsin's breathalyzer laws.
This guide offers important sentencing guidelines for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) citations issued on or after January 1, 2017 in Wisconsin's Fifth Judicial District. This includes the city of Madison and Dane County as well as Rock, Green, and Lafayette counties.
This information is up-to-date at the time of this posting, but subsequent updates may have been made since then or may be made in the future.
