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Recent Blog Posts
What Am I Legally Required to Do After a Car Accident?
Getting into a car accident can at the least, majorly disrupt your day. You are not going to get where you were going anytime soon, even if you had an important meeting or appointment. At the worst, a car accident can disrupt your entire life if you face criminal charges as a result. It might be tempting to get out of there rather than stick around and identify yourself when you have caused an accident, but doing so will only make things worse. Your safest bet is to comply with Wisconsin law regarding what you can and cannot do immediately after a car accident. Then, you need to call a lawyer as soon as possible.
If I Have Caused a Car Accident, What Do I Need to Do Next?
Right after an accident, you might be experiencing a flood of emotions, ranging from panic to guilt, especially if someone got hurt. It is important to remain calm and comply with the legal steps you are required to take. After a car accident, Wisconsin law requires you to:
What Is Statutory Rape in Wisconsin?
Simply put, statutory rape is any sexual activity between an adult 18 years old or older and a minor who is younger than 19 years old. The idea behind this sex offense is that minors are not capable of consenting to sexual activity, so adults should avoid engaging in it with them even if the minor does in fact give consent. That means that in order to get a conviction, the prosecution need not prove any type of force or coercion. Under Wisconsin state law, several distinct crimes fall under the umbrella of statutory rape. A conviction could leave you on the sex offenders’ list, so if you are facing any of these charges, it is very important that you do not wait to find an attorney.
What Offenses Are Considered Types of Statutory Rape?
In Wisconsin, statutory rape is the name given to several different offenses based on the respective ages of the offender and the minor involved. It might be called “Sexual Assault of a Child” or “Sexual Assault of a Minor,” even if there was no real assault involved and the minor agreed to the act. Categories of statutory rape in Wisconsin include:
3 Wisconsin Laws About Sharing the Road with a School Bus
Yellow school buses were absent from Wisconsin’s roads for quite some time during the height of the pandemic. While schools were largely closed and relying on distance learning, drivers did not need to worry about sharing the road with these important vehicles. Now that schools have been reopened and school buses are back on the road, it may be a good time to review the state laws that apply when you encounter one. These laws are designed to keep both child passengers and everyone else on the road safe. Aside from being dangerous, violating a law about school bus safety could lead to serious fines or even a loss of license. If you have been issued a ticket after violating a school bus law, it is important to take it seriously - the state certainly does.
What Laws Do I Need to Follow When I See a School Bus on the Road?
School bus laws may feel very restrictive, but keep in mind that these laws are in place to protect children. Unlike adults, children cannot be expected to exercise great judgment when it comes to road safety. Younger kids can be quite unpredictable, and hard to spot around another vehicle. Wisconsin state laws other drivers must follow when they see a school bus include:
Wisconsin Bill: Assaulting a Healthcare Worker May Be a Felony
Healthcare workers have had a particularly difficult time these last two years or so. As if the constant threat of COVID exposure were not enough, assaults against healthcare workers have been on the rise. Wait times in the ER have been extremely long, with some patients waiting upwards of 12 hours to be seen. Many have been unable to visit their loved ones who were hospitalized with the virus. Disinformation about “alternative” treatments has led to disputes between patients, families, and care teams. On far too many occasions, this has led to violence in hospitals and doctors' offices. A new bill, which recently passed the state assembly, would make any violence against a healthcare worker a felony criminal offense.
Was Attacking a Healthcare Worker Not Already a Felony?
A preexisting law made it a felony to batter a nurse or emergency care worker, such as Emergency Room doctors and paramedics. Nurses and emergency health care staff have typically been the most common targets of violence in health care settings. Emotions can run very high in emergency settings, sometimes even escalating to violence. In an effort to keep these critical workers safe in their workplaces, even minor violence against them can be treated as a felony battery.
Could I Get Arrested For Carrying a Gun - if I Have a Permit?
The Second Amendment protects the rights of Americans to own and use firearms - however, this right is not absolute. There are limits as to who can or cannot own or carry a gun. There are restrictions related to age, criminal history, and even mental health. Even for those who lawfully own a gun and possess a valid concealed carry license, there are still restrictions about where concealed carry is or is not permitted. It is easier than you may think to inadvertently cross onto the wrong side of the law and find yourself facing weapons charges. If you have been charged with a weapons offense, it is important to find an attorney who is experienced at protecting the Second Amendment rights of concealed carry permit holders. The consequences of a weapons offense could include the loss of your license.
What Legal Restrictions Are Placed on Concealed Carry License Holders?
First, it is important to know that there are some places where carrying a gun is illegal even if you have a permit. These places include:
What Are the Different Types of Homicide Charges in Wisconsin?
Almost any crime that ultimately causes a death falls under the umbrella of homicide. However, Wisconsin has long recognized that there are different degrees or types of unlawful killings. Some forms are considered much more serious than others and result in much harsher sentencing. Which specific homicide offense you are charged with depends on a number of factors, including the specific facts of your case, whether you were committing another crime, and whether the killing was intentional.
If you have been charged with any type of homicide, you could be looking at a very long term of imprisonment. It is critical that you trust your defense to an experienced, knowledgeable, criminal defense attorney.
Homicide Offenses in Wisconsin Explained
Wisconsin state law recognizes numerous different types and degrees of homicide offenses. They include:
- Felony murder - This applies when someone is killed during the commission of a different dangerous felony, such as an assault, kidnapping, burglary, burglary, or robbery. For example, if you commit arson and someone trapped inside the building you were burning dies, you may be charged with felony murder. Felony murder can be charged if the fatality is caused at any point during the offense, including while fleeing.
4 Reckless Driving Behaviors That Could Land You in Jail
Reckless driving can be taken quite seriously in Wisconsin. Those who are used to driving to and from work or school every day can easily forget how dangerous their vehicles can be when not operated with care. While more minor, less risky, traffic offenses like speeding just a little or making a “rolling stop” will typically lead to just a ticket, more serious, reckless, behaviors could get you arrested. In Wisconsin, a first conviction for reckless driving without aggravating circumstances will most likely lead to fines, but a repeat conviction is a misdemeanor that carries jail time. If you are facing a reckless driving charge, an attorney may be able to help.
What Kinds of Actions Behind the Wheel are Considered Reckless Driving?
In its most basic form, Wisconsin’s reckless driving statute simply defines reckless driving as endangering a person or property by negligently operating a vehicle. For the purposes of the reckless driving law, your driving could be deemed negligent if you knew or really should have known that what you were doing was substantially dangerous. There is no specific list of driving behaviors that meet the definition, but the following actions are generally considered to meet the definition:
Could I Lose My Wisconsin Driver’s License Over Traffic Tickets?
Not being able to drive can make your life very difficult. If you drive yourself to work or your children to school every day, a suspended license could create serious problems. Even grocery shopping can become a significant hassle when you must rely on someone else to drive you. If you need your driving privileges, it is important for you to know about Wisconsin’s Habitual Traffic Offender Law. The gist of it is that too many traffic offenses will cause the state to revoke your driver’s license for a five-year period. If you tend to get a lot of traffic tickets, it may be worth reviewing your driving record to determine whether you are getting close to habitual offender status and take action if needed.
When Is a Driver Considered a Habitual Traffic Offender?
There are three ways for a driver to be declared a habitual offender for the purposes of this law. You could be considered a Habitual Traffic Offender if, within a five-year period, you get:
Could Milwaukee County Charge My Child as an Adult?
Treating minors as adults in criminal court is often a controversial subject. Some feel that older teenagers who commit adult crimes should be tried as adults. Others feel that juveniles lack the maturity to comprehend the consequences of their lawbreaking and belong in a judicial program designed to address their needs. No matter where you stand on the topic, if your minor child has been arrested in Wisconsin, there is a very real risk that they could be charged - and sentenced - as an adult.
While juvenile offenders who stay in juvenile court enjoy a number of benefits even if they are convicted, those whose cases are sent to adult court risk facing much harsher penalties for the same crime. If your child is in legal trouble, you will need to take steps immediately to protect their future possibilities. Securing strong legal representation is a critical measure.
What if My 17-Year-Old Gets Arrested?
Wisconsin has a harsh and unyielding rule about offenders who are 17 years old - they are charged as adults. Your 17-year-old is probably still in high school. It may seem absurd to you that their case is being handled as if they were a full-grown adult, but this is the rule in Wisconsin and nine other states.
When Do I Need a Lawyer for a Traffic Offense?
Some traffic tickets are quite minor affairs. Perhaps your headlight went out and you got a “fix-it” ticket, or you were simply speeding just slightly. These situations can often be resolved without the assistance of an attorney, especially if you have no or very few previous moving violations. Some traffic offenses, however, are much more serious. Certain vehicular crimes can lead to the loss of your driving privileges or even jail time. If you have been charged with one of these offenses, it is important that you take it very seriously and immediately contact a qualified traffic offenses defense lawyer. Much more than a fine or some points on your license could be at stake.
When Should I Call a Lawyer After Being Charged With a Traffic Offense?
A traffic ticket probably will not have much of an impact on your life in the long run. Things like speeding or not wearing a seatbelt are considered violations rather than true crimes. However, a misdemeanor or felony charge for something that happened in traffic can have a devastating impact on your life. You may want to consult a defense attorney if you are charged with:
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