It is generally known that if an individual has a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 percent or higher, he or she is legally intoxicated. Throughout the United States, a .08 BAC is designated as the legal threshold for drunk driving, although each state may enforce its own laws to prohibit driving under the influence. In Wisconsin, a motorist may be arrested for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) regardless of his or her BAC. If you or a loved one has been arrested for an OWI charge, it is important to immediately seek help from an experienced criminal defense attorney regardless of your circumstances.   

Determining if a Driver Is Impaired 

Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal in Wisconsin for drivers of any age. To be considered “under the influence,” a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle must be impaired. In order to reach this conclusion, a police officer may ask you to participate in field sobriety tests if he or she suspects you are intoxicated. Although these tests may be politely declined, not participating may give an officer probable cause to arrest you. This means that if an officer stops you, and he or she believes that you are impaired by alcohol or drugs, you can be arrested and prosecuted for OWI, even without your BAC even being tested.

When you are stopped by a police officer it is because he or she believes that you have been driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it can be a daunting experience. If the officer already suspects that you are intoxicated before you are even pulled over, the entire interaction will be to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to place you under arrest for OWI. Once the officer approaches you, he or she will be using his or her senses to determine whether or not you are impaired. The officer will be looking for bloodshot eyes, unsteady hand movements, slurred speech, unusual statements, and the smell of alcohol or other drugs. He or she will likely ask you to step out of the vehicle to complete field sobriety testing, which will be used to establish probable cause for an arrest. But how accurate are those tests, and can the results be challenged?

What Is a Field Sobriety Test?

Field sobriety tests are conducted during a traffic stop to determine whether or not a person who is driving is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. There are many different types of field sobriety tests, but there are only three different standardized field sobriety tests. These include:

Most of the time, the only contact people have with police are interactions that take place when police believe an individual has done something illegal. Because of this, people tend to have a somewhat fearful reaction to law enforcement. Even if you did not do anything wrong, being approached by a police officer can often elicit fear or anxiety. If you are stopped by police or arrested for a crime, there are certain things you should not do, and there are certain ways you should behave to avoid any further trouble. It is important that you understand your rights as a citizen if you are ever arrested for a crime. The following are a few things you should know if you are arrested in Wisconsin:

1. You should never try to resist a police officer who is attempting to perform an arrest. If you do resist a police officer, you can actually be charged with a crime, and you may also end up having to pay fines. If you are detained by a police officer, you are permitted to ask if you are free to go. If the officer says you are not free to go, that means you are being arrested, and you must comply. Doing so can save you a lot of headaches and legal trouble in the future.

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Many studies and surveys have revealed that one of the biggest sources of arguments and contention in a marriage is financial matters. For some couples, finances are the reason that they get a divorce. Most of the time, married couples have at least a few intermingled financial assets, and sometimes, all of the couple’s financial assets are combined. Although this often makes for easier handling during the marriage, it can mean increased difficulty and arguments during a divorce. Figuring out what you should do with your finances during your divorce can be difficult, but it does not have to be. Here are a few common financial issues that may arise during divorce and how you can resolve them:

Determining Your Assets

Before you begin anything relating to separating your finances, it is important that you understand your current financial picture. To do this, you need a list of all of the assets that you and your spouse own. This may include:

Everyone knows that it is against the law to drive while you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Wisconsin not only puts you at risk of being arrested for OWI, but it also puts everyone else on the road in danger. Statistics show that driving while impaired is not only dangerous but deadly. According to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were nearly 11,000 deaths due to drunk driving in 2017, accounting for almost 30 percent of all traffic deaths. If you are ever stopped for the criminal offense of OWI, it is important to know the process in order to make sure your rights are protected.

What Are the Steps in an OWI Stop?

Police officers are trained to spot impaired driving and will usually have a pretty good idea if a person is driving under the influence or not. Being pulled over by the police is nerve-wracking for anyone, but getting stopped by police because they suspect you of drunk driving can be even more anxiety-inducing. Here are a few things to expect if you are pulled over for suspicion of OWI: