In the criminal justice system, homicide is one of the most severe criminal charges an individual can face. In Wisconsin, as is true across the United States, being convicted of homicide brings with it severe legal consequences. Therefore, it is essential to understand that if you have been charged with homicide, your freedom is very much at stake. To allow yourself to defend yourself against these charges, strongly consider hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney to help ensure your rights are protected and respected throughout your case and that an outcome can be pursued that is favorable to you.

Today, we will discuss the possible defense strategies for battling a homicide charge.

Overcoming a Homicide Charge

We must reiterate that when defending against a homicide charge, working with a highly experienced criminal defense attorney is essential. Your attorney will investigate the case, gather evidence, and help you build a strong defense to challenge the prosecution’s case. One of the most common defenses against a homicide charge is self-defense. If you acted in self-defense or were defending others when the homicide occurred, your attorney might be able to argue that you used lethal force in a lawful manner to protect yourself or others. Your attorney can present evidence such as eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, and testimony from specialists to support your claim of self-defense.

Domestic violence charges are serious criminal offenses that can have severe legal consequences, including incarceration and fines. Domestic violence charges can also have a devastating effect on one's personal life and career, and as a result, such charges must be aggressively defended against. However, if you have been falsely accused of domestic violence, there are steps you can take to defend yourself and defeat the charges. Today, we are going to discuss what those steps entail. Firstly, if you have been charged with domestic violence, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney so that you can begin building your defense as soon as possible.

Strategies to Take to Overcome a Domestic Violence Charge

Here are some strategies to consider if you have been charged with domestic violence, including:

• Hire an experienced criminal defense attorney – The first and arguably most crucial step in fighting a domestic violence charge is to hire a highly qualified and experienced criminal defense attorney. Your attorney will assist you in navigating the legal system, assessing the prosecution's case's strength, and developing a solid defense strategy.
• Gather evidence – To defeat domestic violence charges, you must present evidence contradicting the accuser's claim. This could include witness statements, medical records, text messages, or other evidence that shows the accuser is not credible or that their allegations are false.
• Challenge the user's credibility – One defense strategy that may be effective is to challenge the accuser's credibility. This could include questioning their motives for making false allegations, pointing out inconsistencies in their story, or highlighting any past instances of dishonesty or manipulation.
• Argue self-defense – In some cases, a defendant may argue that they were acting in self-defense when they allegedly committed the act of domestic violence. This defense strategy can be successful if the defendant can demonstrate that they reasonably believed they were in imminent danger of harm and that their actions were necessary to protect themselves.

Aside from the legal consequences of being convicted of domestic violence, something that makes these cases particularly difficult is that many individuals assume the accused is guilty before they get a chance to defend themselves in court. As a result, it is essential to defend yourself aggressively against such charges. As stated previously, the first step in building an aggressive defense is hiring a criminal defense attorney.

Many people find it ironic that a young adult can serve in the army, go to college, and drive a car well before they are legally old enough to buy alcohol. For many young adults, especially those who are already in college or who have moved out of their parents’ home and begun living independently, following Wisconsin’s laws about underage drinking may feel unnecessary, especially when alcohol is so easily available to youngsters who seek it.

Nevertheless, the law is the law, and kids who make the mistake of drinking underage are often caught. They may then face serious consequences that they never imagined. A young adult charged with underage alcohol consumption or a DUI may fear for their reputation, their ability to get a job, and their criminal record. Fortunately, especially if an underage drinking charge is a youth’s first run-in with the law, there are options for building a good defense; with a Wisconsin criminal defense attorney, second chances are possible.

Underage Drinking in Wisconsin

The only time someone under age 21 can legally consume alcohol in Wisconsin is when he or she is with a parent, guardian, or spouse who is the legal drinking age. This can include consumption at home or at a bar, although a bar can refuse to serve alcohol to someone under 21 even if they are with a parent, guardian, or spouse.

The consequences of a conviction for committing a crime are generally restricted to the act of offering restitution, whether by paying fines, serving time in jail or prison, or completing acts of community service and probation. Other times, however, the consequences of a conviction lead to restrictions on behavior that are seemingly unrelated to the crime itself. Someone who has been convicted of any felony in Wisconsin faces an extreme example of this in the restriction of their Second Amendment rights. It is against the law for anyone convicted of a felony to possess a firearm in Wisconsin, and the penalties for doing so are severe. If you are facing charges for criminal gun possession and have a felony status, it is essential to retain an experienced, aggressive criminal defense lawyer right away.

Consequences For Felony Gun Possession

People are sometimes surprised to find themselves facing charges of a felon in possession of a firearm because they do not fully understand what constitutes “possession.” Does simply having a gun in your house count? What if you are staying at a friend's house, or a friend is staying at your house, and the friend has a gun? What if someone asks you to hold a gun for them, but you never intended to use the gun for anything? These are important questions and it is equally important to know the answers.

Knowingly having physical control of a gun - such as holding a gun in your hand or pocket for any reason - is possession. However, the law also recognizes something called “constructive possession,” which means that if someone has a gun in an area that he has control over, and he intended to exercise control over the gun, he could be charged with possession - even if he never touched the gun.

As adults with children, we often look back on our own childhoods with amazement and perhaps a little horror. The risks of many of the behaviors we engaged in seem much more clear in hindsight, and we often hope that by raising our children right, we can help them avoid the same mistakes we made.

Unfortunately, every generation tends to make mistakes for the same reason: Until we reach adulthood, our prefrontal cortex (the part of our brain involved in decision-making and long-term planning) has yet to develop fully. This means young people make decisions using a different part of the brain known as the amygdala. The amygdala is more involved in regulating emotions, and depending on it for decision-making can lead to impulsive behaviors, participation in high-risk activities, and a sincere lack of the ability to think about the consequences of a particular action.

It is unsurprising, then, that good kids - especially boys - often make foolish and even illegal decisions when they are young. And while they still need to learn a lesson and make restitution for any wrongs they commit, a juvenile diversion program can be a great way to help them learn from their mistakes while avoiding serious juvenile or adult criminal penalties for their actions.