Posted on November 27, 2017 in Drug Charges

Many people think of drunk driving charges as being associated with only alcohol. These individuals might not realize that they can also face drunk driving charges after taking drugs. Not just illegal drugs, but even legal drugs can lead to a drunk driving charge.

The point to remember when it comes to drunk driving charges is that anything that impairs your ability to drive can lead to a drunk driving charge. It doesn't matter where the substance came from if it has this impact.

When it comes to determining if someone is impaired by drugs, it isn't as easy as it is with a person who is drunk. Instead, police might have to rely on testimony from the person as well as field sobriety testing and chemical tests.

Chemical tests pose a unique problem because some substances will show up on blood tests and urinalysis testing long after the impairment has worn off. This can mean that a person could theoretically face charges for impaired driving when they were actually fine to drive.

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 Posted on November 22, 2017 in Drug Charges

A Wisconsin woman was arrested for allegedly possessing 2.36 ounces of heroin on Oct. 8 in Darien. The woman has now been accused of even more crimes following a thorough investigation by authorities. In addition to the current charges, the woman has a previous history of drug-related convictions.

According to police, the 23-year-old woman had over 2 ounces of heroin in a total of 134 individual baggies. The street value of the contraband material is believed to be $6,700. As a result of the allegations and evidence, she has been charged with felony-level controlled substance possession, felony-level controlled substance possession with the intent to deliver and possession with the intent to deliver inside 1,000 feet of a public park.

If convicted of these felony offenses, the woman could spend anywhere from six to 30 years in prison. She is currently being held on bond of $250,000. Authorities found approximately $847 in cash belonging to the woman at the time of the arrest; however, police would not permit the woman to use this money to help pay for the 10 percent of her bond that would lead to her release. Authorities said that they first needed to determine that the cash was not drug money.

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 Posted on November 18, 2017 in Criminal Defense

Police in Glendale say that they arrested a man who tried to flee from them while driving drunk. The man allegedly inspired a high-speed car chase that resulted in a fiery vehicle accident. Following the collision, authorities arrested the man and charged him with operating while intoxicated (OWI) causing injury, reckless endangerment, eluding police and other criminal charges.

Police say that the man was already out on bail for another drunk driving offense in Crawford County and that case is still pending. Due to the already-pending charges, the judge set the man's bail at $10,000. When setting the bail, the judge said, "You were already out on bail on another matter for similar conduct, drinking and driving ... then you go out and do it again?"

The pending drunk driving charges happened not two months ago. In addition, the man has drunk driving convictions on his criminal record, including an OWI from 2015 and an OWI with cocaine possession from 2010.

The arrest and car chase happened when police tried to pull over an allegedly road-raging driver. Police received reports that the driver tried to swerve into another car and strike it. Later, police received complaints that the motorist was running through red lights and hitting traffic signs. Police tried to pull the man over, but he sped away down Interstate 43, and a high-speed car chase ensued. After crashing his car into a pole, and after his car erupted into flames, the man allegedly ran away on foot. Police soon caught up with him.

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 Posted on November 16, 2017 in Criminal Defense

When carrying a firearm in Wiscon, you're also carrying a huge responsibility. As such, specific laws may apply to your possession, ownership and use of a firearm. Be sure to read the information below to find out how you may be affected by our state's gun laws.

Who does the law permit to own a firearm? In the state of Wisconsin, all adults can own a firearm if they have not been convicted of a felony and passed a background check to purchase the weapon they want to buy.

What happens to felons who possess firearms? The unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon is an extremely serious offense that could result in a prison sentence of 10 years.

What are the requirements to carry a concealed weapon? In order to carry a concealed weapon, you must complete the Wisconsin concealed weapons licensing program. Failing to have the appropriate license may result in the criminal charge of carrying a concealed weapon without a license.

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 Posted on November 11, 2017 in Criminal Defense

Bribery is a crime that occurs behind closed doors and in secret. The act of bribing another person involves the offering of money or favors in exchange for benefiting from the power of that person's position.

Bribery may involve a public official or politician who receives money under the table from someone who wants to receive a special favor. Ultimately, both the person who offers a bribe and the person who accepts the bribe can face these criminal charges.

What's required to prove bribery?

At its core, bribery is simple: Someone offers a thing of value in exchange for something else of value. Often, the favor given in exchange for a bribe is political influence. It might involve a corrupt judge who gives a certain ruling in exchange for a bribe. Or, it could involve a police officer who agrees to look the other way while someone commits a crime.

In terms of bribery charges that prosecutors try in federal court, there are specific elements that must be present in order for a bribery charge to stick. Those elements are:

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 Posted on October 26, 2017 in Criminal Defense

Wisconsin residents need to know their gun laws if they want to avoid unintentionally getting into trouble. One area of the law that could be subject to changes from year to year relates to machine guns, which are currently considered illegal in the state. Gun owners should review the following rules and regulations pertaining to machine guns to ensure that they don't get into trouble with state and local law enforcement regarding the firearms they possess and carry.

It is unlawful to transport, possess or sell a machine gun or fully automatic weapon unless these actions are performed in strict alignment with applicable gun laws. The term "machine gun" in this context relates to any firearm that can automatically shoot -- or automatically be rearmed to shoot -- over one shot at a time without the need to manually reload, simply by pulling the trigger of the weapon.

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 Posted on October 22, 2017 in Drug Charges

After the brain gets addicted to an opioid medication, it can take as long as two years for it to fully recover once the abuse of the drug stops. However, the first 90 days of recovery tend to be the most critical to ensure that the individual stays sober.

According to a leading addiction expert, creating a solid foundation of sobriety takes time and diligence. For this reason, anyone who tries to stop taking an addictive substance is encouraged to have 90 days of contact with a professional addiction therapist by way of an intensive outpatient program or a partial hospitalization program.

Experts don't know a lot about why it takes 90 days to get past the most difficult time and they don't know why it can take two years to fully heal. They just know that the process takes this amount of time with most people.

In most modern addiction treatment scenarios, therapists and recovery experts evaluate the mental health needs of the patient as well as his or her unique addiction issues. In this regard, untreated mental disorders tend to be addressed in addition to the medical aspects of addiction recovery. Patients commonly start with detox, then they receive in-patient rehab. Next, patients live in supportive housing, receive psychotherapy, take appropriate medications and go to group therapy. Part of the therapy should stress impulse control, which assists patients in controlling the impulsive thoughts that lead them to take more addictive substances.

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 Posted on October 21, 2017 in OWI

Not everyone who is accused of drunk driving is guilty. In fact, Wisconsin police frequently make mistakes during traffic stops that lead to an inappropriate arrest. Here are three ways that false DUI arrests might happen:

Police thought you were driving when you were the passenger: Imagine your friend is the designated driver who is diligently taking you home from a party in your own car. However, on the way home, your friend gets into an accident. You both get out of your car to examine the damage, and when police arrive, they don't believe that your friend was driving. Instead, they assume that you were driving while drunk and they arrest you for a DUI.

You have mouth alcohol: Imagine you just drank an alcoholic beverage, so the alcohol is still in your stomach. You can also smell it on your breath. However, your blood alcohol level is well within the legal limit. If police pull you over, they might smell the alcohol and decide to give you a breathalyzer test. If you accidentally burp while doing the breathalyzer exam, it could result in mouth alcohol that elevates your breath test reading beyond the legal limit. Mouth alcohol happens frequently, which is why police must observe you for approximately 15 minutes before giving you a breath test to ensure that you haven't burped.

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 Posted on October 20, 2017 in OWI

If you've been accused of drunk driving, you're in danger of having a bad mark on your criminal record. That mark could get in the way of employment opportunities -- particularly ones that involve driving.

Different kinds of criminal background checks expose different types of offenses. Depending on the nature of the check, your prospective employer might discover your drunk driving charge. Although your employer -- be it a federal agency or a Wisconsin business -- cannot discriminate against you based on a drunk driving conviction without a valid reason, this kind of discrimination can happen under the radar.

Background checks and getting hired for a job

Under federal case law, federal courts have ruled that prospective employees can seek protection from hiring discrimination based on a prior drunk driving conviction. More specifically, courts have ruled that employees can receive protection from hiring discrimination via Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

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 Posted on October 19, 2017 in OWI

The best way to handle a drunk driving charge in Wisconsin is to avoid getting arrested in the first place. Aside from becoming a teetotaler and refraining from drinking completely, there are a few precautions that every Wisconsin driver should make if he or she wants to prevent getting hit with this very serious criminal charge.

Here are a few tips from State Farm Insurance, which will prevent you from getting arrested and charged with a DUI:

• Select a designated driver for the night. This person will be your sober buddy who will make sure you get home safely without needing to drive drunk.
• Ask someone to give you a ride. If you're too drunk to drive, don't be shy to ask a sober friend to give you a lift. Most people will be happy to oblige.
• Take keys away from drunk people. If someone is intoxicated at a party, don't be shy to take the person's keys away from him or her. Even though the person might react negatively, think of it this way: You could be saving a friend's life.

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